MAY SALE - 25% OFF MY NEW COURSE: HOW TO CREATE MAXIMALIST INTERIORS

Sophie Robinson
  • Home
  • Workshops
    • Marrakech Retreat
    • Ban the beige
    • Home Masterclass
  • Online Courses
  • Collaboration
  • Podcasts
  • Blog
  • About
    • About me
    • Work with me
    • Press
  • FAQs
  • Contact
  • Interior Design
  • Interiors
  • Kids rooms
  • Rooms
  • Videos
23 Feb 16

How to design a kids room: My son Arthur’s bedroom

AlunCallenderPhoto SophieRobinson Arthurs bedrom

Don’t you just love kids rooms? It’s an amazing opportunity to get in touch with your inner child and be wildly colourful and creative. But as the designers on The Great Interior Design Challenge know only too well, at the same time they are super challenging too.

 

 

You need to create a room for your child to get off to sleep in (Note that yellow is the most invigorating colour!). But you may also be using their bedroom as a playroom too so you want it to be stimulating and fun too. So therefore it’s a multi purpose room, one for both play and sleep and that’s a tall ask!

Pastel colours are really popular for nurseries and I think the soft gentle hues are great for sleepy or restless babies, but in no time at all those little bundles are toddlers and are on the move and into everything. I wanted to future proof my son’s bedroom to a degree so decided not to do a babyish nursery look. I painted his room Railings by Farrow and Ball, while I was still pregnant. My view was my tiny baby had spent 9 months in my tummy and was going to sleep a lot and a darkly decorated room would be really cosy and restful. I also know that children introduce a lot of bright toys and stuff into your home, and I love bright colours against dark painted walls so I knew it would look rocking.

Arthurs-room--nursery designed by Sophie Robinson

Blackout blinds or curtains are essential, so the room can be dark at any time of the day. This helps with babies napping in the day but also helps with summer bedtimes. If you already have regular curtains you can easily update the window by popping in a discreet blackout roller blind. I always found 247Blinds great for simple but affordable ones that are delivered made to measure. For these Roman blinds I sourced a roman blind making kit off the Internet and had a local seamstress make them up for me.

 

Rather than go for nursery themed curtains and wallpapers, I chose a neutral wall colour and an ageless fabric for the blinds, as they were expensive to have made. The fabric is called Balyan from Osborne and Little and would look great in an interior design for any age group, even your own! Trick is to go for a simple print like a stripe or geometric as they’re alot more timeless and easy to add other prints too. I can then ring the changes with artwork, posters, bed linen and furniture as my son’s tastes and needs change over the years. This Noahs Ark bedlinen set was from John Lewis and I love all the colours, it goes with my rainbow mentality!

 

The next basic to think about is your floor. Your going to want to have something pretty bomb proof. From baby puke all the way up to teddy bears picnics your kids room is going to take some spills so don’t give yourself the stress of a quality fitted carpet. Carpets or rugs that have a high level of man made fibre in them are cheaper and better than being stain resistant than wool. They don’t feel or look as luxurious though, but you can save that look for your other rooms. Better still if you have a hard floor, you can whop down a really large oversized rug. Ikea is great for this, but there are some super online rug retailers too like The Rug Seller and Modern Rugs. Again you can pick a bright floor rug that adds some colour and design to the scheme

Kids bedroom storage. room designed by Sophie Robinson

 

So with all the decorating done next on the list is storage and I think this is the most crucial of all. If you have the right storage systems in place it will go a long way to helping you feel like your home is still under control! It’s breathtaking how one so small can accumulate so much stuff. As soon as all the baby paraphernalia has gone then the toys and books start piling up! So I invested in a huge Kallax shelving unit from Ikea. The great thing about these is they also come with storage baskets that fit the squares. The key I think is that whatever storage systems you invest in you have storage that your child can access easily, and then some storage that’s out of reach. For example I keep paints and art materials beyond reach while books, toys, dressing up stuff are in the lower shelves.

Kids bedroom storage

I’ve been through a fair few amount of plastic storage tubs  in my time, they are a really useful piece of kit when you’re a stylist for storing fabrics and props. So through my research you have to pay a bit more to make it worth while and the best brand that’s indestructible and easy to stack and store is from The Really Useful Storage Box Company. I’m actually quite addicted to them as they come in so many useful sizes. I find the 35ltr ones really good for train sets, Lego and then I have a few 0.9 litre ones for the collection of small toys like the Octonaut crew. Great thing is you can just buy more as you need them. Then you can get them out, kids play with their toys then they all have a place to go afterwards. I still find Tweak bunny in the most unexpected places but at least I know where to put her away. A row of hooks is a really good idea, positioned within reach of your child so they can get into the habit of hanging things away. It’s a great theory anyway!

Kids bedrrom interior design by Sophie Robinson

I picked up the circus tent as a complete impulse purchase when shopping in Ikea. Its only £17 and has provided loads of fun. I use it to store all of Arthur’s soft toys in, but he has enjoyed it as a secret hideaway, a puppet theater and tipped on its side it makes a great rocket. I have to say its my total bargain must buy.

My biggest piece of advise when decorating kids rooms it’s a wonderful idea to get them involved in the design. My Mum and Dad gave me total free reign to redesign my room as a child and I distinctly remember the rainbow themed room I designed when I was 7. The sense of creativity and achievement definitely gave me the young confidence to pursue it as a career. Now Arthur is coming up to 5 I think it’s the perfect time to redecorate and he has his own opinions on how he wants his room to look. Latest idea includes pink and red stripes with a red ceiling. That’s my boy!

For more ideas and inspiration, check out my Pinterest board on kids rooms.

I’d love to know what has worked for you designing rooms for kids, please share your ideas in the comments section below.

 

  • Interior Design
  • Interiors
  • Kids rooms
  • Rooms
  • Videos
How to pick a paint Colour Trend: How to design a Tropical bedroom
  • Christmas
  • Interiors
    • colour crush
    • colour psychology
    • DIY
    • dream home makeovers
    • Home Office
    • Home Tours
    • Interior Design
    • Interior Styling
    • podcast
    • Sophie Robinson X Dunelm
    • trends
  • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Fashion/Beauty
    • Life
    • My House
    • Nosh
    • Travel
  • Rooms
    • Bathrooms
    • Bedrooms
    • Kids rooms
    • Kitchens
    • Living rooms
    • Outside
  • Videos
online influence award winner 2019
Interior Design Winner Sophie Robinson Insta
Videos

Listen

Listen Here

Online courses
by popular demand

Catch Sophie In All Her Colourful Glory On Instagram

Feeling stuck on how to make your home flow - with Feeling stuck on how to make your home flow - without it all looking the same?
You’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges with bold, maximalist decorating is getting that sweet spot where every room feels unique and still sings in harmony with the rest of the 
house.

This week, I opened up my home to guests at my VIP Masterclass — and since it was looking unusually spick and span(!), I thought I’d give you a rare peek too. What you’ll see is 
colour, pattern, and personality in every corner… but behind the scenes? There’s a very intentional design process holding it all together.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions, unsure where to start, or terrified of making a mistake, my online course ‘How to Create Maximalist Interiors’ is designed to take that fear off your shoulders. I’ll guide you, step by step, through how I create spaces that 
feel joyful, cohesive and so very you.

✨ Want to see what’s possible — and learn how to make it happen in your own home? Comment MAYJOY25 and I’ll DM you the link. The course is 25% off throughout May, so it’s a brilliant time to dive in.


#HouseTour #SophieRobinsonStyle #ColourfulHomes #InteriorDesignUK #MoreIsMore #BoldInteriors #PatternLover #HallwayGoals #KitchenInspo #HomeStyle #CountryModern #FloralKitchen #MaximalistHome
Don’t underestimate the potential of small space Don’t underestimate the potential of small spaces. While we are a nation obsessed with knocking walls down and living in open plan (echoey) spaces, I’d go so far to say, when it comes to decorating, small rooms are my absolute fave! Little rooms are where you can really turn up the dial, because at face value they are bland, underwhelming and quite often overlooked. But turn your mind to creating jewel-box fabulousness, inject plush textures, fabulous patterns and standout accessories and the transformation isn’t only fast but exceeds all expectations. 

Here are a few small spaces I’ve designed, that may be small—but they pack a serious punch.

#SmallSpaceStyle #InteriorDesignTips #MaximalistInteriors #SophieRobinson 
#BoldNotBeige #ColourLover #DesignWithPersonality
You’re in the right place. 💛 Around here, we You’re in the right place. 💛
Around here, we don’t do beige boxes or design-by-numbers. This is a joyful, all-inclusive space where colour is celebrated and self-expression is the whole point.

I believe every room in your home should make you feel happy, positive, and 
unapologetically you. 

If that sounds like your kind of vibe, follow along!
✨ Save the ideas that make your heart sing
✨ Explore the joy of colour with confidence
✨And when you’re ready to dive in… there’s 25% off my incredible course How to Create a Maximalist Interior - all through May. Just use comment MAYJOY and I’ll send you the link.

Because great design isn’t just about how it looks - it’s how it makes you feel.


#dopamindecor #boldinteriors #interiorinspo #joyfulhomes #colourmyhome 
#interiordesigncourse #maximaliststyle
If like me you hate your shiny white UPVC windows If like me you hate your shiny white UPVC windows then this tip is for you!

I painted all of ours, inside and out, and it totally transformed our home (costing hundreds of pounds on paint rather than thousands of pounds replacing them with more traditional timber that would suit the Victorian character of our house better). 
The best thing about painting UVPC is with the right primer, there is no sanding or lengthy preparation. It’s important to make sure the frames are clean and dry, and then on with the All Surface Primer, which then ensures that the exterior acrylic eggshell, in a colour of your 
choice, can easily go on top. For many the beauty of UVPC windows is they don’t need decorating or maintaining, unlike timber windows. However, while these have not flaked or scratched yet (three 
years in) I know they will need a lick of paint at some point. But UVPC is a more stable substrate to traditional timber which cracks and swells, so the maintenance will be far less. 

And heres the best bit… you can’t tell the difference!

Works on Front doors and conservatories too! Would you try it? Let me know in the comments!

We used an All surface primer, mixed to match the top coat, of External eggshell in Lamp Black. Walls painted in masonry paint, in Lamp Black. All products @littlegreenepaintcompany 

#paintedwindows #upvcglowup #budgetrenovation #windowmakeover #diyhomedecor
I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but I I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but I’ve needed to hear it again and again this past year.

This little affirmation has carried me through some of the hardest moments of my life; navigating a divorce, facing the possibility of losing my home, and somehow still showing up for my business, my family, and my creativity.

And here’s the thing: I didn’t lose my home. 🏡 I’m keeping it. 🙌 That’s the biggest takeaway for me. Because in the midst of fear and uncertainty, I held on to hope. I kept creating. I kept believing.

Stress and anxiety can really crush creativity. They make us shrink, second-guess, and settle for less than we deserve. But when we give ourselves even the tiniest flicker of faith,  that’s when the magic can return.

So if there’s something you’re holding on for, don’t let go. Keep the faith. You’ve absolutely got this.

And if someone you love needs that reminder too — feel free to share this with them. 

#CreativeJourney #InteriorTherapy #DesignAsHealing #MyHomeMyStory #HomeInspo #LifeLately #PersonalGrowth #ThisIsRealLife #WomenSupportingWomen #OvercomingObstacles
Can you believe this unexpected May sunshine? It’s giving me total garden party vibes, and with that in mind here’s how I set the table outdoors, in my maximalist style!
- Layered pattern textiles, joyful colours, coloured glass, and flowers spilling over with abundance… because when the sun shines in spring, it calls for a table that celebrates more is more.
Everything here is from my new collection with @dunelmuk where I worked to create a collection that you could effortlessly mix and match, that way you can be creative and make it your own style statement. From furniture to tableware, textiles to glassware it’s a full more is more collection! Let’s hope that sun keeps shining as I think we are in for a beautiful summer!
Before ➡️ After From beige to boom! My bathroo Before ➡️ After
From beige to boom! My bathroom is now full of colour, joy and serious personality. Proof that interior design can totally shift your mood and how you feel in your home.

Want to do the same? My online course ‘How to Create a Maximalist Interior’ gives you the tools to design boldly and beautifully — your way.

Get a whopping 25% off all May just comment MAYJOY and I’ll send you the link 🙌
Because design should feel amazing and I can’t wait to show you how.

#MaximalistInteriors #BathroomGlowUp #BoldDesign #ColourLover #SophieRobinsonInteriors #FeelGoodDesign
A monthly round up of a very busy April. Mostly ma A monthly round up of a very busy April. Mostly made up of Easter and plenty of birthday celebrations. Love how this time rolls in fresh optimism and joyful colour!
1. Spring flowers bringing all the joy. 
2. I just invested in a sonic cleaning brush and attacked all the grout. Result! Kicking off the season for Spring cleaning and sorting!
3. Celebrating the launch of my new doll! Courtesy of the latest AI viral trend! 😂
4. Bracing sea swims under the blue skies with @sophieabbottartist @jothornephotography 
5. Easter table. featuring the stunning Dhalia Bunch Fabric from my collection with @harlequinfw
6. Easter eggs
7. Spring walks delivery all the feel good vibes
8. The bluebells are out!
9. My boy turns 14!
10. who remembers the joy of magic candles! 😂
11. Working with the jeweller @vivienne.ridley on a very special commission
12. The jewellers worktop! 
13. My bestie @sophieabbottartist turns 50!
14. Throwing a little surprise by spamming her house with bunting and glitter
15. working the red carpet at the @bafta craft awards
16. my gorgeous date for the evening @edwardrobinsonid 
17. The special @vivienne.ridley commissioned necklace for @sophieabbottartist birthday. including a sentimental family diamond, freshwater pearl and gold plated name tag.
18. Lunch at @burntorangeuk honestly the best food i’ve been served in Brighton 
19. My best girls @sophieabbottartist @attunedlandscapes
Follow on Instagram
Sophie Robinson
  • © 2025 Sophie Robinson

    /
  • Contact/
  • About/
  • Design by MW

You're almost inside!

Leave me your best email to sign up for the Webinar

MG0001 Magnet Sophie using Tap 021 copy

You're almost inside!

Leave me your best email to sign up for the Webinar