THE RENOVATION DIARIES | BABY BOY’S BEDROOM

It’s time for part two of our renovation diaries, and we’re keeping the cosy vibes going with another bedroom transformation—this time, it’s all about our little boy’s space.

There’s something so special—dare I say magical—about designing a room for your child. These spaces are some of my absolute favourites to renovate and style. They give you permission to be playful, a little bolder with colour and pattern, and really let your imagination take over. It's all about creating a little world just for them, filled with joy, curiosity, and comfort.

For Gene’s bedroom, the starting point was simple: his favourite colour is blue, so it only felt right that his room reflect that. But we didn’t want to go too traditionally boyish. You know, that has never really been our style. Instead, we focused on creating a playful, welcoming palette—with blue as the anchor and pops of other vibrant colours like red, yellow, and green to bring even more fun into the space.

One of the most sentimental design decisions we made was choosing the wallpaper. We went with Hypnotize by Lust Home, a subtle nod to the nursery we created for Gene back in our old home. He didn’t get to enjoy that room for very long, so it felt incredibly meaningful to bring a little piece of it into his new bedroom. There’s something so comforting in that continuity—like we carried a memory forward with us.

The wallpaper itself has a stunning finish—it feels luxurious and fresh without being overpowering. Plus, it was super easy to install (thank goodness!), and I adore that Lust Home offers matching paints for all of their wallpapers. Honestly, such a lifesaver when trying to coordinate colours in a cohesive way, especially when working with bold prints.

To avoid the room becoming too busy with stripes, we added a dado rail to break things up. On the rail and remaining woodwork, we used Lust’s Nirvana paint to match the wallpaper, and above it, we chose Gluten Free, which might just be my favourite neutral shade ever. It brings such calm and balance to the space and lets the bold elements sing without competition. It seems to pair so well with any colour you throw at it which means that the result is a layered, considered room that feels super serene but most importantly, fun.

When it came to furniture, we were lucky enough to have pretty much everything we needed already. Most of the pieces are from Gene’s original nursery, and I actually loved the process of re-styling them for this next chapter of his life. He’s growing up fast (seriously, where did the baby days go?), so it felt right to tweak the look to feel a touch more grown up, while still keeping all the softness and whimsy of a young lads room.

There’s a lovely mix of old and new throughout—from second-hand treasures to modern essentials—and the combination really gives the space character, something I love to do whenever I'm styling a space. I’m particularly obsessed with how the brighter colour pops interact with the blue. The little bursts of red against the blue make my heart sing every time I walk in. It feels like such a happy, creative space for a little one to grow up in.

If you caught my last renovation post, you’ll remember the Amtico flooring we used in our bedroom—it continues throughout the upstairs, including Gene’s room. We chose the Hanningfield Oak finish and I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s a warm, natural shade that works effortlessly with every style and colour scheme we’ve thrown at it so far.

In Gene’s room, the wood grain of the LVT flooring by Amtico pairs so beautifully with the rug—a tobacco and off-white design that adds just the right touch of texture and contrast. It brings an almost grown-up twist to the room, balancing out the youthful elements and making the space feel thoughtful and lived in, even for a two year old.

And finally, you know me—I can never resist a touch of gingham. It’s such a nostalgic, sweet print that always feels right and pairs well with most other prints. We needed a blackout blind (a non-negotiable for us), and I saw the perfect opportunity to bring in a little gingham goodness into the space. Enter: this adorable yellow roller blind from Next. The made-to-measure service made it super easy, and the cheery yellow is the perfect dose of sunshine against the blue walls. It’s one of my favourite little details in the whole room.

So there we have it—our little boy’s room, full of colour, comfort, and character. It’s such a joyful space, and watching Gene explore it and make it his own has been the best part of all.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into our renovation journey and love Gene’s new space as much as we do. If you’ve got any questions about the design, the process or anything I might have missed—please feel free to drop me a message. I always love chatting all things interiors!

x M