Decorating with kids in mind? Here are 10 shops and brands to know
Embracing childlike colour in your home doesn’t have to mean a style compromise, as these chic shops and brands show.
Instagram’s algorithm would have you believe that the only acceptable children’s interior design is a tasteful melange of rust, cream and beige. Yet any parent whose child is embroiled in the colourful clutches of Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig know that this is definitely not what their offspring would choose.
Chic new parents are often delighted to discover that newborns’ colour perception stretches to high-contrast monochrome, and that this combination helps baby’s development. However, once this phase passes, young children are drawn to garish colours, which provide brain stimulation and aid cognitive development. AKA not tasteful rust, cream and beige.
If you’ve spent years refining your home’s interior and making careful choices about what to let in and what to keep, the idea of letting primary colours run riot is not appealing. Homes with a dedicated playroom tend to fare well accommodating the needs of child’s play and evening relaxing for parents, but it is a luxury out of reach for most.
Embracing colour in your child’s bedroom is easy, dotting storage baskets around the house – full of brash and much adored plastic toys makes sense, and with the addition of elevated everyday furniture, like high chairs and dotey arts and crafts tables, it’ll hardly feel like a style compromise at all. Here are 10 brands and shops you should know.
Mira Mira
Celebrating 20 years in business this year, Mira Mira on Sandymount Green, Dublin 4 is a go-to for quirky lighting, lampshades, kids cutlery, baskets for toys, playmats, and colourful garlands.
With a broad selection of decorative homewares and lovely storage in particular, there’s something for kids of all ages and interests here.
Josh & Jenna
Irish concept store Josh & Jenna source design-led furniture and age-appropriate decor for babies and children. From cots and cribs to treehouse bunk beds, to nature-inspired wallpapers, wall murals and wall stickers, their online shop has a broad variety of products.
Their washable wool rugs, characterful cushions, cute lamps and novelty-shaped shelving are especially fun.
Tripp Trapp
To celebrate 50 years of their cult high chair, Tripp Trapp has released a limited edition ash version. Made with wood from the ash tree, it has swirled marble-like veining throughout, making each chair unique.
The adjustable seat enables babies and small children to sit at the family table, at eye level, making mealtimes more interactive and integrated. If natural ash doesn’t fit your aesthetic, there are also options in oak, pink, mint, grey, brown and black.
KID
Stocking Irish and European brands, our picks from KID include three-colour ball pits, padded play mats, adorable little tables and chairs in soft hues of pink, olive and blue, and colourful rainbow wall rugs.
Check out their cots, cribs, beds and bedding section for natural and organic bedding from UK brand The Little Green Sheep, without the customs charges.
Kave Kids
With furniture designed in-house, Kave Home’s ever-evolving kids collection really stands out. Based on Montessori teachings which encourage childhood autonomy and development, each piece is designed to enable little ones’ creativity and curiosity.
Think legless beds, guarded step stools that allow kids to stand at the kitchen counter and 1m-high clothes rails.
Amurelle
Irish-founded Amurelle works with fourth-generation makers in Northern Portugal to produce beautiful bedding sets, made from French flax linen and cotton.
Their baby bedding is made from prewashed and breathable 100 per cent cotton sateen, and is fixed with a continuous elastic hem to ensure a snug fit. Cot sheets and duvet designs include stars and flowers.
Rooms for Rascals
Practicality reigns at Rooms for Rascals, an Irish family-run business stocking decor items, soft furnishing and nursery items.
The reassurance of the word “washable” appears on product descriptions from rugs to cushions, and colour abounds in every category. There are terrific toys too, from tin tea sets to kids gardening caddies, and a dedicated sensory section.
Next
While buying kids clothes online at Next, it’s worth checking out the furniture, bedding, and decor sections.
Stocking Mamas & Papas storage and cots, plus an abundance of beds, there are plenty of practical options to choose from, but its sensible selection is joyfully punctured by the occasional dinosaur bedside table and rainbow ombré bedding.
The Little Wooden Peg
Dun Laoghaire’s The Little Wooden Peg say children are their forever inspiration. Stocking a mix of international brands, each item is handpicked for quality and craft, favouring natural materials and ethical supply chains.
Favourites include the sweetest baskets, organic cotton and wool blankets and quilts, as well as paddling pools in muted tones, and kid-friendly tableware.
Barn
Barn’s small retail space on Dublin’s Exchequer Street gives a glimpse of what this little sister of Industry & Co offers.
Online you’ll find lots more in their At Home section, including cloud- shaped music mobiles, cot and bed pockets, blankets and swaddles, patterned activity mats, clothes, rugs, lamps, wall hooks and lots more.
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