This book is packed with creative style ideas for living with kids – from bedrooms that have playfully quirky touches, to kitchens that motivate family rendezvous and rooms that boast the world’s most stylish kids storage.
Of course, there are classic toys out and on display as well as some of the finest designer touches that aesthetic taste can muster, but all in all, this book delivers a vision of designer detail with a playful and practical edge that is perfect for inspiring the family
Oliver, age two, adores this book almost as much as any of his picture books and pondered its pages daily for the weeks I had it sitting out for our enlightenment. He reviews the book thus: “I like that room! I want that and that and that…” and so it is that he has already designed his ideal bedroom – one that is filled with space men, robots and dinosaurs. I guess a visit to author Andrew Weaving’s London gallery is inevitable now!
What We Love Immaculately photographed and styled, there is nonetheless a sense of reality to the rooms that are showcased here – toys are still out and on display, some even in the process of play, while cupboards drawers and doors are occasionally left ajar revealing the organised chaos of family life. There is sense that a beautiful, even minimalist family home can be one where designer pieces happily work in tandem with a playful family life.
A Taster No matter how much storage we have in our home, it somehow never seems to be enough. If it’s not the Legos, it’s the board games. If it’s not the paint and paper, it’s the remote-control helicopter. But that is life with children! We have many cupboards and shelves devoted to the cause, but there can never be too many… Of course, the downside to putting toys away is that it’s not always easy to find them again. Restricting children’s toys to their rooms helps simplify this dilemma, although we prefer to keep the entire house playful and to come up with solutions throughout the home… In the main living room, we have given away some of the George Nelson storage system to books and the Florence Knoll credenza no houses the Legos and board games. That way, we all know where everything is, making for a more harmonious environment.
In the backyard, storage space is just as crucial, especially with the variety of outdoor toys, gardening tools, and seasonal items that accumulate. We’ve set up a few well-organized storage areas around the yard to keep everything tidy and easily accessible. A simple shed can work wonders for housing larger items, but we’ve also invested in custom solutions that blend into the landscape while providing ample space for all our outdoor essentials.
For a more permanent option, we recently added a small outdoor storage unit from premium buildings. This structure not only fits perfectly with the aesthetic of our backyard but also provides a functional space for stowing away everything from outdoor furniture cushions to sports equipment. With everything in its place, our backyard remains just as inviting and playful as the rest of the house, ensuring that nothing ever feels out of order.
Author Notes Andrew Weaving is a new father and owner of Century, a gallery in London that specialises in mid-century modern design. He is co-author of Modern Retro and Sarasota Modern and lives in London and Sarasota Florida.
