See inside some of our favourite family homes
A collection of family renovations and kid-friendly spaces that we love, full of inspo and clever ideas to take away
We’ve had a busy week getting all our competitions designed and written up for our 12 Days of Christmas giveaway bonanza over on Instagram. Starting today, we’ll be launching a new competition every day for 12 consecutive days with all the winners revealed on 13th December 2023. We’ve got some amazing prizes to be won including a play kitchen from TP Toys, a Little Dutch scooter from Scandiborn and a Satisfry Air & Grill Multi Cooker from Russell Hobbs. If you’re not already following us on Instagram, what are you waiting for? With over £1,500 worth of prizes to be won, make sure you check in every day to be in with a chance of entering all 12 competitions!
Which brings us to today’s post. Being two very busy mums trying to juggle lots of work commitments as well as parenting our tribe, we’ve decided to keep things simple this week by dedicating this post to some of our favourite spaces that have been designed with families in mind. From clever kitchen hacks and stylish kid’s bedroom ideas, to cute reading spots and multifunctional storage solutions. Let us know which one is your favourite in the comments at the end. We always enjoy learning which one resonates most with you and why. Plus, if you have a cool home, room or space to share, email us at info@nestmagazine.co.uk – we’d love to hear more about your project!
1. KITCHEN CLUTTER SOLUTION
Fed up of the kids artwork, family invites and general paperwork cluttering up your surfaces? Take inspiration from H Miller Bros family kitchen design for Katherine and Alan Robinson and their three boys Innes, 9, and 6-year-old twins Ivan and Casper.
During one of the initial consultations, designer and company founder Howard Miller saw that the family used their fridge door as a noticeboard using magnets to hang pictures drawn by the kids, reminders, lists and cards. So, as part of the new kitchen renovation, H Miller Bros designed a unique cork panel integrated into the cabinet fronts. “The idea developed into a full band of cork, stained black to match the black front of the oven and help bind the design together,” says Howard. “It also acts as a sound absorber (essential when you have young boys) and sits over the splashback to create lots of space to curate an evolving backdrop of things you might pin to it.” For more family kitchen design advice, click here.
2. CLEVER PLAY SPACE
Are you maximising every inch of space in your home? We love this project designed by O&A Design Studio, which has transformed an otherwise redundant galleried first-floor landing for a young family into a super useful kids’ play area. Bespoke storage and bench seating has been fitted along the walls and against the balustrading to keep the space clutter-free and to help maximise floor space for play time!
3. STYLISH, SPACE-SAVVY KID’S BEDROOM
In London's lively Primrose Hill, Lauren Gilberthorpe Interiors designed this vibrant bedroom for two young sisters. Lauren’s design showcased the girls' bubbly personalities, with bright pops of pink and coral orange and whimsical Madame Ziggle wallpaper from Ottoline. Balancing practicality and aesthetics, Lauren provided ample storage without sacrificing on style. The bed with deep integrated drawers and the bedside table with removable top provide plenty of space to stash toys, while the stylish chest of drawers is an investment piece that will last well into adulthood. A wall light positioned by the bed is ideal when you’re tight on space in a children’s room, making the perfect reading light for bed-time stories. Click here for more kids bedroom ideas.
4. MINI-ME KITCHEN
When the family of this gorgeous kitchen visited the Sustainable Kitchens studio, they were blown away by the showroom’s miniature replica kitchen, designed to keep kids busy while the grown-ups discuss all things kitchen. The owners loved the pint-sized design so much they tasked the Sustainable Kitchens team with incorporating one into their own cottage in rural Oxfordshire.
“The idea is that it would create a great family dynamic, with a social space where the kids can pretend to cook while dinner is being prepared and keep them occupied,” says Zoe Holland, head of marketing and creative at Sustainable Kitchens. “We integrated the mini kitchen into the end of the island with the worktop overhanging; it was important to make this removable for when the kids grow up, which can then be transformed into a breakfast bar and a place to perch, or it would fit an open cabinet. This is their forever home, so we needed the kitchen design to adjust to growing family life.”
5. FUN OUTDOOR DEN
Is this the BEST children’s den ever? Designed by De Matos Ryan, this clever tree-less timber treehouse currently sits in the garden of a family home in north London. Having no trees didn’t discourage the family’s two young children, who longed to have their own private hideout. The result is a freestanding timber-frame structure, with its geometric design inspired by the kids’ favourite cartoon character Penfold (the assistant and sidekick to Danger Mouse) whose codename gave license to develop a geometric frame that looks exactly like the way it was built.
Accessed by crawling underneath it – making it a no-adults zone – the timber-slatted exterior is covered in a stainless-steel cable lattice, which will encourage climbing plants and hopefully create the sense of the tree that never was. It even has openable windows for essential look-out points and a rain-sensor rooflight at the top of the structure for added ventilation which automatically closes as soon as rain begins to fall.
6. CUTE READING NOOK
We adore a cosy nook, especially with winter now upon us, and fell in love with this cute design by Emma Swerner Interiors. The joinery was designed to house all the family’s toys, games and art & crafts, but Emma managed to incorporate a cushioned seating area too - perfect for a bit of downtime.
Love a reading nook as much as we do? We’ve got a whole feature dedicated to these cosy corners here.