Quills Dreamy Retreat – Room Metamorphose

Last week I brought home a funny small gift for my ten-year-old son, a pair of pink socks with printed doughnuts. He loved it!

Then he noticed the text on the packaging – FOR WOMEN. He asked me: why is that mom? It got me thinking. I was so proud he saw it, but on the other hand, I felt ashamed that brands marked colourful socks as for women. As a mom of two boys, I’m sensitive to all kind of ” boys aesthetic” standards and wish we stop generalize this matter. It’s not only about how our boys dress but also about decorating their rooms. That’s one of the reasons it’s a real pleasure to show you this dreamy, comfortable Boy’s room today.

Quill lives with his parents and twin brother in Melbourne. It’s refreshing to see different aesthetics for a Boy’s room and run away from the stereotypes! His talented mom Sarah was very kind to answer a few of my questions about the designing process, which I share below. If you don’t know Sarah yet, you can find her on IG here. The family moved very recently to a new home. It’s a 1960’s house which they renovate step by step. Quills room is the first one, officially finished, and I’m absolute thrill to see it and show it to you.

Hello Sarah, thank you for having the time to answer my questions. It’s so inspiring to follow you on Instagram / under Sarah.pickersgirll.brown / and get a glimpse of your hectic twin mom’s life. I adore your serene aesthetic and how you can hold this all together so nicely! I’m glad I have the chance to share with our readers your Styling Tips!

Why did you decided to go for this colours this time, and what was the main theme which helped you ? 

I wanted to concentrate on just a few of Quills favourite things such as his interest in art, his love of skateboards, bmx biking and interest in fashion. But the over all theme is “retreat”. A restful and calm place for my little boy to relax and recharge after busy days of constant stimulation at school or play. The colours needed to reflect this vibe too, hence the use of earthy tones. The wallpaper I had custom made from Minnie And Me Interiors and the design was to mimic an artists paint stroke. His wardrobe we repainted as an early project together in a very soft beige, same colour as the wall behind it. It is now filled with his favourite clothes and shoes which he likes to pick out in the morning.

Your rooms are consistently designed, I’m sure people would be glad to know a bit how you do it.

I wanted the room to be peaceful yet include all Quills special interests. Painting and craft is something Quill really loves, so the theme centres mainly around this. I began the design for this room by repainting Quills old wardrobe and the walls it sits in front of. Also I knew I wanted to include his Rafa Kids shelf and built the room around these two storage pieces. I knew the atmosphere needed to feel intimate, restful and calm.

Can you share with us 3 main design tips ?

1. Mood board. It’s time consuming, but planning a room thoroughly before buying anything is really important. I’m definitely an impulsive buyer as I get attached to things and “have to have it” immediately! but having done this a lot in the past, I’ve realised it’s far more satisfying to bring a whole room together cohesively, rather than have a few things you LOVE, but they don’t work with everything else perfectly? I force myself to mood board now. I don’t enjoy the process if I’m completely honest, but I’m far happier with the end result when I plan properly, so it is worth the time taken to research.

2. Choose one or two main hero’s and build the decor around these pieces. For Quills room I had a few pieces of furniture I already had and wanted to include in the room so I started with those two pieces. 

3. Design the room to compliment and show off natural light. Light plays such a huge roll in a room for me. 

In this beautiful room you can see Rafa-kids  A90 in White finish and L shelf  natural. 

If you would like other products :  Floating Desk > thetimeberline . Rug > missamaraloves. Wardrobe / painted > hunterandnomad.  Chair > mylittegiggles. Wooden trucks > happygoduckystore. Pedants > aurahome. Art > phoenixandtheocean.

for more info about other products in this room: the best is to reach Sarah on Instagram!