This “English Cottage” Kid’s Bedroom Is a Vintage-Lover’s Dream

Cullen Ormond
·2 min read
Peach kids' room with wood dresser, white dollhouse, and wall art

You’re likely familiar with the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s precisely what Hayley Blythe did when designing her daughter Siena’s room in their renovated cottage in Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. When their family moved in, several changes needed to be made — but the wallpaper in Siena’s room wasn’t one of them. It was more of a jumping pad for future designs.

“The vintage wallpaper that we inherited when we moved in was the inspiration for Siena’s bedroom,” Blythe shares. “It inspired a pretty vintage theme.”

peach kids' room with white bed with storage underneath
Credit: Hayley Blythe Credit: Hayley Blythe

To likely add some texture to the space, Blythe and her husband added DIY paneling around the room. They installed tongue and groove paneling to the walls and completed the project by adding a dado molding.

Knowing that Siena is a “real girly girl” whose favorite color is pink, Blythe painted the wood paneling in Farrow & Ball’s “Dead Salmon” (as well as the nightstand!) to complement the soft notes of the wallpaper. The wallpaper and paint color make the room feel like a calming oasis, but having it be a clutter-free zone helps, too.

During the Apartment Therapy house tour, Blythe explained that “everything in my home has a specific place; this really helps keep on top of tidying and helps the whole family keep the house tidy.” That extends to Siena’s room, too. She has storage bins for accessories, makeup, stuffed animals, doll accessories, and more.

“Siena also has ‘a box of treasures,’ which is kept in her bedside table for all random things she collects like family photos, small toys, badges, stickers, and small trinkets,” Blythe says.

Peach kids' room with wood dresser, white dollhouse, and wall art

Having Siena’s things organized in their designated baskets gives her more room to play with her favorite toy: the dollhouse gifted to her two Christmases ago. It’s her mom’s favorite part of the room, too.

“I got the doll house from Facebook Marketplace, and I’m so pleased with it. It’s the perfect size for Siena to enjoy it for years to come,” Blythe explains. “I’ve collected accessories for it for years. I used to love my doll house growing up, so it’s lovely to see Siena enjoy hers.”

Thanks to the relaxed colors and soft textures, Siena’s room is the perfect place to snuggle up and relax. If you love the look of her room, you’ll want to see the rest of the cozy home in the full house tour on Apartment Therapy.

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