Our very first instalment of The Mama Diaries is an absolute corker and comes courtesy of one of our favourite interior designers - Lonika Chande.

Lonika's name is on everyone's lips at the moment and her stylish, characterful interiors have recently appeared in House & Garden Magazine and The Home Page. We are HUGE fans of the rooms she has decorated for her own children and had a bit of a fangirl moment when she agreed to contribute to our blog! So massive thanks to Lonika and read on for her fab tips for decorating a nursery...

In fact, aside from the cot and moses basket, I would try to avoid it. It’s insanely expensive and babies outgrow it so quickly as they become small busy people!

Instead, I tend to pick pieces that will grow with them; a vintage chest of drawers that can also take a changing mat on top when needed. In fact, the once deemed deeply unfashionable antique brown furniture looks charming in a nursery, styled with toys, books and other treasures. It’s also much better for the environment to buy old or second-hand. 

They are the best way to keep the unsightly basics to hand in a stylish, accessible way. Baskets can house everything from muslins, nappies and creams, to clothes, bedding and toys.

Both my children have some vintage shelving in their rooms (Sasha – a dressmaker’s shop fitting, and Riva an old baker’s trolley!) displaying said baskets.  They are much more forgiving on the eye than a bank of cupboards or set of drawers. 

I tend to invest in the curtains in childrens’ rooms and then fudge the rest! Blackout lined curtains are essential to avoid the dreaded early morning rises, this is actually quite possibly my number one tip! 
Textiles are what gives a room that cosy layered feel, and nowhere is more important than in the nursery at home. Sasha has wool curtains in his bedroom which were a bit of an investment, but playful cushions, welsh blankets, and fun bedding are relatively inexpensive and you can be clever with how you mix these. Clashing and colourful is good. You can and should have a bit of fun here. 

The nursery is a space that you will spend time in in the evening, reading bedtime stories and feeding, so a comfy chair is pretty important for this. You want to set the mood for good sleep while you do this, so table lamps and nightlights are a lot more inviting than an overhead pendant or a harsh set of downlights.  

Getting pictures up on the wall is one of those niggling jobs that often takes a backseat when you are readying the nursery, but it makes a huge difference. It can even seem like quite a daunting process, but framing pages from favourite children’s books, old postcards and fun textiles is something you can build on as your children grow. Grouping pictures is an effective way of making impact with smaller pieces.

Thank you Lonika! x