The Nursery

Ta Daaaaaah… My ‘other’ labour of love; Rex’s nursery. This room was, as expected, so much fun to put together, especially as we (and by ‘we,’ I mean, ‘my boyfriend’) wanted to do a lot of the work ourselves. From building wardrobes at weekends, to fitting coving and moving spotlights, my scientist by day, and builder by night, really outdid himself. I meanwhile, being about to pop, took on the less physical task of scouring the internet for the most environmentally-friendly baby shops I could find, trawling John Lewis (a parent-to-be right of passage) and spending some glorious hours on the sofa searching for those little magical touches from small brands that really make a space unique.

When it came to the paint, we went straight back to Farrow and Ball and enjoyed another of their brilliant at-home colour consultations (although, this time via a Covid-safe Zoom), to make sure the different colours in the nursery blended well together, but also complimented the other connecting rooms. The in-depth guidance and peace of mind surrounding the colour palette and quantities provided by the consultant Emily Harrold was such a weight off our shoulders, and her expertise really helped bring my little African vision to life. You can read about my previous colour consultation here.

Walls, Ceiling, Radiator and Skirting Boards: Pale Powder

Coving and Double Doors: Webet

Cupboards: Lichen

Sunshine: Hay

The addition of the sunshine was something I knew I had wanted, having been initially inspired by a picture of Molly Madfis’ nursery my sister saw on Pinterest, and thankfully DIY aficionado, my friend Katherine Ormerod, stepped in (or more waddled in, both being prettttty pregnant at the time), masking tape in hand, and helped me. It really does makes the room, and I’m so grateful for her help - It would not have looked remotely this impressive had I been left to my own devices, that’s for sure!!

I always knew I wanted Rex’s room to be safari themed (you can take the girl outta Africa…) but obligatory giant giraffes aside, I also wanted to include some mountainous nods to his rock climbing Daddy!

Laundry Basket made in Kenya: The Basket Room, Lion Seagrass Toy Baskets: Belly Bambino, Luggy Basket and Stacking Bowls: Oskoe Living, ‘A Pod of Hippopotamuses’ Illustration: Fee Greeing for Polkra, Wooden Train, Play Tent, Bunting and Wooden Vans: Scandiborn, Vintage Penguin Books and Mountain Caps: Ebay, Bespoke Knitted Wire Word: Seventy Seven 84, Custom Hoop: Leo and Wilf.

I bought the main piece of furniture, the wooden dresser, from Mamas & Papas. It was the largest I could find and it really owns the space. I love that once Rex is older, we can just remove the baby changer top, and he can enjoy the dresser for years to come.

You may recognise a few things from my old flat. After moving into my boyfriend’s house, we decided that my much-loved Gray Malin leopard balloon photograph, for instance, fitted this room and the theme perfectly. The other art we chose to feature I either found on Etsy or on Instagram, having had some lovely artists and illustrators contact me; Tatiana Alida, Frances Costelloe, Rose du B Illustrations, and Jo Laing.

Lion Rug: Oyoy Living, Sea Shell Music Mobile: Cam Cam Copenhagen, Sunshine Cushion and Mountain Cushion: Scandiborn, Lion Cushion: Jungalow, Cot Bunting: Arnold and the Caterpillar.

Having found the perfect cot, I was determined to find the comfiest and safest bedding to accompany it. After a lot of research, I was set on Rex having the sweetest dreams on an organic, non-toxic and chemical-free Naturalmat mattress. Handmade in Devon, the sustainably sourced, natural fibres used are inherently breathable and self-ventilating which helps babies regulate their body temperature for a comfortable night's sleep. I then chose organic linen/cotton sheets in a honey colour pop from The Little Green Sheep.

Custom Wooden Baby Name Letter Blocks: Etsy, Lace-up Baby Boots: Each Peach Baby.

Photography: Claire Menary

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My Colour Consultation with Farrow and Ball

If you, like me, have ever felt totally overwhelmed by paint charts, spent far too much money and too much time testing various (and usually pretty identical) colours on your walls, ordered the wrong amounts, or just simply got the choices so completely wrong and had to end up repainting entirely… Then, breathe easy folks… Farrow and Ball have got you!

Having experienced the aforementioned paint frustrations more times than I wish to remember, I was determined that my boyfriend, whilst coming to the end of a long and tiring house renovation, was not to have this last and final hurdle be a stressful one.  Although we both had some ideas for what colours we thought might work on each floor and room (mine perhaps being the less subtle of preferences, unshockingly…) I suggested we get a Farrow and Ball in-home colour consultation to give us both some guidance and some peace of mind on this frequently daunting mission!

Within one hour of Scott our colour consultant arriving at the house, during which time he speedily analysed both the structural detailing and lighting plan of the house, and listened patiently to our haphazard thoughts, he had brilliantly helped us devise an entire paint scheme to fit both the house and our lifestyle using some of the 132 beautifully rich Farrow and Ball shades.  

We decided on Farrow and Ball's Green Smoke for the hallway (above), using Strong White for the skirting boards and doors.  In a room that is used more as a walk way than a living space, you can afford to be a little bit more dramatic and daring with your choices.

To compliment the Green Smoke, we chose Farrow and Ball's French Grey, which we moved into halfway up the stairwell at a natural divide, and then throughout the sitting room. This is a particularly calming colour, and it has a really chic feel to it.

We decided on painting some of the kitchen cabinetry in Farrow and Ball's Smoke Green, which once more created a real synergy and flow between each floor.  

Whether you're veering towards the subtle or the statement, the Farrow and Ball consultants understand the particular way each paint responds to light throughout the day, and which colours and textures combine to achieve the perfect, unique scheme for your home. 

Scott's advice was decidedly helpful when deciding on the master bathroom colours, as the light changes so dramatically in there throughout the day. We chose Inchyra Blue for the cabinets, which is inspired by dramatic skies (much like the usual view from the bathroom window!) which when contrasted with Farrow and Ball's Cornforth White, a magically versatile grey'ish tone, and the bathroom's dark wooden floors and herringbone white marble, creates a wonderfully intimate space. 

Following up from our consultation with Scott, we received a colour fan deck with our choices and the all-important quantities of paint required to complete each room. During a time when our minds were already pickled with light switch and cabinetry handle decisions (the last few months of last year were beyond rock'n'roll, can you tell?!), having this expert and invaluable help from Farrow and Ball, and being able to confidently make our paint order, took a huge weight of our shoulders, and is worth the investment many times over! 

Now, if only Farrow and Ball did carpet consulations…

In collaboration with Farrow and Ball

Photography: Ella Sadika

Hair:  Taylor Taylor London

Nails:  Sophie Gass