Lauren Behfarin saw a need for sophisticated design geared toward growing families.
Arriving home from the hospital with your newborn for the first time, rocking your infant child back to sleep, reading a book with your talkative toddler — a nursery will become the setting for endless, lasting memories as your child grows.
From falling in love with their first smile to cheering along their first steps, parents will inevitability spend many heartwarming hours in their child’s nursery — which means the space should bring joy to both parents and children for years to come.
Designing the perfect nursery may seem intimidating, but luckily this interior designer understands the importance of creating a space filled with love, care and joy.
Five years ago, Lauren Behfarin designed her daughter’s nursery in preparation for her first child’s arrival. She quickly discovered a gap in family-friendly design, and created Lauren Behfarin Design. “Once I had a family, I wanted to do more work geared toward children and younger families,” says Behfarin, who previously worked for Drew McGukin Interiors.
With a growing clientele, the trendy NYC-based interior design firm now designs spaces for new parents and growing families that are vibrant and sophisticated yet comfortable and livable. Understanding the emotion and love that goes into each space created for a child, Behfarin has found that “nurseries and children’s spaces often become an extension of a home.”
Although she designs a range of spaces, Behfarin’s favorite projects are always nurseries for first-time parents. “Nurseries are always so fun, and so full of hope, life and excitement. It is such a special time to watch new mothers experience pregnancy and for parents to experience a baby for the first time. We are always honored when families include us in that time,” says Behfarin, who works alongside her associate, Abby Gruman.
As a parent of two, Behfarin values convenience and function. After designing a nursery, first-time parents may soon realize that a makeover is required less than two years later. In order to keep the transition as simple as possible, Behfarin tries to “anticipate the next steps of a child’s life” with her designs.
Using various patterns, textures and bold colors, the team is sure to incorporate fun elements that feel young while also considering the next five or 10 years of a child’s life. “As I experience these phases with my own children, I am really learning what works and what does not work long-term in a space. We are learning what elements transition with your child and which do not,” Behfarin says.
Born and raised in Manhattan, Behfarin also understands the need for storage in a compact apartment. Utilizing items such as cribs that turn into toddler beds or bunk beds that double as two twins beds, Behfarin “makes sure that clients have the best items for their children to grow.”
Whether it’s furniture that won’t cause injuries to a newborn or toys that won’t grow tiresome, first-time parents often look to Behfarin and her team for more than simple design tips.
“They’re looking for great design, but they are also looking for advice. We take relationships to heart when we have clients who are experiencing this for the first time,” Behfarin says. “I am here to guide, push and challenge clients, but I always deliver something that they love.”
How to Design the Perfect Nursery
Accent Walls — “There is always an accent wall, whether it’s a really cool decal, cool paint color or interesting wallpaper,” Behfarin says. “There should always be a fun backdrop to one of the walls in a nursery, and it’s usually the one with the crib.”
Minimal Themes — Cautious to not take a theme too far, Behfarin always suggests incorporating components from a theme, such as accent pieces or different colors. “There are ways to bring in a theme that are not too thematic,” she notes.
Neutral Colors — “There has been a shift toward gender neutral colors, such as grays, creams and whites,” Behfarin says. “People are prioritizing style. The standard pink and baby blue are not popular right now, and I think it is because style, form and function are so big in the city right now.”
Acrylics — This year, Behfarin is seeing a lot acrylics. “Homeowners are loving acrylic cribs with acrylic bars, or chairs with acrylic legs,” she explains. “Acrylic accents have shown up a more recently, I think as way to make a nursery modern.”
Organized Spaces — Whether it is a bunk bed with shelves, a coffee table with compartments or an ottoman with storage inside, Behfarin appreciates and understands the fluidity of space. “Homeowners are constantly reimagining how their space is being used,” she explains. “The hustle and bustle of the city has caused us to pay attention to creative and innovate ways to save space.”
CIRCU, a unique design brand geared toward imaginative children, curates furniture that merges creative design with exceptional quality.
CIRCU creates a world full of magic and fantasy for children. Whether it is sleeping in a princess castle or doing homework “in the sky,” children may turn their dreams into reality with these pieces of furniture.
Golden Princess Castle
Castles have always been a source of inspiration, adventure and fantasy in the magical world of children. Whether in the role of prince or princess, this castle bed will delight any child in love with fairytales.
This romantic fantasy item is perfect for kids to live a real fairytale with a happy ending. With an inspiring design, the intention is making sleepy times increasingly wanted by little princes and princesses.
Sky Desk
Up, up and away! Take off to the sky for some aeronautical adventures. Sky Desk, a desk inspired by Disney movie “Planes,” is the perfect combination for your aviator inspired bedroom decoration. Bring a little aviation-inspired magic to the little pilot’s bedroom.
With a creative and playful design, the Sky Desk is the best addition for the little pilot’s room. The decorative suitcases are storage compartments.
Cloud Lamp
This cloud shaped lamp has a cotton-like texture that replicates the fictional feeling of a fluffy cloud.
Inspired by the Pixar short-film “Partly Cloudy,” the design relates to the sense of serenity and peace transmitted by clouds, the same feeling we want to create in the children’s rooms with this realistic Cloud Lamp.
With a sound system and color changing RGB light remotely controlled, this suspension lamp can be used to create a calm atmosphere for the bedtime.
Sky One Plane
The Sky One Plane is an airplane-themed kids bed with a playful design that it’s both didactic and fun. An airplane inspired decoration for kids’ rooms is perfect to encourage the little explorers to develop their creativity.
This airplane-shaped kids bed is inspired by the Disney movie “Planes” character Skipper, an iconic Navy Corsair aircraft, providing this way both a modern and vintage motif to the bed.
The Rocky Rocket
The Rocky Rocket it’s a children’s interactive chair, painted in red and white checkered pattern.
The moon rocket has become an iconic symbol for kids, while parents will recognize it from the adventures of Tintin, kids will relate it to Buzz Lightyear from “Toy Story.”
This interactive chair features an educational light and sound system to foster curiosity and excitement among kids.
Bun Van
This bed, reinvented by CIRCU, is perfect to bring some fun and imagination to any space. Inside it contains several storage compartments, a bed, a TV, a desk, a mini bar and a sofa.
Parents will recognize the inspiration for this piece, one of the most remarkable vehicles ever produced and at the same time, one of the most iconic and magical symbols of fun and freedom!
Few other vehicles have the ability to turn heads and conjure a spirit of freedom, adventure and open roads.
photos courtesy of Circu
Revolutionizing childrens’ surroundings, Tink Things design-oriented furniture supports sensory intelligence and emotional regulation of children.
In creating an innovative way to encourage sensory intelligence in children, a new brand Tink Things by studio Benussi&theFish has developed furniture that will provide children a more dynamic, fun and supportive space where their brains can also be nurtured.
All children differ in their ability to process and respond to sensory stimuli from the environment and their own bodies. Their unique ways of integrating the sensory information affects everything from their physical capabilities to learning and social development.
Photo by Misha Obradovic
Taking these notions into account, the designers behind Tink Things have taken an alternative approach to designing for children, knowing that considering a child’s sensory needs and interaction with their surroundings need to be set as priority.
The result is furniture that is interactive, giving them the ability to move while engaging in other activities, providing a more supportive neural environment in contrast to the conventional one that is often static, firm, and rigid due to standard furniture.
“Children’s surroundings really could be more fun and encouraging for all kids, and especially for those with sensory issues, from ADHD to being on the autism spectrum. Good sensory processing is crucial for all of them equally, and yet it is very often overlooked,” says Dorja Benussi, the CEO and co-founder of Tink Things.
“We at Tink Things believe that the sensory approach should be a standard in kids’ furniture design. The way they filter and react to stimuli impacts just about everything else. It’s amazing to see the change and progress you can make simply by understanding children’s sensory needs and putting them first. So, we did.” she adds.
Tink Things currently has two chair models available to consumers, Ika & Mia.
Ika Swing Chair
Ika’s non-fixed seat not only allows kids to move but encourages constant rocking and bouncing, acting calmingly and improving their concentration. Ika is fun, but more importantly, it supports kids when they need a little boost or moment to enjoy some playful fidgeting.
Mia Hoodie Chair
Mia’s fabric seat is fun and charming. It hugs kids and offers mild, deep-pressure soothing, which boosts serotonin levels and helps reduce stress. If the child feels overwhelmed, he/she can pull up the cocoon and partly isolate themselves, hoodie style.
Photo by Marija Gasparovic
Gone are the days where bedrooms consisted of loud, mismatched colors, oak-colored furniture, and stuffed animal infestations.
Kids’ bedroom decor has evolved greatly over the past few years. Today, kid room décor is more sophisticated and purposeful than ever before.
In order to explore some trends in Children Bedroom Decor, we spoke to Dania Farhat, the CEO of Decor For Kids — an inspirational platform for everything kids decor.
Photo courtesy of Credit to @gracefullgrit
Neutral colors
Neutral colors are not only popular in common areas of the home, but in kid spaces as well. Neutral colors are great for kids’ bedrooms because as children grow, their tastes and styles change with them. With neutral colors, a room design can be easily transformed. All you need is to switch out accents and accessories, and you have a whole new room design!
Photo courtesy of @daniafarhatinteriors
Wallpaper
Wallpaper has gained popularity again. It is a great way to add character, texture and interest to a space. Wallpaper prints have become softer and larger in scale. Wallpaper is now more commonly used on a focal wall and serves as inspiration for the entire room design.
Photo courtesy of @mrcurtiselmy
Floral
The floral trend is going strong. Floral decor used in kids’ bedrooms brings in a bright and cheery touch.
The paper flower business has boomed tremendously over the past couple of years. They are customizable and come in different variations, colors and styles. Floral wall decals are another type of floral decor. They also come in various sizes, colors and styles. This is a great way to add texture and variety to a space without being committed long term. Wall murals are used as a dramatic way to bring floral themes into a space. There are some beautiful variations available. Bold and larger floral prints are currently trending.
Photo courtesy of @nanlindy
Photo courtesy of @terra_cotta_decor
Photo courtesy of @daniafarhatinteriors
Themed bedrooms
Themed bedrooms are very much on trend and the designs have gotten much more elaborate over the years. Themed rooms are fun because this allows you to get super creative, and allows the child to have their ultimate dream space tailored to what they are passionate about!
Personalized Wall Decor
Personalized wall decor is all the rage these days. They come in different variations and add a personal touch to a kid’s room. There are so many cute personalized wall decor options available.
Photo courtesy of @rblasingame
Reflecting the creative minds of children, these luxury playhouses offer princesses, superheroes and monsters the chance to explore, learn and discover from the comfort of their own backyards.
Whether it’s a princess castle, cozy cottage or luxurious mansion, each playhouse also offers beautiful aesthetics that will make parents happy. While most adults value high-quality construction and contemporary design, many of us still have an inner-child within. Brian Grossman, partner at Grossman Design Build — a company that has begun building playhouses for children in the Make-A-Wish foundation — understands this. “We used to build forts and playhouses as a kid all the time and we always dreamed of being able to do something like this,” he says.
With the help of these adult-led companies — Lilliput Play Homes, Grossman Design Build and Charmed Playhouses, each creative playhouse can now embrace a sense of imagination that’s only truly be found in a child.
Lilliput Play Homes
After trying to find the perfect playhouse for their daughter, founder Stephen Chernicky and her husband decided to create the first Victorian Mansion playhouse and launch Lilliput Play Homes.
Since its inception, the family company has taken personal pride in the creation of every wooden playhouse and has emphasized the belief that children should have a special place of their own to grow and discover.
Families may choose from many available designs, including the Fairytale Cottage, Ole Fireplace or Victorian Mansion, or opt for a custom playhouse.
Photos credit of Lilliput Play Homes
Grossman Design Build
From foundation to furniture, this custom playhouse was built by Grossman Design Build, a full-service architecture and construction company. Whether it’s the stone exterior, sunny screen room or cozy interior, each area of this playhouse was designed with both parents and children in mind.
Having started building custom playhouses two years ago, the team has since built 10 for the the Make-A-Wish north Texas Chapter. “We are teaming up with Make-A-Wish to build modular, custom playhouses that we can ship across the country to anyone who wishes to buy one and then we will donate playhouses to Make-A-Wish with a portion of the proceeds,” explains Grossman.
The team was also featured on an episode of HGTV’s Fixer Uper, where they built a wheelchair-accessible backyard and playhouse for two young boys. When building a playhouse, Grossman finds “it is the most fun we have had building, because you get to be a kid again.”
Photos credit of Todd Kamp / TFK Photography
Charmed Playhouses
These hand-crafted, solid-wood playhouses and treehouses are designed for the most imaginative children. Working alongside industry-leading architects, this Canada-based company designs each playhouses to provide an out-of-this-world escape.
While the majority of playhouses on the market are very simple and straightforward, Charmed Playhouses understands that children want designs that are bright, wacky and fun.
Photos credit of Charmed Playhouses