There’s a wonderful space in the world of kids’ interiors where vintage and new happily coexist, and it’s a growing trend. We’re not sure if there is an actual term for it, but we’ve come up with one– Nold (an amalgamation of new and old). Whether adding an upcycled wardrobe from Craig’s list, a much-loved family heirloom, or a Facebook Marketplace find, ‘Nold’ brings together an air of historic charm and a burst of fresh-faced modernity. And we know one very style-savvy mum who has embraced it wholeheartedly.

Anne is 29 years old and mum to one-year-old Daaf and three-year-old Finn. She works full-time as an urban planner for a municipality in the Netherlands but has had a passion for interior styling since she was a child. She confesses to continually changing her room as a kid, adding furniture from other rooms in the house or from shopping trips with her mother.

Though the entire ground floor of the family home is under renovation, it’s Finn’s room we’ll be visiting today.

Anne is very clear about the origins of her design ethos. Solely vintage feels too shabby for her, but a thoroughly contemporary approach lacks character and tale. That’s why she favours a mixture of the two.

At 15m2, Finn’s bedroom is sizeable enough to create distinct zones for sleep and recreation. Here we get our first peek of the tranquil nude colour scheme and the canopy by @jolleinofficial. The canopy was deliberately added to create a calm place to nap and block out the distractions and stimulation from the play side of the room. There’s a nod to nature with the aptly chosen nocturnal raccoon print bedlinen by @studioditte and a sleepy moon pillow from @playatslaep.

The bed was the largest extravagance of the project, but the stringent criteria were that it must be practical and ‘interior proof’. That’s to say, it needs to grow with Finn and whatever aesthetic adaptations his room endures. More importantly, the fact that the bed has a smaller bed built into the design means that either parent can join Finn if he awakes in the night. Naturally, it will come into its own for sleepovers too.

The wall painted in Le Noir & Blanc’s Sandstone Beige provides a soothing backdrop for a spot of unframed artwork. Here it’s the beautiful hand-illustrated bears and their adventures by @loriandcookie_art. The bear theme continues with a brass bear hook by @doinggoods – the perfect home for a half-moon night light from @dutchlifetsyle.nl.

This is where the fun takes place! This half of Finn’s room was originally the sleeping quarters for his younger brother, Daaf, but opposing sleep patterns made it impossible for them to share a space. Fortuitously, Anne had designed it to match Finn’s side of the room, so the peachy lower half of the colour-blocked wall complements the nudes and terracotta’s perfectly.

Now we really start to see evidence of that old meets new vibe. Finn plays with vintage wooden blocks on the Semmie Dot rug by @tapispetit while vintage clothing belonging to Anne creates a piece of living art on the kindergarten-style peg hooks behind him. It’s a sweet, sentimental addition and smart way for Anne to integrate her childhood memories into the family home.

Much of Anne’s inspiration comes from social platforms. She already used Pinterest to fuel her cooking and travel interests. She then discovered the image-sharing platform was the gateway to a multitude of mood boards and ideas for interiors. After setting up her own account on Instagram, she also tapped into the vast kids’ interior resources there.

Looking at these shots, we’d hazard a guess that her own zest for travel featured in the creation of this area. There’s a Middle Eastern suggestion in the sun-scorched shades of the desert and a wily paint job hinting at a clear night sky. Those heavenly balloons by @druiventuintje and Snoezy for Special Moments’ kite point at an unsated wanderlust.

The rattan wardrobe by @xenos_nl is a cornucopia of trinkets and treasures, like a trader’s stall at an exotic bazaar. We love the moon-shaped salt lamp by @babynatura.nl and the rattan sun mirror by @kwantum_nederland.

There are more vintage finds, including a treasured ride-on police car and hand-me-down literature, and more subtle inclusions of wildlife, including a safari cloth quilt by @floflow.nl

Styling is everything! We love the imposing but friendly sense of spirit here. Anne’s childhood clothes suspended from the wooden hooks teamed with a pair of outdoor boots scream outdoor adventures. Add a vibrant garland by @moimili and Olli Ella’s signature, hand-woven Luggy trolley, and we’re ready for voyages to the seaside or picnics in the park.No Fred’s mouse chair and table enjoy a quiet position in the corner – a studious spot for imaginative role play and construction.

This fabulous vintage find contrasts sharply with the modern chair and table – a quite literally ‘old school’ ensemble from a bygone era of abacuses, canes, and quilled pens. The vintage is kept on its Victorian toes with a modern circus-top-inspired toy storage bag by @playandgo.eu. Elsewhere that nature-inspired theme keeps its presence felt in a giraffe rug by @doinggoods.

And in case you didn’t spot it, that cute teddy bear on the wall is as functional as it is fetching – offering a gentle glow of light with a simple flick of the switch.

Finn played an important assisting role in the development of his bedroom design. Whenever Anne had an idea, she would share it with Finn to see if he liked it. The Deep Forest wallpaper by @majvillan was his choice, for example. Because of its childish charm, it’s likely to be something that will change over time, along with smaller furniture items like the desk and chairs.

A close-up of the hook shelf gives us another window on Anne’s vintage world with a throwback to the humble abacus, but again this relic is juxtaposed with modern influences, including the personalised backpack by @littlesteps.be and a New York baseball cap. Granny’s handiwork makes the grade in a Breton striped sweater given a modern flourish with a Paw Patrol badge.

In theory, this composition shouldn’t work. There’s a busy wallpaper with a woodland story of its own, but somehow Anne manages to weave in non-competing plotlines with an assortment of characters and detail. The personalised constellation poster by @MrStarsky is cosmic, and the woven rabbit and lion heads from Doing Goods seem to rise out of the forest wallpaper like living creatures.

We finish by reflecting on this corner of Finn’s room. This image alone sums up the design process and approach. Rather like Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities or the infamous football adage, ‘it’s a game of two halves, this complex and wonderful room is a composition of contrasts. There’s calm and measured chaos, sleep and play, and of course, half of the room was initially intended for a younger sibling and one for the bigger brother.

If you loved this room and the story of its evolution, you’d appreciate Anne’s final tips for those embarking on a boys’ room renovation. “You can still choose calm colours for a boy. It’s not always about neons or big items. Don’t be derailed by gender stereotypes. Look what I’ve achieved with a soft palette and a combination of modern accessories and preloved finds.”

Thank you Anne at @huisjeinderijp!

SOURCE LIST

Kites – both Snoezy for Special Moments I Carpet – Tapis Petit I Garland – Moi Mili I Mouse chair and table – Nofred I Handmade suitcase – Minipiece.nl I Wooden blocks – vintage  I Clothing – vintage I Wallpaper – Majvillan I Trolley – OlliElla I Mouslin swaddle – Playatslaep I Salt lamp – Babynatura.nl I Blanket animals – Floflow.nl I Mirror – Kwantum NL I Balloons – Druiventuintje I Wooden animals – Holztiger I Animal hanger – Doing Goods I Rattan wardrobe – Xenos I Basket – H&M I Books – vintage I Policecar – vintage I Posters on the wall – Lori & Cookie art  I Moon pillow – Play at Slaep I Bedding – Studio Ditte I Canopy – Jollein I Brass bear hook – Doing Goods I Moon lamp – Dutch Lifestyle.nl I Rainbow pillow – Matuu I Punchneedle wall lettre – Lille i Nord I Bear lamp – Toddie.nl I Kite – Snoezy for special Moments I Desk and chair – vintage I  Giraffe carpet – Doing Goods I Toys on table : Ooh my light  I Poster with constellation: MrStarsky I Balloon : Druiventuintje I Wall hooks : Ted & Fred  I Lion and rabbit head : Doing Goods I Sweater – made by granny! I Abacus – vintage  Backpak – Littlesteps.be I Highway – Way to Play I Wooden toys – Kikoandgg  I Wooden truck – Ooh my light I Bed – Petitpuk

Have you also decorated a nursery or kid’s room recently? We would love to see it! Add the tag @kidsinteriors_com on your Instagram post to get it noticed  and #kidsinteriors_com for an extra chance of it being considered for a repost.

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