Expectant mom Melissa Billinghay faced a tough design challenge in her Greenwich Village apartment. Her three-year-old daughter, Camilia, has her own room, but Billinghay needed to make the space work for both Camilia and the new baby. Making it even harder? Billinghay doesn't yet know the gender of her new addition. Luckily, iVillage home design expert Susanna Salk had a plan for organizing the room into distinct spaces—and making room for play! Salk worked her magic in just one day and for about $1,000. Here's how she did it.
Bring in a storage bed. Previously, Camilia slept on an impractical pullout that took up a lot of space. Salk opted for a twin bed with drawers underneath, providing much-needed extra storage. New bedding with cheerful dots adds fun and color to the room.
Create distinct spaces. The room is now divided into spaces that feel distinct but work stylistically as a whole, says Salk. She hung a brightly colored elephant mobile—suitable for either gender—above the new baby's bassinet, creating a serene environment. Camilia's space is defined by her new bed and by the new bird artwork that hangs above it. A third area is dedicated to play and organization.
Establish a place for everything. Before, toys and art supplies overwhelmed the room. By adding just a few simple pieces—a storage unit, wall shelves to hold smaller items and, of course, that bed with drawers—Salk created a place for most of Camilia's things. (A fun touch: Salk had galvanized buckets monogrammed with Camilia's initial.) Once everything had a spot, the room opened up, making more room for playtime.
Here are the products Salk used to transform the room:
South Shore Summer Breeze Mates Twin Bed Box, $219 at All Children's Furniture. Image credit: All Children's Furniture
Dwell Studio for Target Fun Dot Twin Comforter Set, $50 at Target. Image credit: Target
Dwell Studio for Target Tonal Stripe Twin Sheet Set, $10.50 at Target Target. Image credit: Target
Elephant Party Mobile, $31.50 at Mini Jake. Image credit: Mini Jake
Collector's Shelves, $47 each at Pottery Barn Kids. Image credit: Pottery Barn Kids
8-Cube Bookcase in White, $349 at Land of Nod. Image credit: Land of Nod
Framed Bluebird Prints, $80 each at Art.com. Image credit: Art.com
