Nursery inspiration from Giovanna Fletcher’s exclusive collaboration with Wayfair.co.uk
Photography Ingrid Rasmussen for Wayfair.co.uk
You have created a beautiful family home with your husband, Tom. Tell us about it and how you chose it.
We moved into our house 12 years ago when we were only 21 years old. We’d bought a show house, which was great for us at the time as it meant we could just put our clothes in the wardrobe and pop the kettle on. It was hassle-free and looked stunning. But as time went on we realised it wasn’t really very “us”. It didn’t show off our personalities or interests. It wasn’t particularly practical either in terms of storage. About two years ago we decided to make some upgrades and I’m so glad we did. The house is now a collection of the things we love. It’s also colourful, warm, inviting, cosy, inspiring and calming, depending on where we are in the house.
Did you have to re-decorate when you moved in? If so, where did you start and what was your inspiration?
We kept the house exactly as it was for the first few years. Then we eventually painted the guest room as we were turning that into Tom’s music room and then painted the cinema room to give it a little more depth. I’ll be completely honest, we really just painted the walls and we moved furniture around. It wasn’t particularly creative of us!
Did your home design change when you became parents?
Having children forced us to look at our home differently. Firstly, we realised that children take over. There’s not a single room that doesn’t contain some sort of child-related item.
Before we became parents, we did a first aid course that led us to do an extensive “risk assessment” in the house, which completely freaked us out and made us view everything as a potential threat.
The glass went. Any sharp corners were frowned upon. Stair gates went in. Locks were fitted on locks.
But since we’ve really redecorated we’ve been able to have more fun with the space. Growing up I can remember being told off about doing anything that might damage the carpet, sofas or breakables. The boys still have to be careful, of course, but I’d say our style has become more family-friendly. I want our home to feel like people live there.
How would you describe your interior style? What’s most important to you when decorating a room?
I like a room to reflect some personality while being inviting and cosy. I also want it to be practical. I’m not one for useless faff.
Baby number three will be arriving soon – what was the inspiration behind the new nursery?
I really wanted to freshen up the space as it’s not been redesigned since it became Buzz’s room four years ago and looked tired and worn. I wanted a fresh, clean space that felt homely and calming. It was also important for it to be gender-neutral as we aren’t finding out the sex of the baby – although even when he or she is born we won’t be adding loads of pink
or blue!
What are your favourite items in the nursery? Why do you love them?
The jungle-themed wallpaper is stunning and adds so much to the space, while also being neutral and calming. I really love a statement design. We have flamingos in the downstairs loo, an intricate story-based design in the boys’ room and then full-on “flower power” in my office! The tipi tent is gorgeous too – such a unique but affordable touch and I can really imagine the baby lying in there and taking it all in. There are also so many textures to explore with the cushions, throws and rugs, and the muted pastel shades help make it all look so beautiful.
I’m also really happy with the wardrobe and changing unit. Babies come with lots of stuff – and being the third child, this baby is inheriting a fair few clothes, so it’s good to have somewhere to put it all. I love the design of both these items as they feel really unique.
Walk us through your guest bedroom. What do you love most about the style of the space?
The guest room is an important one to us as we do tend to have people to stay quite a lot. I wanted somewhere cool, interesting, comfortable, relaxing and adult – somewhere for them to escape from the rest of the house.
Even though the room is full of neutral tones, the pops of inky blues, soft blush and gleaming golds really help to make it inviting and interesting. I love the use of texture with the tassel throw cushions and woven wall hangings.
The bedside lamps are stunning too. They throw the light in such a magical way in the evening.
I also love it when guests sleep really well here, so I wanted to do everything I could to ensure a good night’s sleep. I opted for a comfy upholstered bed and Wayfair’s best-selling thermo-regulated memory foam Nora mattress. My sister and her husband have already been over to test it out and loved it. Hurrah!
Tell us who will likely be staying in the guest bedroom and making the most of it?
My sister Giorgina and her husband Chickpea come over quite a bit. They have a little girl so we like getting all the cousins together as much as possible. When the children are asleep we get to just hang out and catch up. Giorgina loves interiors and I’m always envious of her amazing eye, so I’m thrilled she has fallen in love with her new room.
What’s next for your home? Any big renovation plans or rooms you would love to tackle next?
I think I’d like to redesign the cinema room and the bathrooms next and I’d also really like to finish off our bedroom. We painted and furnished it about a year ago, but working with Wayfair.co.uk has really shown me how vital all the statement pieces and finishing touches are and not to be scared to use different textures, colours and to layer things up.
Giovanna’s “gender-neutral” nursery
Creating a soothing space that balanced lots of practical picks with the sweetest of details was a top priority for Giovanna, who also wanted to create a “neutral” space that works for either gender, as baby number three will be a surprise!
We opted for a base palette of soft greys and muted pastels to create a calming environment for both mum and baby and offset this with hints of mint and egg-yolk yellow to make the scheme pop.
The cot, changing table and wardrobe all boast a clean but traditional aesthetic and generous proportions, making them great options for
any parent.
Meanwhile, a dove grey jungle-themed wallpaper, gallery wall of cute Scandi-style illustrations and styled “shelfie” above eye level create a fun, stylish and (most importantly) baby-proof backdrop.
As for all new mums, comfort was really important to Giovanna, so we also included lots of cosy touches, from the cute tipi filled with cushions and soft faux furs through to the beautifully upholstered nursing chair and footstool. We hope this will be the perfect place for all the family to enjoy some serious snuggle time!
Giovanna’s eclectic guest bedroom
Giovanna’s guest bedroom offers the perfect mix of style and comfort, with a striking “mid-century modern meets bold bohemian” aesthetic.
Giving friends and family a good night’s kip was a top priority for Giovanna, so we opted for a comfy upholstered bed and thermo-regulated memory foam Nora mattress.
We mixed chunky layered textiles, such as tassel throw cushions and woven wall hangings, to up the style stakes and provide a cosy retreat for any guest.
A slim console with an on-trend circular mirror acts as the perfect guest dresser; meanwhile, a styled “shelfie” layered with interesting illustrations, terrazzo votives and coloured glass vases creates a fashion-forward vignette.