Kid Rooms

My son is 10 and he is messy, but I really want him to at least make his bed in the morning. When I grew up, I had to and I feel like a bad parent for not succeeding here. Got any tips?ElleryDear Ellery,I have to admit that I’m struggling with this one too with my 14-year-old, and to give you some local color, I’ve made this little video to share with you. My problems only began about a year ago and she used to be very good at this!

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. With all the Memorial Day sales happening this weekend, there’s no shortage of great deals, but if we had to pick one to shop, it’d be Pottery Barn’s Warehouse Sale, spanning all their brands, including Pottery Barn Kids.

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids.

Name: Stacie and Joseph Abdallah, their sons Nehemiah (7), Noah (5), Nolan (3)Location: Atlanta, GeorgiaThis piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. DIY is all about problem solving, and for former school counselor, Stacie Abdallah, it comes naturally.

If you hop over to designer Sarah Sherman Samuel’s Instagram page on any given day, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself scrolling, scrolling, and scrolling … while saving every other image along the way. Packed with inspo from both clients’ spaces and her own, her feed highlights her signature aesthetic: all things clean, contemporary, and California cool (even though she now lives in her native Michigan).

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. It’s no big secret that parenthood is full of many surprises, and the products that end up being lifesavers is definitely one of them. If we were talking about movies here, we’d call these products the sleeper hits.

Closet space is premium in many homes, which means that the space has to work hard to meet everyone’s needs. Great closets can fit everything in that needs to be stashed, but also are easy to rifle through and pleasant to look at. It’s a tall order.Morgan Gomez knew that this closet in her home — used for her young daughter’s clothes and toys — was not cutting it. “The setup left a lot of unused space,” Morgan says.

Name: Monica Chavez; partner, Ruben; and children, Esperanza (7 months), Mauricio (3 years), Abel (passed away in 2010)Location: Bay Area, CaliforniaMonica Chavez is a mother, blogger, and DIY expert whose Instagram account offers a steady, stunning stream of creative projects and inspiration. She lives in the Bay Area with her family, including a new baby who arrived during this strange year. “I’ve got a COVID baby!” she laughs. “She’s 7 months old.

We’ve got a very small extra room that we’re turning into a nursery. What’s a good small space solution? JoeDear Joe,Good for you, and I know you’ll do well! You’re also in luck, because one of the greatest things about babies is how few things they need to be happy as opposed to how much friends and family may give you that you often feel like you have to find room for. You really don’t need much room at all.

Name: Emily Berger-Crawford, husband Chris Crawford, daughter Edie, dog Lilly, and cats Chester and CharlieLocation: East English Village in Detroit, MichiganSize: 1,650 square feetEmily Berger-Crawford says that an old house was an all-but inevitable conclusion for her family. Growing up, Emily lived in a 1890s Victorian that her parents lovingly filled with antiques. Then when she and her husband Chris Crawford moved back home to Detroit, old houses were what was available to buy.

So your child’s room is a bit of a disaster zone. Hey, no judgement here. Messiness is a part of life, but unfortunately, it’s not part of the process for successfully selling a home. That’s where home stagers come in—they unleash a few simple tricks to make a house seem appealing to buyers of all kinds.

I’m putting together my first nursery and need a nursing chair. I want something really comfortable, but also that I won’t mind keeping for a long time. They are expensive! EmmaDear Emma,Nursery furniture is a big challenge. I will come back to all of it in the future as it can be a big first expense and not something that’s very useful for the rest of your child’s life, but I want to give a great recommendation for THE chair we found.

When it comes to decorating, a child’s room is one of the most enjoyable projects to take on. There are seemingly no rules—fun themes, bold colors, and whimsical decor all tap into the playfulness of childhood, perfectly suiting the space. There’s a real satisfaction to completing these projects, too. Designing a nursery for a baby is often your first chance to “nest” and create a safe space for your child.

Name: Amber and Chris Earl, owners of EARL (@earl_home); their daughters, Giavanni, 4, and Copen, 3; and son, Guy, 1Location: North Hollywood, CaliforniaObserving a house evolve over time is a specific kind of pleasure: It’s like watching a young person grow up. You can see how a home stretches, adapts, and evolves to the lives that are being lived within. A visit to Amber and Chris Earl’s two-bedroom home in North Hollywood shows a house that has found its stride.

“I love the way I’ve set up the house! I love our living room so much. That’s where we spend most of our time together: It feels super cozy.” Name: Caroline and Jason Rodrigues, owners of @shopmercimilo; their daughter, Milo, 5; and Caroline’s children, Cailin, 14, and Darren, 16, who live there part of the timeLocation: Glendale, CaliforinaImagine if your child had a never-ending stream of toys showing up in your home.

Since IKEA introduced the DUKTIG play kitchen, customers have brainstormed ways to hack and customize this plain Jane item into something with more personality and charm—like, you know, a full-sized kitchen might have. The tweaks these parents have made are doable for even DIY beginners and, I think you’ll agree, make these little plays kitchens even more special for their kids.