We Are Totally Into This Black-And-White Kids’ Room that Still Manages to Be Colorful and Quirky

Kids are, well, kids, so it’s fair to want to splash their bedrooms and playrooms in bright, whimsical colors. But you may also feel the need to pick a color scheme that can grow with them as they age. (Unless you’re ok with repainting and repainting again, in which case, great!)

One parent, Shona East, found a way to combine the best of both worlds for her son’s room by combining fun and sophisticated details while also keeping a sort of neutral color palette that’ll grow with her child, Frank. Here’s how East designed her kid’s space. (Her daughters’ colorful rooms are equally fantastic!)

Black and white, which are traditionally more mature colors, might not necessarily pop into your mind when thinking about a kid’s bedroom. However, this kids’ room is completely childlike and whimsical.

East found a white-and-black grid wallpaper (here’s a similar option from Ferm Living) in a grid pattern that adds symmetry to the space. She added drama to the wall by painting half the wall in Farrow & Ball’s “Pitch Black” thentopped the black section off with a scalloped edge to make it more playful. 

“Stripes and scallops are a simple and cost-effective way to add real interest and colour to your home, and all you need is a tester pot,” East said at the time of her house tour. 

And even though the walls are black and white, the room isn’t lacking vibrant color. For example, bright artworks, like Desenio’s “Big Cat” and “Jazzberry Blue — Rainbow Solar System” posters, dot the walls with bright shades. A rainbow rug by Jools Oliver and a pillow shaped like Ziggy Stardust’s face also help to add color to the room.

It’s no surprise that East created a colorful, stunning space for Frank to grow up in — the rest of her home is full of scalloped edges and stripes, bright shades (a lot of pink and green!), and sentimental decor that comes with a story. To explore more of East’s family home, visit the full house tour on Apartment Therapy. 

 Product List

• Cot — Stokke
• Grid wallpaper — Ferm Living is similar
• Bottom of wall paint — Farrow & Ball “Pitch Black”
• Shelves — IKEA 
• Blinds — Emma Hardy Soft Furnishings 
• Rug, Little Bird — Jools Oliver
• Bowie face cushion — Paula and the Pencils/Etsy
• Jazzberry Blue rainbow solar system poster — Desenio