Cue Designbx! Just because you’re feeling rushed to get your sleeping arrangements sorted, it doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice on quality, function or the aesthetic of your space to squeeze everyone in.
One of the key items we are always asked about is sofa beds. Because they range so vastly in price, size and quality, cleverly integrating them into your homes layout is the key in choosing the right one.

With Designbx’s Refresh package at $199 per room, we can help you plan for those extra guests by taking the pain out of some of the guessing work. Or, if you decide you want to finally finish off any of those “too hard basket” rooms that might just need some minor TLC, like artworks or soft furnishings, this package has you covered!
We know most of our clients are run off their feet at this time of year and in the lead up to Christmas, so why not take advantage of our exclusive trade discounts just in time for the holiday season with our complimentary Personal Shopper as a part of your package.

Below are 7 of our faves under $2,000, and why we think they’re winners:

The Civic Ottoman from Oz Design

A versatile Ottoman is the perfect seating addition for almost any room. The Civic Ottoman will also transform into a comfy double bed and is available in a range of different colour and fabric options.

The Agnes Ottoman Sofabed from Oz Design
We all forget about the popular trundle bed for the kids room – but this fun Ottoman which also converts to a single bed will double as practical seating in the reading nook when not being used as a bed.

The Vermont Sofa bed from Matt Blatt
This retro fold-down sofa bed can be set up in under a minute! Less clunkier than the traditional sofa bed, the arms act as a great pillow rest and style isn’t compromised with this funky every-day sofa.

The Rovia Sofa bed from Matt Blatt

An armless sofa is a great option if you are space-poor. It’s also a great design solution for awkward nooks or under a window bay as a window seat. The lush velvet fabric is also durable – this great piece can go anywhere!

The Reisel Sofabed from Matt Blatt
This brings back a few memories of the futon era! Still such a great design for a more casual or low ceiling rooms. A playful design that’s also great in TV rooms.

The Bayview Chaise sofa bed from Zanui

With this brilliantly designed Sofa, you can actually gain three beds from one sofa! Great for the kids lounge or play area with a durable synthetic fabric.

The Kent sofa bed from Oz Design

Luxury, comfort and a queen size mattress!! This is for one of those special guests. An array of colours and fabrics available to match your homes style, the Kent provides a beautiful everyday sofa option converting to a beautiful bed.

The post Top 7 Sofa beds – Time to get ready for those extra guests! appeared first on Designbx.

Tween-age interior design should be versatile, personal and timeless in nature. Fairy pictures and eggshell blues won’t make the cut. Think neutral, to give your child room to grow into their personality and style. At this awkward age, kids don’t want to be seen or treated like babies, in fact they want to be treated like an adult (although they are far off the adult stage). The interior design of your child’s room should be something they are proud to show their friends and to capture this style. Follow our top tips for a tween-agers dream room.

1. Monochromatic backdrop

It might be time to paint over those baby pink coloured walls. Instead of painting the room numerous times over the years, go for a white or neutral background to prepare the room for change. A monochromatic backdrop allows colour to pop and a blank canvas to change the feel and look of the room easily and without mess. Neutral colours adapt to any style or colour of accessories and artwork so it’s a win-win.

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2. Express yourself

Ask your tween what interests them the most and try to incorporate this in temporary designs they can change as they grow. DIY canvas art is a great way to get their creativity flowing and better yet, they can paint over it again when they grow tired of the design. Instead of hanging multiple canvases, you could make the wall into the artwork. Chalk paint is hugely popular these days and allows kids to express themselves with colours and drawings.

Wall decals are also a great inexpensive investment, that can be easily removed when your kid grows out of the style.

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3. Bright bedsheets

Being young is a colourful and adventurous part of life. Make sure their room isn’t monochromatic or embracing neutral tones just yet. Go crazy with bold and colourful linen that creates a changeable statement piece for the centre of the room. Your child may be growing up but there’s still an adventurous spirit in them that longs for exciting colours and patterns. Employ texture, colour and pattern into cushions also, to create an extra buzz in a small bedroom design.

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4. Statement shelves

Let your kids express their styles without ruining the walls in the process. Install some shelves to house their collections, sports memorabilia, books and favourite items. Try framing favourite images or posters instead of sticking them to the walls. They aren’t teenagers yet, so those plain square bookshelves may get groaned at. Mix it up by getting creative with bookshelves. Use different shapes, colours and styles to capture your kid’s attention.

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5. Ditch the desk

Most tweens think they’ll need a desk for their future studies and endeavours. The bedroom should be kept as a place to retreat, relax and hang out with friends. Try to keep the desk in the study or living space and create a space that your tween will look forward to come home to. Replace the space with a pull-out couch or bean bags for when friends come over. Make the space inviting with cushions, rugs and colourful accessories. If there isn’t space for a hang out area, try a low to the floor bed.

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6. Swell into storage

They’ll be needing more space to store their growing wardrobes and collections…and to hide mess! Storage should be unsurpassed so invest in timeless furniture pieces such as a tallboy or install a practical built-in wardrobe that’ll see them through to their young adult life. Try using seagrass baskets for blankets and toys, that will last throughout time. Also consider a proper wardrobe fit out. Drawers, hanging, space, shoe racks, they are going to need more of everything in a small bedroom space.

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7. Privacy for the pirates

As your child grows, their longing for privacy will increase. They want to feel as though their every move isn’t being watched and that they have the freedom to live their own life. Even though it is never a good sign when the kids are quiet, sometimes they simply want room to grow up. Placing veils around the bed, dividing the room with curtains or placing a hang out tent in the room, will give your child a sense of security and freedom.

Every child goes through the awkward stage, so make it easy by making the interior design suit their tween needs and take advantage of the last years left before the teenagers era.

The post Tween-age dream appeared first on Designbx.

It’s that time of year again; when we realise how cluttered our house is, from items that have been stacking up all winter. This can especially be seen in our kids bedrooms. Who knows what long lost items can be found under beds, in secret hiding places or in the depths of the cupboard.
Here are a few 2017 Spring trends that provide kids bedroom ideas for your little treasures. Also find out about all new toys set to hit the shelves this season:

1. Grey is the new white

Grey is becoming the coolest colour of 2017. It’s neutral yet versatile, meaning it can be perfectly paired with any accessory colour and matches any style. You can’t go wrong!
The first thing that will pop into a kid’s mind is ‘boring’ BUT simply add bold coloured accessories, bed covers, toys, and rugs to bring the room alive. It becomes a colourful playland for them, excites the imagination and doesn’t ruin the style of the house. For ideas on how to add colour into a kid’s room, head to Designbx’s Incy Nursery.

What’s new?
Allow your kids to personalise their room with the brand new Knot-a-Mermaid set, hitting the shelves this Spring. It enables kids to make their own fleece blanket designs and is only $27.

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2. Wallpapers rise up again

Wallpapers were almost extinct, but their popularity is on the rise again. We’re not talking about the old floral designs that your grandma still has in her house, there are several new modern wallpapers that can fit perfectly with a modern home.
Geometric prints go with a simple modern style, whereas large modern florals make a statement, especially for Spring.
Try covering just one wall in wallpaper to make it a feature wall. If you then fall in love with the look, you can continue to do the rest of the room.

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Wallpaper featuring wildlife, plants or flowers can be utilised in nurseries to give the room a peaceful, relaxing and natural feeling. Hopefully encouraging consistent long, deep sleeps!

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What’s New?
Instead of wallpapers, you can surprise your kid with a Skyrocket Jurassic World Virtual Reality set, where they can escape reality and immerse themselves. in a dinosaur experience. At only $60, you will want to get your hands on one of these.

3. Liven up the ceiling

So often, our go-to colour for ceilings is plain, old, boring white. How many kids get excited and inspired by a plain white ceiling? Not many (if any at all). There’s no rule to say you can’t go beyond the four walls and design a ceiling that knocks their socks off.
Get your creative cap on and start your roof masterpiece, but don’t worry if painting isn’t your strong point, there are plenty of other options.
Wallpapers can seamlessly go from your walls to your roof and if you’re after something not so permanent, decals are easy to apply and change.
Try geometric patterns, polka-dots, plants, birds or clouds on either the walls ceilings or both.

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4. Adventure awaits

We all know kids love adventure, whether it be searching amongst the gardens in the backyard or creating an adventure of their own at the playground. So it’s no surprise that adventure themed kids rooms have become a must have this year. You can be bold and courageous, by incorporating ropes, rock climbs, ladders and swings into your kids room, but let’s be honest, it’s not super practical! Creating a subtle adventure theme can be as easy as decal stickers of mountains, forest wallpapers or building a teepee for kids to make into a secret hideaway.

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5. Wall hangings are weaving their way in

Textured woven wall hangings bring a slight boho feel to the room. If you really are struggling to find one that fits your kids room, then you can always create your own as an activity! Add some feathers, braids and macrame and you have yourself a masterpiece. They are supposed to be rustic and authentic so don’t stress if yours isn’t the finest of the bunch. The kid’s will love it!
TIP When creating a wall hanging, always keep a style board handy so you stick to the style of the room and don’t go to crazy. You can find example style boards in Designbx’s Shop the Look.

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What’s New?
While you’re busy creating a work of art, keep the kids busy making their own creation. Play Doh is launching their Touch Shape to Life Studio this Spring. Kids simply create a Play Doh character, place it in the studio and scan it to a phone, using the app, to see their creations come to life.

6. Let them draw on the walls

What better way to let a kid’s imagination run free, then to let them draw on the walls, literally. Instead of scrubbing texta off the walls, apply chalk paint to all, half or some of the kids room. They can go crazy on the chalk paint and it will distract them from the rest of the house…

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7. Who needs seats

Pouf cushions are replacing seats in kid’s rooms. They are especially popular with kids because they are not only a seat but a thing to climb, but something to roll on, jump on and hide behind. They come in all different shapes, colours and sizes and such a simple thing can bring excitement to an inquisitive little mind. Your kids will wear out before the pouf does.

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8. Fairy lights

Fairy lights aren’t only for girl’s rooms, there are various different styles and colours that can lighten any room up. Drape them across the bed end, along the roof, across dressers or around window seals. Plus they keep away the monsters at night.

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9. Space-saving beds

Whether you fold them, roll them or hide them under the flooring, space saving beds are becoming a common occurrence in kids rooms. Traditionally, a bed takes up most of the bedroom floor space, but with tuck away beds, kids can get the best of both worlds. A huge playspace during the day and a cosy bed at night.

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10. For the new family member

Designing a nursery is an exciting task, but it’s easy to go over the top. Remember they don’t need a nappy change table for long, so only keep the necessities in the room. You don’t want to be tripping over toys (that your newborn can’t even play with yet). Cribs, change tables, nappy bins and especially arm chairs are the basics you should have. Arm chairs are a timeless piece of furniture and even after your little one has grown to big to be nursed, it can hold all your memories. Keeping the design and colour simple will allow for the chair to stay in the family home forever.

For a timeless arm chair head to Designbx’s Nursery.

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For more style boards, tips, tricks and help, we are here to help!

 Let Your Imagination Run Wild with more ideas from Top Reveal. 

The post Kid’s Bedroom Ideas: 10 Hidden Treasures Your Kids Will Love appeared first on Designbx.

Why not chose a pirate theme for your modern day little pirate?
A pirate theme can be moulded to fit on with a modern home, yet still keep the kids entertained. It can be their own little escape into a different world and you can easily shut the door and forget about the mess. It’s also the perfect solution to keeping that coastal feel throughout the house.

Style boards are a great help when deciding on designs and themes for your spring home. It can be tricky to start designing a pirate room as you want it to inspire your little ones but how do you go about that? Designbx’s pre-made style boards can point you in the right direction.

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1. Stripes

You can easily transform your kids current room into a pirate playland, by simply incorporating black or navy stripes. You can go all out and cover the wall or floor in striped wallpaper or be more subtle and include striped accessories, paintings, rugs and bed covers. Try this reversible quilt cover that is both modern and fits with a pirate theme.

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2. Accessories

Always remember that any accessory placed in a kids room, is going to be used for something it wasn’t intended for. So be careful where you place the accessories and check the quality of them. Sailing ships, telescopes and steering wheels create the perfect combination for your little pirate to embark on a sailing journey through the seas. After playtime is over, simply hide away the evidence in pirate themed storage containers. This can be treasure chest toy boxes or coastal themed baskets. Pictures and paintings can also add to the nautical theme such as this seawood artwork.

3. Bedding

When your pirate gets back from their big adventure, they will need a bed made for a pirate. Pirate ship shaped beds can make bedtime more inviting. Hopefully helping to avoid the before-bed-tantrums! Although, there are plenty of other ways to turn an ordinary bed into a pirate resting area. Nautical quilt covers are modern and still inviting. Try pottery barn kids’ pirate ship or anchor quilt covers. Also don’t forget to keep the nasty sea creatures away with some bedside table lights. Designbx’s retro lamp is the perfect addition to a pirate’s room, or a pendant shade for even more lighting.

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For further ideas on coastal themed homes or kid’s room furniture, Designbx is here to help!

The post Kid’s Playroom Designs: From the High Seas to the Playroom appeared first on Designbx.

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1… Planning and zoning.

 Decorating an amazing room that grows with your child calls for creativity and clever planning. When you begin designing your child’s bedroom, it’s important to balance function, safety and style.
Consider all the activities that are likely to happen in the room. Will it also serve as a playroom or study? Is there a chance it may eventually become a room for two? Let the activities, items and colours your child loves the most be your guide when you choose furnishings and accessories. After all, it is a room for your little princess and you want them to really enjoy and utilise the space.
Will they need a chair for reading? Plenty of open floor space for blocks and games? Factor in how their interests may change and grow as they get older. Toddlers often need a play table for arts and crafts while a school-age kid may require a desk.

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Make sure your plan allows for plenty of room to grow, change and evolve. For example, using a full-sized desk can work for a young child while supervised but they will also be able to use it at an older age; or you could use a shelf and adjust the height as they grow up.
I like to use timeless pieces for the functional parts of the room, and then add personality with decorative elements so you can easily switch the old for new and change the overall theme of the room to suit your child.
Plan and divide the room into activity based zones for easy flow and function.

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2… Storage.

Planning adequate storage for the room is so important, not just for aesthetics but for functionality as well. You want the room to be used as efficiently as possible so let’s make it easy for your child to put things away and ensure the room is inviting, for them and you. Using appropriate storage for each zone also makes it easy for your child to find things and put them all away. Shelves, bins and baskets should be easy to access. Choose storage boxes with a lid to hide any clutter or mess. This will also eliminate distractions  when your child is using the room for homework.

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Wall hooks are also a great addition for storage as they won’t take up much space. And they also offer a massive bonus by assisting your child if they like to play dress-ups.
A storage box or ottoman is great for cushions and blankets as well as toys, and it doubles as a seat too!

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3… Texture, pattern and personalisation.

Whether it be a bedhead, cushion, wallpaper or bedspread, using different textures and patterns will make your little girl’s room ultra-personal and fun. Also, by keeping other décor items simple, the patterns will not only shine, they’ll also last your daughter from childhood through to her teens.

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Self-expression is a part of your little one’s life, so why hide important personal items that you really like? Display a few items for further personalisation on shelving, bedsides or desks.
Try adding some fluffy and flowy elements like curtains, throws, faux hides, rugs and even canopies, to soften the room and create a luxurious ambience for your princess.  

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Be sure to refer to the SIDS guidelines when planning your child’s rooms, and remember: safety first.

If you are looking for help with small bedroom decorating ideas our design team are ready and waiting to create the perfect hideaway!

The post Small bedroom decorating ideas fit for a Princess! appeared first on Designbx.

The younger they are, the more likely you’ll spend nights with them wedged between you and your partner instead of being trained to sleep independently in their own room. Not only does it prevent you from watching Game of Thrones; it also cancels the production of more children. In a way, choosing a cheap bed for your child reduces the usefulness of your own bed.

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Barring nightmares, there shouldn’t be any reason your kid can’t enjoy their haven. It should be a case of crawling between the sheets, settling in and—depending on their age—falling asleep a few pages into a bedtime story, a few songs into their favourite album, or midway through Facebook messaging.

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There should be a little sigh of relief once they feel the comfort of a quality bed, especially since they’re exhausted after spending the past 12 hours bouncing and crashing their way through another day, probably leaving a trail of destruction.

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Unfortunately intelligent parents are often unable to put two and two together when it comes to associating their child’s poor sleeping habits with a poor quality bed or mattress. We’ve all seen the horrible pine models with no springs and thin mattresses, lavishly covered with fun sheets and a novelty bedspread to overcompensate for cheap furniture that have a negative impact on a kid’s welfare.

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Sturdy beds with quality mattresses are crucial, and if you buy a beautiful unisex bed that’s built to last, it becomes an heirloom to be passed down from one grateful child to the next. Good beds not only help kids get to sleep but help them stay that way until the morning. They support rather than twist backs and necks, encourage and train a healthy posture that will last into adulthood, and ensure allergies and asthma aren’t exacerbated.  

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Making a choice of bedding should start with your feelings about a new bed. If it’s a big decision and a special treat for you, shouldn’t you assume the same applies to your kids? They need plenty of sleep (in their own rooms!) to make sure they wake up happy, energised and ready to spend the day undoing all the good work of adults.

The post Sleepless nights, for the wrong reasons – how to keep your kids in their own beds. appeared first on Designbx.