Looking for some DIY inspo? Christina Zept of @holymackerelhouse is a DIY extraordinaire whose creativity shines in every space she touches, and her kids' room makeover with our Flour curtains is no exception. With a passion for cheerful colors, layered design, and pattern mixing, Christina brings her distinct style to life, combining function with beauty. Follow along to learn a little about her and her design choices!
First off, tell us a little about yourself!
My husband and I first met in Annapolis, and for the first 11 years of our marriage, we lived in 9 different homes during his military service. I started my career in management consulting, and eventually I made the decision to stay home with our 6 young children. I’ve always loved interior design, and when my husband transitioned out of the military, it meant that we could buy a home and plan to stay in one place. We picked a home in Coastal Virginia that needed absolutely “everything,” and I quickly started learning to do major home renovation projects myself by watching videos. I especially love to hang wallpaper, trim carpentry, and upholstery. Sharing my DIY skills through blogging has also started a new career for me in interior decorating for others.
How would you describe your design style?
I have always loved cheerful colors, layered design, and pattern mixing. My home is traditional, which is a comforting aesthetic for me, and I love to mix chintz florals with modern accents, like lucite. With 6 young children, FUNCTION is of utmost importance to me. I love to make practical spaces beautiful, and I’m a lover of blue and green.
What was the design vision for the room?
This room is incredibly special to me because three of my boys share this space. They love adventure, hiding places, and blue. Built-in bunk beds weren’t a great long term option for this space with the 8 foot ceilings, so I built alcoves into the wall for storage beds, and a little pass through window to share treasures. Our children love to read, so I built a comfy window bench to sit with a good book, and a desks with bookshelves on each end. This room will grow with them as they begin school and need to do homework, but for now it is a great adventure space.
Before:
How did you decide which trim to pair with the Flour curtains?
My grandmother used to sew outfits with rick rack trim for me as a child, and for me, rick rack is wonderfully nostalgic. This bedroom has a lot of patterns playing together, and the Flour curtains with cherry rick rack from Pepper Home stand in simple contrast to the dark blue built-ins. The cherry red trim is truly the “cherry on top” of the bench seat in this room. I added the Hockney pillows to the bench seat; I feel every traditional space needs something abstract or modern. The blue brushstrokes were the perfect compliment to the traditional design.
Can you tell us a little about the paint colors you chose in here?
I picked two complimentary colors for this room: Cape Blue by Benjamin Moore for the alcove beds, and a dark blue color match to the Spot and Star Schumacher wallpaper. A color match is always an easy answer to the paint selection debate.
What tips do you have for designing kids' spaces?
Children are an incredible blessing, and childhood is fleeting. I love to start designing a space for children based on their interests, and then I like to layer textiles and furniture that will grow with them. Storage is essential, children love whimsy, and it should always be fun!