'We made it pretty and practical'

Amy Stillwell and her husband Nick transformed daughter Isla's bedroom into a hardworking, joy-filled room that makes all three of them happy

- 

It was the spacious bedrooms that convinced Amy Stillwell and her husband Nick to buy their new-build home in 2022. The couple particularly loved daughter Isla's room, with two generous windows that flooded the space with light.

Although the house was in move-in condition, the couple had their work cut out making it feel like home. 'Like a lot of new-builds, this place lacked character,' says Amy. While the couple spent the first six months sorting out the downstairs, the upstairs was forgotten about. 'Isla's room became a dumping ground for toys and clothes,' Amy admits. 'Once we'd tackled the downstairs, we decided the kids' rooms would be next. Isla's bedroom was the biggest and most chaotic, so it made sense to start there.'

STEP INSIDE...

WHO LIVES HERE? I'm Amy Stillwell, 32, a banking account manager. I live here with my husband Nick, 38, our daughter Isla, seven, and son Harry, two. Our three-bedroom new-build is in Shefford, Bedfordshire.

WHAT WAS UPDATED? Our priority was storage, and to make it somewhere Isla was happy. Bringing in colour was crucial, so we painted the walls pink with a scallop border for a playful feel and picked out colourful accessories that were functional, too.

WHY THE CHANGE? There was no order in Isla's bedroom - everything was everywhere! It was hard work trying to keep it tidy and organised.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? With careful planning, we managed to get everything done in a weekend.

THE PROJECT