Ep. 254: Designing Kid Spaces with Pebbles Nix

How to Decorate

We are so excited to cover a topic that we get asked about a lot – how to design and decorate kid spaces! Our guest today, Pebbles Nix, is an Atlanta-based interior designer and founder of Pebbles Nix Interiors. Pebbles has built her business on repeat customers like young families who need more space, empty nesters who are downsizing, and vacation homes for special family gatherings. Her work has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle, Charlotte Magazine, and more. We talk about leaning into performance fabrics, not waiting to invest in design when kids are grown, how to keep those toys organized, and so much more! If you have children (or even if you’re a kid at heart!), this episode is definitely for you.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

• How you can still design the way you want and work around to make it “kid-friendly”.
• In the end, it’s always worth investing in beautiful and high-end pieces even with little kids.
• Diving into the different options for performance fabrics.
• Patterns and darker colors are also great for camouflaging stains.
• When to use leather vs. when to use faux leather (vinyl).
• Are people using slipcovers?
• Pebble likes to use indoor/outdoor rugs in kid spaces; especially seagrass and sisal.
• Pebble has tricks like painting floors and patterns to make things fun.
• Wallpaper is very on-trend right now; is it durable enough for kids?
• Tips for having kids’ storage and a dedicated space for toys.
• How does Pebbles account for multiple ages and lasting design when kids’ preferences change so much?
• Does Pebbles recommend any house rules for families with children?
• An important thing to remember is that they won’t be kids forever; so let them enjoy the design too and explore their individuality!

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Brenna,

I think you should use peel-and-stick wallpaper on all of the walls! I agree; replace those towels with some fun, colorful ones. If you can paint, I would paint the vanity and/or the door or the trim. I love painting the ceiling, too. Powder rooms are actually great places to go bold. The nice thing with a small space like this is it’s not a huge expense; so even if you decide to paint and have to repaint it wouldn’t be that costly. We think one big piece of art instead of lots of little ones would be nice; even if you could move the towel bar to the other wall. Since your artwork seems to be all very beachy and tropical, even a mural wallpaper with that theme would work well. Another non-permanent way to decorate is to accessorize the counter space. We don’t think this is the primary bath, but if it is and you’ll be using the shower a lot, then consider using paint instead of wallpaper due to the humidity factor.

We’re so excited for you, Brenna! Make some bold moves and show us what you did!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Pebbles Nix Interiors

Pebbles Nix on Instagram

Crypton Fabrics

Sunbrella Fabrics

Indoor/Outdoor Rugs

Phillip Jeffries Wallpaper

Stuffed Animal Storage Bean Bag Chair Cover