Gaby Dalkin designed her daughter's bedroom – it's a masterclass in creating a space that will grow with your child

When Gaby Dalkin decided to upgrade her toddler's bedroom from a nursery to a 'big girl room,' she had only one directive: pink. 

Luckily, as a cookbook author and chef, Gaby, widely known by the Instagram moniker @whatsgabycookin, knows how to innovate. Working together with the design desk at Crate&Kids, she was able to create a truly beautiful space that both kids and adults can appreciate. This child's room is a sight to see.

Gaby's daughter, Poppy's room is awash in a designer-beloved paint: Farrow and Ball's Setting Plaster. Within the color-drenched interior, the girl's bedroom is full of stylish storage solutions and adorable, child-sized furniture. It includes adorable yet functional built-ins like a tiny desk and large storage closets.

Rather than working with an interior designer, Gaby completed the entire project with support from the Crate&Kids design desk. She tells H&G exclusively: 'Working with the design desk was amazing because they basically gave me three different vibes to go with based on Poppy and very loose direction, and then we got to play from there. It's the most delightful experience, and I think more people should take advantage of it, especially if you're not bringing on an interior designer.'

Beyond the face value of the prettiness of the space it follows one of the number one best practices for designing children's bedrooms: it is timeless. As Poppy grows, it will be easy to update and maintain. There are several reasons for the success of the space, which we unpacked in our interview with Gaby. 

First, Poppy's room is designed with function in mind, both in terms of toy storage and how the room will grow with the child. 'We've built it in such a way where she's always going to have ample storage. We have these amazing Crate bookcases in there that we can accessorize differently as she grows up and add new books or different toys or stuffed animals or whatever it is,' says Gaby. 'We really can kind of mix and match things to age up with her.'

'The desk is amazing, and that cute little chair in there is perfect. She has no homework right now, so she hasn't really sat there yet. She's more into the green kid's lounge chair, the velvet corduroy one. But eventually, when she has some work to do or sits still to color, I think we'll really utilize the desk chair in that little area.'

Second, the space is equally sweet for children and adults. For instance, although it's pink, the kids' room wall paint is subtle and calming. Gaby states, 'I wanted something that felt that she could fit into it as a three year old, but also as a nine year old, it wasn't gonna feel tired, so I wanted something that felt a little bit more organic and more neutral than a bright.'

Gaby adds: 'It feels like an extension of our house. It's a very calming atmosphere. It has art on the walls. It's tastefully decorated and designed, and I think I would say that about the rest of our house. It doesn't feel like you walk into this explosion of crazy primary colors. It just feels like a little bit more of a playful version of our living room in Poppy's room.'

Shop the Look

Find the exact pieces in Poppy's bedroom to turn your own child's room into a whimsical (but functional) kid's paradise.

Though designing a child's room is never easy, taking steps to ensure it is timeless and functional can go a long way in making the process easier. The lessons from Gaby Dalkin's space will take you far.