A sky full of aeroplanes

Some rooms ask for something calm. This one asked for adventure: a bedroom for two little brothers with big imaginations, full of things to spot, to point at and to talk about at bedtime.

Fun, but never loud

Adventure does not have to mean bright. We chose every colour with care: mustard, rust, navy and a soft, warm cream. They are playful without ever being loud or garish, so the room is full of fun by day and still feels calm and restful when the lights go down.

Planning the sky

We began, as we always do, on paper. Each character was drawn at full size, cut out and tried on the wall, then moved a few inches this way and that until the room felt balanced. The aeroplane would swoop high across one corner. The little sailing boat would set off lower down, on painted waves, where small hands could reach it.

Who is flying the plane?

At the controls of the deep green aeroplane is Monty the Mouse, who loops the loop above the bed once the lights go out. Across the room, Mabel the Mouse flies her yellow plane, red scarf streaming behind her, carrying the night mail to dreamland. Above the door, Leo the Leveret races his car, number one, past the only golden star on the wall. Every character has a name and a little story, so there is always something new to talk about when the lights go down.

That moment, a small finger pointing up and asking who is flying, is what every mural is really for.

Stars to finish

Last came the stars, in mustard, rust and navy, scattered across the walls so the whole room feels as though it is mid-flight under a night sky. Painted freehand, no two are quite alike.

To bring it all together, we designed a star cushion especially for the room, painted on natural linen in the same colours as the stars on the walls, but with stars all of its own. It was the finishing touch that made everything feel as though it belonged.

A room to grow into

The room was designed for two brothers aged two and three, but it was never meant to be outgrown in a year or two. The characters, the colours and the stars are playful without being babyish, so it will happily see them through to seven and beyond.