Baroness Bomburst

While writing the post yesterday I realized how few pictures of children’s rooms are in my file. They do show up in magazines fairly regularly, but apparently Baroness Bomburst is editor of most design books. (She’s the meanie in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang who employs the Child Catcher. Just in case you forgot.)

I did manage to pull a few from the files. Not surprisingly, a couple of my favorites are designed by Steven Gambrel. (Did you notice how much restraint I’ve been showing? Post after post with no mention. And, no, there’s no restraining order.) All images House and Garden.
Mariette Himes Gomez acknowledges that children exist in her new book, “Houses.”

The beds and the quilts reminded me of Waldo Fernandez’s son’s room in House Beautiful, January 2007.

The spool bed came from “somewhere in Kansas,” of which he’s says, “Well, they have a lot of great stuff there. All the Midwest does.” See?

Vintage Mario Buatta.
My bedroom growing up had yellow (surprised?) walls, orange carpet (it was the 70’s) and yellow faux bamboo furniture that I thought I picked out myself, but that, very likely, had been chosen by my mother on a previous trip.

Designed by Sallie Giordano and Leta Austin Foster, Farrow and Ball, The Art of Color.
She let me move the furniture, rearrange the shelves and put just about anything up on my walls. Although, as an aside, the only thing on the walls in her rendition were four, large Joan Walsh Angland prints in wide washed-green painted frames lined up on the long wall. I don’t know what I would do with them, but I wish I had them now.

Baby Iris’s room in the home of Stella Tennant and David Lasnet, Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens and People. I must admit, there are several children’s rooms in this book worth seeing.
Perhaps because of this, I tend to go more English country-house or crisp beach house when it comes to children’s rooms. Teenagers are different; they can pop all they want. Someday I might show you pictures of the Blandings boys’ rooms. Likely when they go to college and they are clean enough to be photographed. Ahhh…it’s all making sense to me now. Editors aren’t overlooking them. They just don’t want to pick up the Barbie shoes and the Legos.
Image, top, unknown Cottage Living.

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11 thoughts on “Baroness Bomburst

  1. Sounds like your childhood bedroom furniture would be oh so hot today! Perfect post as usual.

  2. Oh, heavens, not perfect. I think my mom gave the furniture to a younger friend and her daughter – I hope it’s still bouncing around out there somewhere.

  3. The bedroom in the drafty old house where I grew up had faux wood wallpaper. But it was so huge and had so much light, who cared?

  4. Sister Terri turned me onto your blog, and I love peeking in to see what you’re showcasing or suggesting. (I am a spectator at best & hope to hire you when I win the lottery) And I love your commentary and take on all things decor and life oriented. People who write like they’re in conversation with you make for a refreshing, entertaining read.
    Wanted to let you know that I was the lucky recipient of your yellow bamboo furniture & I loved it throughout my junior high & high school years. I believe Laura’s daughter Kelsey welcomed it next. So it got all the TLC a previous owner would hope for. I still remember how excited I was when Dad moved it into my room… something that wasn’t a hand me down from the older sisters — finally!
    – MC

  5. I swoon over anything Waldo Fernanadez does,must you be so on target witih all your post! Loving Mrs Blandings!

  6. MC – I had no idea it was so close to home! Fun to run into you here. Hope all is well with the new baby. pod

  7. Barbara – I met Mr. Fernandez at the shop where I work last summer. I’m trying to compare the thrill to some tabloid star and I can’t even think of one to fit the bill. He was lovely.

  8. I too had the Joan Walsh Anglund prints in my bedroom growing up (although my room was apple green and yellow, with green shag carpet)! They have actually been on my mind lately so I checked on Ebay and found the whole set of prints up for auction…but I didn’t win. Anyway, LOVE your posts! Just found you and now read every day!

  9. Oh bunk, love a good pillow fight in a room with bunk beds, you must have seen the home of Bobbi Brown (make-up artist guru) she has the quintessential boys room flanked with bunks–
    ready for any wallop!

  10. Great photos! It’s fun to see kids’ rooms decorated. Thanks for tracking them down and sharing!

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