The secrets to designing a room a child will love

How interior designer and mum Alannah Monks makes spaces appeal to younger users

Interior designer Alannah Monks pictured in the revamped LauraLynn Children’s Hospice reception area. She completed the makeover with support from DFS and Crown Paint.
Picture: Fennell Photography 

Parent and interior designer Alannah Monks believes playfulness and longevity are key when thinking in terms of how younger residents will enjoy using a space.

“I am a mum of two girls, Rose (13) and Alice (8) and I’ve seen with my two girls how quickly children’s tastes and interests can change, and how quickly their rooms can seem patronising as they grow,” says Alannah.

Alannah, who is creative director for interiors brand Oriana B, has also carried out work for several charities linked with younger clients, including most recently at the LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice in Leopardstown, Dublin.

The reception area makeover was completed by Alannah Monks with support from DFS and Crown Paint. Picture: Fennell Photography 2022

She masterminded a makeover of the reception area at the hospice with support from DFS and Crown Paint.

LauraLynn’s Children’s Hospice works with children with life-limiting illnesses and their families, to make the most of the little moments together.

“Spaces can easily appeal to children and adults alike, which was an important consideration when we were designing the LauraLynn reception area,” Alannah adds.

“Combining bold colours is a great way of doing this, the brand colours of LauraLynn (pink, blue and yellow) lent themselves perfectly to this.”

Using colours in graphic patterns “is always a treat in childlike spaces; stripes, spots and shapes against white walls is a very effective way of adding whimsy to a space”, says Alannah.

Alannah Monks's work in the Rotunda. 

Both on a personal and creative levels, Alannah says, “working on this project was a joy.”

“And playing with colour like this is a rare pleasure also as a creative!”

The interior designer was introduced to the team at LauraLynn by their painter, Myles McDonagh.

“I worked with DFS and Crown Paints on the Rotunda Hospital’s Little Chapel in 2021 in a similar charity partnership and I had worked with Myles on that project. He does wonderful work on clinical spaces, and we share an appreciation for how paint can transform a space,” says Alannah.

“As a mum myself, I feel huge empathy with the families who find themselves here. As a designer I am so conscious of how a space can make people feel. We wanted to achieve something that reflected the positive work done by LauraLynn and the joy they bring to the lives of so many during difficult times. We chose to lead with colour and pattern, creating somewhere child- friendly without losing sight of the serious work being done by the amazing team behind LauraLynn.”

The colours available from DFS made bringing the space together “so simple” adds the interior designer.

“The French Connection Zinc sofa in navy made continuity with the site’s branding extremely easy, and its leather upholstery will make the space easy to maintain and keep clean. The armchairs in yellow provided yet another pop of colour in a functional way, with the retro shape of the So Simple Tom armchair complementing the painted walls,” says Alannah.

“Bringing the LauraLynn brand colours into the space was extremely important, and Crown Paints did an incredible job matching them using their colour matching services and making them available in their Crown Trade Clean Extreme Anti-Bacterial Scrubbable Matt Paint.

Alannah Monks in The Rotunda's Little Chapel following the makeover carried out with Crown Paints. 

“Similarly the prints donated by Julie and Owen of Jando reflect the key colours of LauraLynn, of blue, pink and yellow, while also nodding to the charity’s value as an important place for families who need it in Ireland. Many thanks also to Bronagh Fleming and Cathy McGovern for painting the murals.

“We all want to support families who are on this very tough journey. In working with DFS and Crown Paints to transform the reception area my intention has been to give families some space to make the most of the little moments together.” Wall art is “a seriously under-utilised trick in children’s spaces”, believes Alannah.

“It is something that can bring colour to a space and be replaced periodically to grow with a child,” says the interior designer.

“Jando Prints kindly donated three prints of Dublin landmarks to the LauraLynn Reception Area which I think are a perfect example of how wall art can appeal to adults and children; brightly coloured graphic prints that offer an opportunity for learning about our history.”

The centre was “a bright and colourful place” to begin with, adds Bevan Ritchie, head of operations at LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

“And it’s even more so now thanks to this beautiful makeover. Our main reception area is normally the first space that visitors see when they arrive at LauraLynn and we are so delighted that it is now a brighter and more welcoming space which reflects the joy and fun that LauraLynn is all about,” says Bevan.

LauraLynn is Ireland’s only children’s hospice providing palliative and hospice care and support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families from all across Ireland. LauraLynn provides a range of services including, symptom management for children, music and play therapy, psychological support, family and sibling camps, short breaks, crisis care and end-of-life care.