10 Best: Ideas for a New York-themed room

After researching goodies based on London’s iconography, I got to thinking about New York as a possible theme for a children’s room. Then a prompt from a BG reader for ideas propelled me into action. Firstly, the walls. There is so much Manhattan art around, but I really like the educational slant (and blue and yellow colourway) of Laura Seaby’s A to Z print, above, £25.

A great unframed option is these decals by La Cocotte for Nouvelle Images are a cheap and simple way to bring the sidewalk into your house. I prefer this selection of road signs, fire hydrant and traffic lights to the more obvious Statue of Liberty pack. You can find Nouvelle Images stickers in various retailers (check the site for your nearest) and they’ll be available to buy online from 15 April.

Another, more minimalist wall option is this fab Empire State Building height chart sticker by Barcelona-based Emiliana Design. €53 from Domestic.

On the floor, try this 100% wool Stars and Stripes rug, £79.50, Aspace. It gets the message across while still retaining subtlety and style.

I couldn’t decide between these two cushions, so here are both. Kat spotted the first  - Sally Nencini’s lambswool tribute to the mean streets, featuring Walk/Don’t Walk signs and yellow cabs, £45. Sally also makes a fabulous London bus cushion and a 50s-style patchwork number that has immediately been added to my wishlist.

The second is, of course, Lady Liberty herself – no New York-themed room would be complete without a nod to the iconic statue. I like the quirky shaping of this hand silk-screened pillow from New York designers Atsuyo et Akiko. £26 from Orfeo Design.

Zoe Beck’s digitally printed lampshade seems to perfectly conjure up the atmosphere of Manhattan – I can almost hear the cab horns beeping. £97.99 from the wonderfully underrated Hidden Art.

You can’t have a New York room without a Big Apple and I favour this light-up version from Feather & Black, £29, also available in green or white.

Milton Glaser’s pop art I ♥ NY logo is one of the most recognisable designs in the world. Use this ceramic cup, designed by Graham Hill and exclusive to MoMAstore, as a pen or storage pot on a shelf, $14.

Muji’s New York in a Bag, £9.95, which includes the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Guggenheim Museum and Chrysler Building, is the perfect finishing touch, although if these miniature wooden cities’ popularity with my toddler is any indication, this is unlikely to stay displayed on a shelf for very long.

PS: If you’re after the ultimate NY toy, Habitat’s fantastic wooden yellow cab is 50% off at £15 at the moment. Swoop, swoop…

 

 

 

 

Tagged Aspace, Atsuyo et Akiko, cushions, Domestic, Feather & Black, Habitat, Height Chart, Hidden Art Shop, Keep Calm Gallery, lamps, Laura Seaby, Manhattan, MoMAstore, Muji, New York, Nouvelle Images, Orfeo Design, print, rug, Sally Nencini, wall stickers, wooden toys, Zoe Beck