How this mom gave her little one’s desk area a small but mighty makeover
Tiffany Chan of HeartEyes used IKEA Kreativ to give her son’s desk area a tiny refresh that looks good and hides the clutter.
Tiffany Chan of HeartEyes is more than a writer, lifestyle/DIY blogger, and all-around creative spirit, she is also a mom of twins. Safe to say, finding a spare minute to do anything can pose quite the challenge, and yet, if you are familiar with her Insta feed or blog, you’d never know it. Tiffany manages to make all of her DIY projects look fun and achievable — even for those of us who aren’t as crafty — and her son’s desk area makeover was no exception. However, this time she had a little help from IKEA Kreativ.
Thanks to the virtual design-meets-shopping experience, Tiffany was able to magically erase old decor, drop in new furniture, arrange it, and make sure all of the pieces would not only fit, but also look good together, without leaving the comfort of her own home. Additionally, she was able to share the entire design process, from start to finish, with her kids.
So naturally, we wanted to catch up with Tiffany to hear all about this fun project, the inspiration behind it, and what words of wisdom she has for anyone else designing a space for their little ones.
Q: How would you describe your design aesthetic?
Tiffany Chan: I would describe my design style as simple, functional, and organic. I prefer that the public spaces of our home be light and bright, while individual rooms can be more moody and/or fun. I’ve also become a plant mom since the pandemic, so plants have become [a pretty big] part of my home decor and style.
Q: Who or what inspires you when it comes to interior design?
My interior design style has evolved a lot over the last 10+ years, often due to life circumstances. More recently, I’ve battled severe anxiety and learned that one of my triggers for anxiety is clutter. As a result, I’ve focused on getting rid of things my family doesn’t really need, in order to simplify our home.
Simplifying our belongings also translates into simple furniture pieces or simple design choices that exude feelings of calm and zen. Anything we bring into the home must serve a purpose; otherwise, it isn’t worth keeping and adding to the clutter. Being able to keep my anxiety at bay by maintaining a simple home is what motivates me to keep living and designing in this way.
Q: What problem(s) were you trying to solve in this particular space?
TC: A few of my son’s favorite hobbies lately have been drawing, writing, and playing with Legos. He had outgrown his toddler desk, needing more surface area to draw and write, and also needed storage space for loose Legos as well as his creations.
Q: How did you incorporate your personal style into the design of your son’s desk area?
TC: Kids come with a lot of mess and clutter, which often clashes with my desire for simplicity. I am drawn to minimalist and sleek lines in furniture, [so] I chose simple IKEA pieces to aesthetically organize the everyday messes that come with my son’s creativity.
Q: How did IKEA Kreativ help?
TC: I am a very visual person and I cannot visualize a space in my head very well. IKEA Kreativ gave me a tangible view of what was in my brain, which helped me decide how to arrange furniture and even how many pieces to buy. It saved me so much time being able to “see” the space ahead of time, rather than going to the store to buy everything, only to find out that it wouldn’t all fit in the space.
Q: What tips do you have for anyone wanting to refresh a space for their kid(s)?
TC: Purge, purge, purge! The first step in refreshing any space is to be certain of the things you want to keep in that space. Everything else can be tossed, donated, or given a new home elsewhere. Then, determine the pain points you are trying to address. Perhaps there isn’t adequate organization, the space looks too busy or too plain, or the things that you have just aren’t as functional as they could be. Once decluttering and pain points are addressed, you’re well on your way to a refreshed space!
Q: What is one thing that surprised you the most about using IKEA Kreativ?
TC: I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I didn’t need to physically remove anything from the room because I could digitally remove them with a single tap! The dimensions of each piece of furniture were also accessible via one tap, which was so useful while planning. What I loved most was being able to add everything to my cart so easily and not needing to search for each item individually after the rendering was complete.
Q: What is your son’s favorite thing(s) about the updated space? What is your favorite thing?
TC: My son loves everything about his updated space, having his own spacious desk with a drawer to hold his papers, [a] pegboard to hold all his creative tools, and EKET drawers to hold his precious Legos and treasures. What I love about the space is how easy it is on the eyes. The drawers could all be a mess on the inside but you would never know by looking at the streamlined pieces of minimalist furniture. I also love that the wooden legs on the drawers and the brown pegboard paired with the green plants bring life and warmth into the entire space.
Q: Did your son help you pull it all together?
TC: He sure did! My son and his twin love to build since they’ve seen me build so many things over the years. They both happily helped me build each IKEA piece, and my son, who loves to tidy things, immediately decided how he wanted to organize each drawer.
