In the Toddler Room with Forrest and J

Jenny Leu, of Forrest and J Events, creates one-of-a-kind events for her clients, so it’s no surprise she’s created unique and fun spaces for her two boys. We featured big brother Bash’s nursery back in 2018, and now he’s been upgraded to the coolest SoCal Surfer beach themed toddler room! New baby brother Beckham is currently hanging out in a sweet little nursery nook reusing some items from Sebastian’s old nursery. 

What inspired your room design? 
Bash’s nursery was filled with loads of beachy details, so we played off this idea and made it feel more grown up and toddler playful. We fell in love with creating our own wallpaper to make the room feel extra special and very Bash. Living in Newport Beach just steps away from the sand we currently rent to enjoy the lifestyle, so having temporary and removable aesthetics was key. We worked with our favorite graphic designer—Midnight Confetti—to make these custom wall decals. Each design was hand-drawn and thoughtfully designed using Bash’s favorite things. Scooters, shark fins, the California Bear head, watermelon and of course dinosaurs took shape to make the perfect backdrop to his room. The best part is they are easy to apply and you place and stick how you wish! Once he’s over any of these illustrations, I can peel and add a new design as he grows!

What was your favorite part of the process? And what do you love the most about the finished design?
My favorite part is sourcing! I love to scour the Internet looking for materials and items that feel unique. I’m quite the planner and design all my projects digitally first to see the vision in 2D form before making any decisions. I tend to be a “more is more” and “color is best” type of stylist. Laying out the room with furniture, artwork and details will really help you fine-tune your vision and allow you to fall in love with the room before you even begin.  

Designing a big kid room is different than a nursery because you know your little resident’s personality better. Anything special you included this time around? Or did your child have any special requests?
I love how personal it feels. Everywhere I look there are small details that remind me of the first two years of Sebastian’s life. The custom wood surf fins and wood medallion flag banner are details from his first birthday party. The Sebastian name puzzle is a gift from when he was born, the lightning bolt “Bash” key chain on his backpack is from a party I designed, and the “Little Leu” wood surfboard is from his gender reveal party. Next big decision is what big boy bed to buy.

Beckham’s Nursery Nook
Living on the beach means we’re dealing with small spaces, so we had to get creative with where new baby brother would rest his head at night. We transformed a small corner in our bonus room into a mini nursery nook, allowing baby his own space to grow into, away from big brother for now. Once Beckham can sleep longer through the night and Sebastian is a bit more cautious, we can move them into a room together. The mini nursery nook will transition perfectly into a play room!

Do you have any words of advice for other parents? 
Don’t copy instagram because you feel like it’s what you have to do! Don’t create a room just to take a photo and add that perfect square to your instagram page. Create something your kid will really love and a space he or she would love to be in! If he loves Paw Patrol, then add some character artwork to the space, if she loves Frozen then dress up her princess bed with Ana and Elsa sheets. Kids aren’t perfect and let’s face it, their room will be a mess 95% of the time. So make a play/sleep space that encourages them to do what they love best. 

We love how Sebastian names all the illustrations on his wall at night.  He will say, “Goodnight bear, goodnight shark!”

Photography by Wisteria Photography – Lisa Anderson 

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