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Lately, the world of nursery decor seems to exist on a spectrum. On the one end, minimalist-verging-on-monastic versions of adult rooms, where everything is beige and unattractive toys are not allowed. On the other, a technicolor mishmash that feels completely divorced from the rest of the home. “That’s the trap sometimes—you can land in either one of the two extremes. And by the way, those are two mistakes that I make,” says Joseph Altuzarra who unveils his second kids collaboration with West Elm on July 28. For the designer and father of three, learning to decorate kids’ rooms has been a learning curve guided by one idea: How do you create a space that offers the personality and storytelling that kids respond to, while also incorporating items that can transition with them as they grow up?
In many ways, Altuzarra’s first kids’ collection with West Elm in 2023 was a response to this. It focused on kid-friendly pieces that, yes, were refined and versatile enough to adapt to both toddler and pre-teen years alike, but still felt joyful: “Selfishly, these were the items that I had been looking for and was so excited to bring into my home,” he says. The second iteration of this partnership—a 58-piece line that spans furniture and decor with pieces ranging between $25 and $1,700—is a continuation of this ethos, with a few adjustments: After realizing people were most excited by the statement-makers of the first collection, he decided to up the ante.
“That was a really big learning for me, and honestly I see that in my own collections as well: Anything that’s a ‘capital-F Fashion’ piece, our customers really respond to,” he says. In Altuzarra’s version of kids’ decor, this bolder style takes many forms. It’s a whimsical garden-inspired quilt with 3D floral appliqués, and an enchanting dresser covered in hand-painted botanicals (his favorite piece of the collection). It’s also a mint green fluted bookcase and an oversized wicker-and-rattan hanging bird cage whose sole purpose is to delight (his kids’ favorite).
The moodboard for the collection was similarly eclectic, filled with images by Tim Walker of trees growing indoors and Princess and the Pea-esque sets of differently colored mattresses all piled up. “I just wanted it to feel like nature was starting to overtake your room,” he explains. “When I read books with my kids at night, sometimes we’ll play make believe that we’re in the book; if we’re reading a fairy tale, we pretend we’re in the fairy tale. There was something really sweet about that idea.” The botanical theme is easy to do in textiles—and this collection does it well, with embroidered pillows and gauzey curtains covered in climbing vines—but he also translated it to the more functional items in the range. For example, there’s a rattan toy storage basket that’s shaped like a bird; elsewhere, a hanging hook for coats and towels is designed to look like a blooming branch.
Inspired by his own wish list, Altuzarra made sure to incorporate practical features throughout—there are plenty of storage cases and soft, curved edges to preempt accident-prone toddlers. There are also playful items that don’t solely read as kids-only, like a green carved mirror that’d look just as nice in a powder room as it would in a nursery. It all goes back to that central balancing act: There’s something to appeal to parents and kids alike here. “The main story in the collection is this idea of the wonder and the magic in nature,” he says. “It’s a lot of really whimsical pieces that I think capture a unique feeling people are looking for in their spaces.”
