Cuddle rooms: DIY and IKEA hack inspiration for little people

Don’t want your children’s room to look exactly like page X of brand catalogue Y?

Me neither! Here are some adorable, mostly DIY, marvelously ingenious kids’ projects from creative mums and dads from around the world.

Some of these come with tutorials and they are super-easy – and reassuringly cheap – to make (so, no excuses!) using items from the hardware store, a small toolbox (if at all), cheap and pretty IKEA bits and your own imagination.

1. Nordic Playfulness

This creative Norwegian mum and DIY enthusiast from dianaousdal.blogspot.com built this dream house for her daughter, using a simple wooden frame and decorative items from Nordic children’s stores you will adore: snedesign.com, toispann.no, lovedales.no.

2. White and black IKEA hack: little kids’ “salon” on ministyleblog.com

This site is a collection of seriously addictive and painfully beautiful “cuddle room” tours. Above is a Scandinavian-style, Australian-made nursery room for one very lucky baby Chet. Suppliers and ideas how to recreate the look here. For modern nursery styles, check out this Pinterest board. 3. Little urbanites: brownstone bookcase on landofnod.com

If your little is one of those young city slickers who could read before they could ride a bike, this elegant little bookcase is for them. It’s made by Land of Nod, who “design for kids and people that used to be kids”, but if you are not willing to spend $600 + shipping, a good local carpenter should be all too happy to do it. Read their blog for great tips from real mums: blog.landofnod.com 4. Pretty in pink: cosy reading nook on pinjacolada.com

This little house is a DIY job by Finnish mum Pinja from pinjacolada.com (ha!), and comes with its own tutorial. Google translate this page and you’re good to go. A great weekend project with your kid! 5. Outdoor originals: simple and neat kids’ pallet swing

Famous design-loving Italian mamma and IKEA hacking expert, Rosandra Ferri of mommodesign.com has been posting delightful daily home projects for almost a decade – when does she find the time? 6. Scandi-style nursery on macarenagea.com

Spanish mum Macarena (yes, that’s her real name!) put this little habitacion together for her son, Mateo. And for interested parties, she put together this list of stockists that will help you recreate this considered-slash-playful modern nursery. 7. Magnificently simple mudroom on smallfryblog.com

This is easy: buy some paints, get some IKEA step stools, watch the video, make! 8. Dollhouse DIY: using IKEA Kallax case and Limmaland stickers

This is a project DIY-challenged mums and dads love to do, as it involves no nailing and no need to mess with the toolbox. 9. Playful little palais: a playhouse from pauletpaula.com

Just another splendidly simple project by German jet-setting mum Peggy, who “could re-decorate, design and “build” a new kids room every day”. And she does most days here. Read her kids-in-tow city guides here. Diana Valentine runs an arts and lifestyle blog sharing interiors inspiration, practical decorating tips, fascinating finds for the creative and the curious, and musings on food and travel adventures. She has also just launched a cool new lifestyle store home-lust.com – and we're HUGE fans. For more on life and things to do with kids, check out her latest posts here. Or catch up with her on Twitter: @_DianaValentine