The past ten years has seen a dramatic increase in independent baby & children’s boutiques. No longer are parents relying on department stores to furnish and decorate nurseries and children’s bedrooms. Thankfully this means there’s now far more choice for parents when it comes to accessorising these spaces and making them extra special for the little people who occupy them. For someone who loves small businesses & unique finds, I’m spoilt for choice when decking out the kids rooms.

Ollie and Leila fall firmly into the independent category. Having formerly sold adult furniture, a husband and wife team decided to design their own children’s range having been inspired by their children, Ollie and Leila. They simply couldn’t find anything that lived up to their expectations (both in terms of quality & design) so came up with their own unique take on children’s furniture.

“Instead of growing up, we are growing down! We have been selling ‘grown ups’ furniture for years, and now we are regressing and selling furniture for kids. We are proud to work with some of the best British Manufacturers around today who create some of our children’s furniture and personalised furniture ranges. These partnerships have made our dreams come true and turned our original ideas into a marvelous reality - combining all the practicality and quality expected by parents with the sense of fun and individuality dreamed of by children”

As well as their furniture, they’ve partnered with a few successful baby & toddler businesses and expanded into toys and soft furnishings. The result is a wonderful mix of nursery accessories from teddies to rugs, cushions to bookcases, bedding to toy boxes!

Featured: Bear Grrrl in greyish stripe £20.00 / Bursting Blooms duvet set £49.95 (single) / Tillie 1 drawer bedside table with cupboard £150.00 / Steel grey Cwtchy cushion £49.00 / Belsize Park midsleeper bed with furniture £989.00 / Oxford wooden play kitchen £180.00 / Ollie Star storage box £219.00 / Belsize Park 6 cube storage £239.00 / Beanbag in car print £59.00

Let’s face it - I was always going to like Ollie and Leila. I love Farrow & Ball colour schemes and I’m a big fan of textured accessories that create a multi-sensory environment for little ones. There’s not one item I wouldn’t happily pop in Heidi’s or Dexter’s rooms.

Having been given an opportunity to review something from the site, I plumped for this adorable beanbag chair in rose print for Heidi. Dexter has a leather tub chair and they’ll often fight over it, so this was a perfect opportunity for Heidi to have somewhere of her own to park her little bum.

The print is absolutely adorable. It perfectly complements the British cottage theme we’ve tried to create in her bedroom. She has a beautiful rose print duvet set from Minene, and Laura Ashley bunting, rug and patchwork quilt. It’s uber girly and Kidston-esque - nothing quite matches, but this is entirely deliberate and gives it a sort of hapless and cosy feel. The new addition therefore fits in beautifully.

I’m also impressed with the design of chair which holds its shape incredibly well. The seams are easy to locate and a quick shake-and-smooth creates a super comfy spot for Heidi. They’ve popped in exactly the right amount of filling to ensure the back and arms are nice and sturdy when she’s seated, and she can lean back comfortably without it tippling backwards. At 18 months, it’s lightweight enough for her to pick up and take from room to room, however she does need mummy to “arrange” it for her before she can sit down.

It’s a versatile seat with a variety of uses. She’ll drag it across to the telly when she fancies a CBeebies marathon, yet also uses it when reading, snacking and playing with her dollies.

At £59.00 the price is comparable to other children’s chairs. This is perhaps slightly more than I’d usually pay for a beanbag version, but if you want something really pretty for your little madam you won’t be disappointed. There’s also a dozen other designs - all inherently “British” - and standard beanbag versions at the same price if you want even more versatility. I’m really chuffed with ours so would recommend it to anyone who wants to give their little one a super comfy treat.