WHO: Lucinda Croft 
OWNER OF DRAGONS
OF WALTON STREET: The brand was founded by Croft’s mother, Rosie Fisher, in 1979, and it specialises in creating bedrooms and playrooms for children. Dragons of Walton Street  enjoys a long association with Britain’s royal family, having created the nurseries for Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The brand is well-known for its collection of luxury, hand-painted furniture, and it has outlets and associate designers worldwide, including in Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Monaco and Kiev.

birth of Prince George has all of us in baby mode, what better time to fantasise about a dream nursery? Croft draws on the brand's experience in designing royal nurseries and creates a beautifully decorated space, while Godfrey Chan from Tacko Solutions fits it out with the latest technology to keep baby and parents comfortable and safe.

"It's exciting being able to imagine having anything in a nursery," says Croft, who pictures an airy, well-lit space.

"I imagine a very large, square room with dual aspect [windows on two sides] and a door that connects to an equally large playroom," she describes, adding that she'd commission a muralist to hand-paint one entire wall in the nursery with an English countryside scene.

"The artwork would be in pastel colours … with lots of little scenes for the baby to look at. I would use plaster of Paris handmade pieces - such as clouds and butterflies - to add a 3D effect to the wall mural."

Croft also incorporates children's furniture from Dragons of Walton Street's luxurious collection.

"The nursery would feature a Dragons cot bed in the centre wall, with a corona draping above the cot. I would also have a chest of drawers and changer with matching artwork," she says, adding that she'd place three shelves hand-painted in different hues above the chest, for toys and lotions needed for changing.

A Dragons wardrobe and a granddaughter clock, hand-painted with artwork to co-ordinate with the room, would also feature prominently, along with a nursing chaise longue for the mother.

For the playroom next door, Croft envisions a space where children can be comfortable and active. "There would be a giant doll house that they can climb in, and there would be a reading corner," she says. "I would also [place] giant bean bags [shaped like fun characters] in bespoke fabrics, as well as a handmade carnival tent in the corner for children to play in."

It's not just fun and games; ergonomics and functionality are high on Croft's list, as she seamlessly blends necessary storage in with the overall aesthetic. The supplies cabinet, for example, holding all the items needed to heat bottles and store nappies, would be accessed through "small double doors in the corner [of the nursery]", she says. "All the functional things would be concealed." Other things to consider are health, security and learning, and Chan suggests several features to sharpen the children's minds while keeping the parents' minds at ease.

"Protection is the most important issue. Windows with anti-ultraviolet coating absorb and prevent infrared and UV rays from entering the room," he says.

"The fire alarm and security system would be connected to a professional monitoring centre, and parents can access real-time images of these sensors through the room's video camera."

Chan also recommends the use of a Creston automation control system, which allows parents to adjust lighting, humidity, temperature, curtains and background music.

As the child gets older, education will come into play as well. The Polycom system is a "rich, interactive visual solution" that can be tailored to your child's learning needs, says Chan, who also suggests an interactive display panel. The innovative educational tool also has the added benefit of improving communication within the family.

"Once the parents install the software in their office computer or mobile, they can chat with their children and get real-time camera images anytime," he says.