The Storage Solution That Actually Keeps Up With Family Life

No one really tells you how important storage becomes once you have kids. No matter how minimal you try to keep it, the fact is, children come with a lot of stuff. All it takes is one visit from grandma to feel like you're suddenly drowning in a flood of scattered toys, books, and tiny wayward socks.

We’d tried it all — baskets, bins, and every storage hack under the sun — until we discovered one that actually works: Mustard Made, a Melbourne-based brand started by two sisters who believed storage could be practical, beautiful, and full of personality all at once. We chatted with Becca Stern, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Mustard Made, to learn more about how they design pieces that grow with families and still look beautiful.

Storage Designed For Real Spaces

The idea for Mustard Made came from a very familiar problem: too much stuff, too little space. When Becca and Jess started the brand, they were each navigating that reality from opposite sides of the world: Becca in an older-style Australian home with a new baby (her third), Jess in a snug Victorian flat in London. "The challenge was to create something that was beautiful as well as practical," Becca explains, "that would work for young children all the way through to grown ups, and be as useful in a nursery or playroom as it would in an office or living space."

That meant designing for flexibility. Shelves are adjustable, hanging rails can be added or removed, and a range of baskets and accessories let you configure each piece to suit your space and reconfigure it as your family's needs change.

Pieces That Grow With You

One of the most common mistakes families make when buying for children's spaces is thinking too short-term. Becca's design philosophy is built around the opposite instinct. "Timeless absolutely doesn't have to mean bland or boring," she says. "We have such a big focus on creating pieces that aren't trend-driven, but have their own personality and impact." The goal is pieces with staying power, ones that feel just as right in a toddler's room as they do a teenager's.

Good materials matter here. Mustard Made uses powder -coated steel precisely because it holds its color and stands up to years of use — no fading, no sad-looking furniture that needs replacing before your kid hits middle school. "Kids tend to love color," Becca points out, "so letting them choose their favorite is a great way to let them put their own stamp on their space." The locker is her go-to example of a truly multi-stage piece: "We love that it can work as toy storage, a wardrobe, to store sports equipment — and even move out with them when they go to college." 

The Trick To Actually Staying Organized

Getting organized is one thing. Staying that way — especially with small children in the mix — is another. Becca's approach is refreshingly simple: "It's so much easier to stay organized when everything has a place." She recommends using baskets inside your lockers to keep smaller things contained, and if you want to set your kids up for real success, color coding does the heavy lifting. "It's such a great way to help kids know what goes where," she says. Let each child claim a locker color, match the baskets inside, and suddenly even a three-year-old can follow the system.

A Little Color Goes a Long Way

Color is central to everything Mustard Made does, and if the idea of a bold locker feels like a commitment, Becca's advice is simply to start small. One or two accent pieces against a neutral base is all it takes. "Adding a few little pops in one or two highlight colors will keep the space feeling cohesive," she says — and once you see what a single cheerful piece does to a room, you'll want more.

Her favorite combinations: Ocean, Olive, and Sage for a nursery that feels calm and timeless. Butter and Mustard for a warm, inviting playroom, with a pop of Poppy if you want to turn up the energy. And for a bedroom that leans pink without going overboard, Blush, Berry, and Poppy together — the palette Jess used for her own daughter's room — is just right.

Turn Everyday Life Into Art

One of their newest pieces, the Storyboard, has quickly become a family favorite. Mustard Made designed it intentionally open-ended — part mood board, part planner, part display. Families have used it as a rotating scrapbook, filling it with birthday invitations, show tickets, artwork, and little treasures that deserve a moment in the spotlight. "Seeing it become part of a family's rhythm is so rewarding," Becca says. It's functional, personal, and genuinely beautiful on a wall — which is pretty much the whole Mustard Made philosophy in one piece.

Whether you're starting with one locker or overhauling the whole playroom, Mustard Made is the kind of investment you'll feel good about every single day. Shop the full collection at Maisonette.