This month I have been asked to photograph a large and newly refurbished childcare nursery based in the East Midlands. During lockdown the nursery was able to accelerate a £400k refit of one of their largest buildings. The building dates from the mid 1800’s and boasts large windows in all rooms allowing copious amounts of natural light as well as high vaulted ceilings aiding the interiors with a light and spacious feel. These elements were literally opened up during the renovations, as before, low suspended ceilings covered the top half of the windows and larger ceiling space above. The nursery has also adopted new and emerging ideas within the childcare industry, most notably Hygge, which promotes homely coziness along with the importance of environmental design such as natural items of play and decor wherever possible. Gone are the days of bright florescent painted walls, jazzy plastic floor mats and flashing bright plastic toys to be replaced with wooden educational toys, real veg and food items for the children to touch, smell and taste, living plants, cotton and woollen cuddly toys and natural wall coverings such as wooden panelling and neutral colour palettes.

My photography of these wonderful childcare settings had to reflect the amount of natural light bathing these rooms as well as show the neutrality of the decor in the spacious and airy rooms. I was keen to show when possible the perspective not just from adult level eyes but also to physically capture the spaces and interiors from a child’s eye-level.