Cherubs Nurseries transformed a former café in Nottinghamshire into a modern, child-centred early years setting. Working with Chequered Fox from the outset, the space was designed around furniture and equipment to create a calm, functional environment that supports high-quality care and learning.
At a glance
Client: Cherubs Day Nurseries
Setting: Nursery
Sector: Early Years
Project: Change of use and refurbishment - café to nursery
Capacity: 72 children
We have worked with Chequered Fox for over four years now and continue to place order after order. Above anything else, the customer service is what keeps us coming back.
Harry Mills, Director of Brand Development
The challenge
Opening a new nursery presents an exciting opportunity, but early years environments come with unique challenges - particularly when working within an existing building.
At this site, the challenge was to create a high-quality learning environment that balanced educational ambition with the practical realities of space, layout and timeline, while ensuring the nursery felt welcoming and ready from day one.
Key considerations
Making space work harder: Every square metre needed a clear purpose, without
the environment feeling overcrowded or restrictive.
Balancing quality and longevity: Furniture choices needed to support daily use while aligning with the nursery’s educational values and aesthetic.
Opening with confidence: The environment had to be complete, functional and community-ready for families and staff.
In early years, every square metre matters.
The solution
Cherubs partnered with Chequered Fox from the very beginning of the project, allowing the nursery layout to be designed around the furniture and equipment, rather than fitting furniture into a finished space.
Detailed space planning drawings supported informed decisions throughout, helping to balance flow, functionality, budget and overall look and feel. This collaborative, space-first approach ensured the final environment worked operationally while remaining calm, purposeful and inviting.
How Chequered Fox supported the project:
- Early years space planning and layout design
- Furniture and equipment specification
- Supply of trusted early years furniture ranges
- Ongoing project support
Thanks to a close partnership, collaborative approach and accurate space drawings we were able to achieve what we set out to – balancing overall look and feel with functionality and budget.
The results
- £1.1m+ projected turnover in the current financial year
- At capacity on core days following opening
- Durable, high-quality furniture supporting daily nursery use
- Strong first impressions from families and staff
Since opening, Cherubs Ilkeston has continued to go from strength to strength. The nursery is on track to turn over more than £1.1 million this financial year and has already reached capacity on its core days.
The quality and longevity of the Millhouse furniture has proven its value in daily use, with Chequered Fox providing responsive support to ensure minimal disruption to nursery operations and learning experiences.
Designed to support Cherubs’ blended early years approach - incorporating Montessori principles, Hygge influences and Reggio Emilia elements - the environment enables staff to focus fully on delivering high-quality care, play and learning.
About Cherubs Nursery
Cherubs Nurseries is a growing group of modern, child-centred early years settings across the East Midlands. With a strong focus on quality and inspiring learning environments, the group now operates 12 nurseries across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, with two further settings planned to open in 2026.
For more information on how Chequered Fox can transform your space, please contact us at:
fox@chequeredfox.co.uk | 0800 677 1214
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Find out more about Cherubs Day Nursery
