Designing Rooms For Kids - An Artists Perspective
Like most kids, many hours of my childhood were spent painting, drawing and generally being creative. However, I spent even more hours in "time-out" for destroying floors and furniture and pilfering household supplies needed for my various projects. Imagine how angry my mother was when I used up all of her feminine hygiene products, cotton balls and Q-Tips to make a winter cabin for my Barbies. To my parents defense, with five kids money was tight and space and privacy was at a premium.
As an adult and working artist I realize now how important it is to have the proper tools, art supplies and the space to use them - basically a safe place to make a mess! Art has many theraputic benefits as well - it can calm kids down, teach them concentration skills and relieve stress. A childs room should be like an artists studio - an immersive, creative environment where they can get lost in fantasy and role playing for hours - consequence free.
Room Layout
One way to achieve maximum creativity
is to make a room multifunctional, with areas set aside for creativity,
reading, playing and homework. Start with an art
area with storage and supplies just for that purpose. Furniture
may include a chalk board, easel, table and chairs with special floor
covering to protect from spills. Next, plan a reading
area with bookshelves and scaled down soft furniture and lighting
to encourage reading. Older kids will need a desk or homework
area for their studies. If there is room, a stage
area for plays and puppet shows is also a delightful addition.
Have plenty of "mobile" toy storage (on wheels) and a clear
spot on the floor for playing.
Involve your
Child
There are many motifs
to choose from when designing a kid's room, and if your child is old enough
- let them help. Ask them what activities they enjoy, their favorite color,
book or TV show, etc. Find out what's unique about their personality and
build a theme around it - this will make your child feel comfortable,
safe and happy. Allow them (with a little guidance) to choose colors,
pick decorative pillows, and decide how they want to display their toys
or collectibles.
Choosing a Theme
If you plan on putting more than one child in a room, you may
want to guide them towards more non-gender themes such as a jungle or
rain forest, beach and ocean themes, etc. Classic girl's themes include:
princess and castle designs, fairies, flowers and gardens. Boy's themes
include: cars and racing, sports themes, dinosaurs and cowboy themes to
name a few.
A fun exercise when trying to come up with something original is to combine
2 themes - like "Kitten Ballerina's", "Alphabet Train",
"Space Giraffes on Mars" or "The Cows of the Round Table."
Rooms
can also be based on popular TV and literary characters like Winnie the
Pooh, but these types of themes tire as your child moves on to older "cooler"
cartoons. In the end, you really can't go wrong when choosing a theme,
your child will be inspired by living in this storybook atmosphere and
in a space that is uniquely their own. Click here for more Theme
Ideas.
Creating the
Theme
Once you have chosen the theme use paint, wallpaper, photo
murals or a handpainted mural to create an immersive environment. Original
murals can be expensive, so why not have them painted on canvas to be
steamed off and saved for future generations. Painted furniture and decorative
hardware is a great way to extend a theme: dressers, headboards, toy chests
and pint-sized tables and chairs are blank slates for fun and whimsical
designs. Consider ceiling murals and decorations for infants. For the
walls there are some really cool products on the market now like chalkboard
and magnetic paint - making the walls themselves a canvas for your childs
inspiration.
Beware of Trends
There is a new design trend to include outdoor activities in
children's rooms, like swings and climbing walls but these require some
supervision. Kids rooms should be safe and hazzard free so, unless you
live in the city, leave the jungle gym outside. Also, I would caution
against anything that takes away from a child's inner creative life, like
television, computers and telephones.
Plan Ahead
If planned properly,
a nursery can be converted into a toddler's room with minimal fuss and
redecoration. For example, an adult sized rocking chair can be replaced
by small scale furniture and the crib can be replaced or converted into
a bed. If the décor is not too "babyish" to begin with
- you won't have to completely redecorate the room again (other than replacing
the comforter and decorative accessories) until your child is approaching
the teen years. Look ahead to your child's future growth and don't choose
the smallest room in the house for your baby. In time, your child should
be able to sleep, play, do homework, and entertain friends in his or her
room.
Safety First
Safety is your first consideration. Crib slats should be close
together; locks and latches safe and secure from accidental release; edges
smooth; mattresses fitted snugly; bumper pads extended around the entire
crib and snapped or tied in place. If you're renovating a room, add extra
electrical sockets - a few up high out of a toddlers reach. Reflector
spot lamps or wall lamps give a softer glow than one background light;
dimmer switches are also useful. Click here for a useful Check
List of items
& furniture you will need to purchase as your child grows.
Flower Theme Room:
For
more themes click here
Mural Design
Paint
Swatches
Accessories
