I was asked by one of our local kids magazines to come up with some design tips for their readers. I offer these as suggestions for a successful child’s room.
Design tip:
Create a focal point in the room by featuring a piece of art, a unique accessory or something personal above the bed or crib. A feature wall can also be created by painting it a different color than the adjacent walls. Limiting a bold color choice to one wall gives the room drama without overpowering the entire room.
Make it personal:
Utilize your child’s treasures within your décor plan. Things like school artwork, trophies and vacation souvenirs can easily and often inexpensively add character to the room. Familiar objects ensure that your child will feel comfortable and at home in their newly decorated space.
Design Tip:
In the Northwest most homes are of the traditional architectural style but don’t let that stop you from incorporating modern décor ideas. Clean simple illustrative wall murals, decals and modern patterns can combine well with traditional pieces. Find common ground in your color palette and build from there.
Make it personal:
Designing a room around your child’s interests doesn’t mean you have to decide on a stereotypical theme. Build the room around their varied interests by combining them through a basic connection. For example: Zoo animals and farm animals can be brought together with a simple animal silhouette mural treatment or Sports and Race cars can be combined utilizing a city theme with buildings, stadiums and highways.
Design Tip:
Repurpose old furniture through the magic of paint. Ask you local paint store about tips for painting an existing piece of furniture. Adorn the piece with a special pattern, stripes, dots or simply change the color to add charm and an artful touch to the décor.
Make it Personal:
If a crib mobile is not your thing, artful and playful objects can be suspended down from the ceiling to entertain your baby. They can be simple objects like silk butterflies, flowers and cutouts or they can be complex homemade projects adding a personal touch. Just make sure they are out of babies reach and are large enough not to present a chocking or strangulation hazard.
Design Tip:
Don’t forget Mommy and Daddy in the room design. Remember as parents you will be spending a lot of time in the room feeding, consoling and entertaining. Investing in a comfortable chair or rocker will make your time together more enjoyable and relaxing for both of you.
Make it Personal: Hanging family pictures in the nursery or your child’s room will familiarize them with their loved ones and provide comfort when they are waiting to fall asleep. Your local photo processor or copy center can help you convert color images into black and white for a simpler more universal color palette. Black and white goes with everything.
Design Tip: Simple murals of shapes and lines can be easy for anyone to tackle. If it involves repeating patterns, cut out a paper template and trace around it lightly with pencil. For more complex do it yourself murals, projectors that enlarge art or project computer images can be rented through most audio visual rental suppliers.
Make it Personal: Involve your toddler to teen child in their room’s décor. Ask them to help you paint in simple shapes, follow your lines or color in where ever possible. Not only will it be a fun partnering opportunity it will instill pride in their new room.
Design Tip: If you are inclined to use pink for girls or blue for boys paint the room a complimentary color and limit their use within the bedding and accessories. You local paint store can offer you advise on the types of colors that coordinate well or find inspiration from your fabrics.
Make it Personal: If your child is stuck in a color rut insisting on their favorite wall color, give them the task of finding their color “friends.” Show them fabric, bedding or clothing that has their color in it but invite them to pick their favorite friend colors. Compromise on wall colors by having one be their favorite and the other three a “friend”.
Design Tip:
Tall walls that follow vaulted ceiling can be a challenge. To minimize the vastness, create a focal point midway up. It will act as a visual break and create a greater sense of space intimacy.
Make it Personal:
Have fun and educate with your wall art, murals and decals by naming the animals or characters and using them as teaching tools for your infant or toddler. A quick game of pointing, counting, hide and seek, wave goodbye and blow kisses to their named friends will help pass the time during diaper changes or offer an alternative to bedtime stories.
Design Tip:
Children love to create art and do craft. If space permits include an art table or shelf in their room for rolled poster paper, crayons and markers. It’s a quick and entertaining thing to do together or for them to do alone.
Make it Personal:
Incorporate your child’s name in their room. Not only will it help them with their name spelling it makes the space personal to them. Wonderful precut letters are available at most craft stores or children’s room décor retailers.
Design Tip:
Stripes are easier than you think. Consult with your local paint store on how to mask and paint stripes. There is a variety of low bleed tapes, small rollers and specialty paint pads on the market for just such a project. Look for color inspiration in bedding, fabrics and scrapbooking papers.
Make it Personal:
Involve your child in their bedding choices. Offer them catalogs or a few pages which they can circle items, post notes or cut out things for your consideration. Utilizing their wish list, you can make a plan of which stores to shop and what items to purchase. You will save time and energy, plus they will feel a part in the decision process.
Aaron Christensen
Artist / Children’s Room Designer
Embellishments Kids
www.EmbellishmentsKids.com
503-816-9900
Images and Text Copyright 2009 A Christensen
Photo credits Aaron Christensen
