| Kids rooms need to please both adults and | | | | room has limited square footage, so every inch |
| children and provide a safe environment for | | | | will count. |
| multiple functions. How can all this be achieved in | | | | Increase the space available by organizing the |
| one room? | | | | closet. Vertical shelves with pull out baskets can |
| Kids love to be creative. Most kids bedrooms are | | | | hold clothing, toys, and treasures. Shelving to the |
| decorated according to themes. Every child has | | | | top of the closet can hold items not used very |
| something special they love. It can be butterflies, | | | | often, suitcases, extra bedding, sports equipment, |
| fish, or anything that can be developed into a | | | | collections. Double hang rods for clothing. Top rod |
| theme for their room. Girls of course love the | | | | for seasonal items, uniforms, bottom for |
| feminine colors, princess motifs, or ballerinas, and | | | | everyday use. Of course color coordinate the |
| don't forget the up dated Hannah Montana. Boys | | | | hangers and baskets with the room so if the |
| like the sports, baseball, football, soccer, | | | | closet doors are left open it will be a continuous |
| skateboards, music, or high tech themes. Boys | | | | space. With color coordination it will be easy for |
| also like to be rugged and build forts or tents. Let | | | | the children to pick up and put items in their place. |
| the child tell you what colors he or she prefers. | | | | Arranging the closet could turn into a game or a |
| You can take a child drawing of what he or she | | | | lesson with a directory so the child can learn life |
| envisions the room to be and develop a plan to | | | | skills. |
| decorate their room. The child may tell you in the | | | | Combining patterns in your fabrics will add interest |
| drawing the sun is rising and you could use a | | | | and life to the room. Select a floral or novelty |
| beautiful yellow color as the backdrop for the | | | | pattern, a stripe, and a small dot or repeated |
| walls. They may like flowers which can be placed | | | | pattern to build the room. The key is to keep all |
| on the bedding or the walls. Get the children to | | | | the fabrics in the same color family and the |
| communicate what makes them feel happy and | | | | correct scale. Decorating consultants are available |
| comfortable. By allowing them to help contribute | | | | to offer guidance so your assured of professional |
| to the decorating process they will develop | | | | results. All rooms need to be decorated age |
| planning skills, time management, a budget while | | | | appropriate. Some items can grow with the child. |
| shopping, and coordination of colors and patterns. | | | | Remember paint and fabric are easy and |
| In the room you will need to designate areas for | | | | inexpensive to change when you need to "grow |
| play and study, and a place to relax for sleeping. | | | | the look." A neat, organized, room pulled together |
| The placement of a rug can define a space and | | | | visually will help the child develop many life skills |
| separate the study area from the sleeping area. | | | | and appreciation for their surroundings. |
| Below we discuss how lighting, color and furniture | | | | A few easy inexpensive ideas and projects I've |
| will help designate the different areas. Texture of | | | | used for girls rooms are as follows: |
| the rugs, bedding and surfaces will also help design | | | | Stamp a motif on the wall with a precut rubber |
| the different spaces for the children to function in | | | | stamp and paint to coordinate with your theme. I |
| their rooms. You want to design so you achieve | | | | developed a Disney Princess theme and stamped |
| the highest and best use of the space. | | | | Princess crowns on the wall and embellished the |
| Color plays an important part in decorating a | | | | crowns with jewels. Just randomly add packaged |
| room for a child. Certain high intensity colors, red | | | | jewels, pearls, or mirrored stones to make the |
| for example may be to stimulating for their | | | | crowns dazzle. Sometimes party favors can be |
| rooms. The brighter colors would be best used | | | | used to embellish curtains or other items in a |
| for accessories or organizational items. The bed | | | | room. I used the clear acrylic "glass slippers" to |
| linens might be another place you could introduce | | | | finish off a Cinderella room valance. |
| a brighter color. | | | | Another idea position a half round sconce upside |
| Lighting also will be a key factor in developing | | | | down as a focal point for a canopy. Gather the |
| multiple functioning areas. Proper task lighting for | | | | fabric for the canopy and attach inside the |
| the study reading area, more subtle lighting for | | | | sconce, flow fabric out of the sconce, arch back |
| the sleeping area. Installing a dimmer switch might | | | | on the sides with tie backs. This will give a soft, |
| help to achieve the desired effect for when it's | | | | dreamy appearance depending on the amount and |
| time to wind down and sleep. | | | | type of fabric used. Sconces can be found at |
| Lets talk a little about furniture. Selection of | | | | thrift stores and painted to coordinate with the |
| furniture depends upon several factors. How long | | | | fabric, or covered with the fabric by attaching the |
| do you plan to keep the furniture, will it be an | | | | fabric with spray on adhesive. |
| investment? If so selecting a style and quality of | | | | Ideas for boys rooms: |
| furniture that will grow with the child is important. | | | | Graphic wall art can be used effectively for boys |
| Paint and fabric are easy and inexpensive to | | | | rooms. It gives color, interest, and can create a |
| change when you need to "grow the look." | | | | focal point in a room. It can be used in conjunction |
| Perhaps you want to purchase a juvenile looking | | | | with artwork or posters. If your working with a |
| set of furniture when they are young and | | | | race car theme, you could use a tire tread |
| upgrade when the child grows. This is not a bad | | | | pattern on the walls. Paint a tire and do loops or |
| idea. Most juvenile furniture sets that still have life | | | | figure eights. Finish with a black and white |
| can be sold after the child upgrades to a better | | | | checkered board for a headboard or black and |
| quality set of furniture. The second group of | | | | white tiles for the flooring. Little matchbox model |
| furniture selected will probably last for the teen | | | | cars can be attached to replace furniture knobs, |
| years, could go to college or be recycled for a | | | | or use for embellishment across a valance or |
| guest bedroom. You can use built in furniture | | | | shelf. |
| pieces for a custom look, or to develop a theme. | | | | Laser printers can print a mural photo of a special |
| Loft beds with desks underneath are another | | | | place, event, or skyline and be attached to the |
| option to increase usable floor space. Or a | | | | wall as wallpaper or framed out as large art piece. |
| furniture set with a storage bed and computer | | | | Remember for children's rooms hang things at |
| desk and hutch for storage. | | | | their level, so they can enjoy them. |
| Storage of course will always be needed in | | | | Make a child room a place for them to retreat, |
| childrens rooms. Arrange frequently used items so | | | | have fun, and be proud to show to their friends. |
| they have easy accessibility. The average kids | | | | |