It goes without saying that most people want to give their kids
the best of everything. And at times like this when the economy is
flush, with more working people having more expendable income than
we've seen in a few decades, many parents are taking every
opportunity to bestow upon the their little ones all the
attributes of the good life. From private schools to new clothes
to flat-screen digital TVs, spending on kids has exploded in huge
ways in the last few years. Pair that with interior design and
decorating being industries whose fates are intimately linked to
the ups and downs of the economy, and it only adds up that
decorating for kids is currently all the rage.
Whereas
once upon a time it was considered going all out to have a
matching football-themed bedspread and curtains in a kid's room,
now entire sets of sheets, duvets, curtains, rugs and even wall
hangings all featuring the same Powerpuff Girls or N'Sync
motif can be acquired for a song at places like Kmart and
Bradlees. And any respectable wallpaper outlet will have not just
a few, but a vast selection of kid-themed patterns, as well as the
all-important matching borders. (FYI, wallpaper borders are now a very
big deal in the kids' decorating world.)
But with so many options now available, it can be hard to know
just how far to go with it all. Or even where to begin, for that
matter. It's always an option to go out and get all-matching
everything and cover every surface of the room with all one theme,
be it flowers, gorillas, The Little Mermaid, or Mack
trucks. But all but the most die-hard matching maniacs out there,
including the kid who's obsessed with whatever it is, will most
likely find such an environment more than a little overwhelming.
The best strategy to use when you're about to begin decorating a
kid's room, just like when you're designing any other space, is to
keep in mind what the room will be used for first and
foremost–then get into what it will look like. Ask questions
like these: How many kids will be sleeping there? If it's just
one, do you expect that he or she will have to share sometime in
the next few years? Will the bedroom be his or her main space for
play as well as sleep, or will there be a separate play area? Is
he really into arts and crafts, which would mean the floor and
work surfaces should be easy to clean up? Is she likely to get
very tall and need a double bed? All these questions are much more
important than whether to paint the walls powder, shell or rose
pink. Not that color isn't important, for it most definitely is.
But function should be your first consideration.
That having been said, let's take a look at the usual basic
elements of a kid's room:
A bedside lamp is also important, if only because it's really nice
to be able to turn on a light without getting out of
bed–especially if you're afraid of the dark, which most kids are
at one point or another. It's also nice to have a close light for
reading bedtime stories, and a table underneath it is handy for a
glass of water, a nightlight, or any favorite books.
And just like it's good for you to have a home office area if you
ever work at home, it's a good for a kid to have her own place to
do her homework–a place that's just for study, with ample light
for reading and writing and a comfortable chair that provides good
back support. Sure, homework can be done at the kitchen table, and
often is. But providing a place that is just for study, separate
from the rest of the house and in the child's own space, is a good
way to convey the message to him that homework is something that
should be taken seriously and consciously made a priority.
If the room is also the child's primary play area, you'll want to
keep this in mind when considering the flooring. Granted, children
have played on bare wood floors for centuries with no problem. But
something softer like cork, or soft rubber tiles that come in
bright colors just for kids (available at many carpet and tile
stores) will hurt a bit less when they fall and will go easier on
their knees when they're kneeling. While it's far from necessary,
it's something to consider. And if the kid loves to make a mess,
rubber flooring is an even better idea, since it easily wipes
clean.
And speaking of wiping clean, a popular trend right now is to
cover the lower half of one wall with blackboard paint (available
at most paint and hardware stores) so the kids can draw with
abandon–and it also saves paper. If something so permanent
doesn't appeal to you, a real blackboard hung on the wall or
propped on an easel will serve the same purpose.
And
while we're talking about permanence, that's another important
thing to consider when decorating for a kid. It's nice to really
do a room up, but bear in mind that kids' tastes often change
pretty rapidly. That Barbie motif she likes right now at age nine
will seem childish once she hits twelve or thirteen and wants to
be Jennifer Lopez, so you might not want to invest in something as
permanent as Barbie wallpaper. The same goes for colors.
Many little girls go through a lavender phase, but get sick of it
after a few years.
Some people don't mind making frequent major changes, but for the
rest of us, it's often wiser to stay somewhat basic with the
features of a room that take the most time to change, like the
walls and carpeting. Classic colors like pale blue, pale green and
yellow can be dressed up with accessories–lamps, area rugs,
sheets and curtains, toys–featuring the kid's favorite cartoon
characters, pop stars or what-have-you. And in the case of older
kids, they'll probably cover the walls with posters anyway.
When choosing furniture, many people find that regular grown-up
furniture is just fine for kids. A full-size wood dresser or
bookshelf, from another room in your house or bought new, can be
livened up with a fresh coat of paint in white or a bright
color–and the child will never outgrow it. But there are more
and more furniture stores catering just to kids, with brightly
colored plastic (read: hard to break and easy to clean) furniture
and even traditional pieces scaled down to kiddy-size. Pottery
Barn has a whole catalog of undersized furniture, most of it also
available for adults, including a leather club chair (weird...)
The upshot is this: Treat a kid's room like any other room in the
house, but keep in mind that the person you're decorating for will
be going through drastic changes in his or her tastes and mindset
over a fairly short period of time. Flexibility is key, for the
more effort you put into everything tying together in one theme,
the more work you'll have to do to change it as the child grows up
or gets a sibling to share the room with. If that sounds like fun,
then have a blast! But for those who'd rather take a more
practical approach there's a wealth of accessories out there, in a
variety of themes ranging from Pokemon to Peter Rabbit,
that will help you make the perfect haven for the little pride and
joy.
Whereas
once upon a time it was considered going all out to have a
matching football-themed bedspread and curtains in a kid's room,
now entire sets of sheets, duvets, curtains, rugs and even wall
hangings all featuring the same Powerpuff Girls or N'Sync
motif can be acquired for a song at places like Kmart and
Bradlees. And any respectable wallpaper outlet will have not just
a few, but a vast selection of kid-themed patterns, as well as the
all-important matching borders. (FYI, wallpaper borders are now a very
big deal in the kids' decorating world.)
A bed
with a mattress that provides good support is extremely important.
Kids' bones are still growing and solidifying at a fast rate, and
spending long sleeping hours in bad positions can lead to or
exacerbate serious posture problems. Different cultures have
different ideas what constitutes support and what constitutes
torture–sleeping on a Japanese futon (the kind you find in
Japan, not our cushy American version) feels like sleeping on
pavement to your average westerner, but many Japanese find our
much softer beds overly indulgent and worry about their backs.
It's all a matter of preference, but most doctors around the world
agree that too soft is a big no-no. Use your best judgment, and
keep in mind that in the world of mattresses, you usually get what
you pay for. Skimping on a cheap mattress for your kid now just
might cost you more in medical bills later.
And
while we're talking about permanence, that's another important
thing to consider when decorating for a kid. It's nice to really
do a room up, but bear in mind that kids' tastes often change
pretty rapidly. That Barbie motif she likes right now at age nine
will seem childish once she hits twelve or thirteen and wants to
be Jennifer Lopez, so you might not want to invest in something as
permanent as Barbie wallpaper. The same goes for colors.
Many little girls go through a lavender phase, but get sick of it
after a few years.
