It’s not all about the kitchen, master bedroom or living room anymore when homeowners are thinking about decorating the home. Because more families are staying home in the evenings and on the weekends, kids are utilizing their rooms and want to live in comfort like the rest of the family. Having friends over, reading a book, working on homework. The little inhabitants are recognizing kid’s rooms for what they should be – a comfort zone made to match their taste.
Anita McGuire decorated her daughter Megan’s room before she was born, but the almost 4-year-old loves the leopard print, and her collection is always growing. Megan’s 11-year-old sister Emily chose the room of her choice by selecting a soft pink color with pretty roses all around. The two rooms are very different, each reflecting the personality of the sisters. Each room is beautiful.
“People are always bringing leopard print things to me because they know we love it,” Anita says. “I’m always adding things to the rooms.”
Chloe and Caitlin O’Brien, 7-year-old twins, share a light pink and green bedroom that is full of comfort. Two twin antique beds sit under a stenciled quote: “If joy you win, you must share it. For happiness was born a twin.” Mom Sherley O’Brien, who designed and decorated the room, added a few touches from her own childhood room, including an authentic Raggedy Ann doll she played with as a child.
Sherley and Anita got it right when they worked on the design for their daughters. They created a comfortable and sophisticated setting appealing to the eye, but functional at the same time.
A child’s room goes through many changes from infancy to the teenage years, but decorating a child’s room with versatility in mind will lead to smooth changes. Consider what materials will be used in the room, and how well they will grow with the child, including paint, wallpaper and curtains. Borders are a good way to change a child’s room quickly with many styles to choose from. Use borders on lampshades or trashcans to change a look quickly. Incorporating items from your own childhood gives a girl’s room a vintage look, and adds a greater significance to the room. Furniture painted in a lighter color can be easily changed to a darker or brighter color as a child grows.
Don’t forget when decorating to keep a child’s room a child’s room. Keep favorite toys and books, finding unique storage areas like baskets in the closet or under the bed, or built into shelves.
“They really love their books. Those are probably their favorite things in the room,” Sherley says. When Chloe and Caitlin aren’t reading, they are having a tea party at the tiny table in the middle of their floor or pulling toys out of the built in drawers near the loveseat. “They love to be in this room. They are very comfortable when they are in here.”
|
