Decorating and Designing Children's Rooms
By Katharine Miller
In recent years, there has been significant increase in products and services geared towards babies and children. One area that has enjoyed astonishing growth is interior design services and home decor merchandise for babies and kids.
The issue many parents face is how to decipher what a good design encompasses and how to ensure it will progress with your child as he/she grows.
The main rule to remember in decorating a child's room is to incorporate the personality of the child into the room.
In nursery design, since you have not been introduced to your child's unique personality, go ahead and indulge in the luxury of your own ideas while creating your baby's nursery.
Designing a Baby Nursery
From the first view of that tiny person on your ultrasound, your anticipation builds and your need for nesting begin. For first time parents this nesting ritual can be quite overwhelming.
Where do you being?
What color do you paint the room?
What type of furniture?
Katharine Miller of Doodlebug Designs suggests starting with your own interests or hobbies. You have not been introduced to your child's unique personality, so go ahead and indulge in the luxury of your own ideas while creating your baby's nursery. Look for inspiration all around you, do you have a love for gardening, is there an avid sports fan in the house or do you love a certain hue of yellow? Should the room be whimsical or have a touch of sophistication?
One thing to keep in mind while designing your dream nursery is what style resonates throughout the rest of your home. You want to make sure that the baby's room is the most peaceful and special room in the house, while at the same time, being sure to draw from the details and style of the rest of your home this will ensure that the nursery flows with the house.
When it comes to the finishing touches, a bit of whimsy can truly transform a room. Custom artwork with the baby's name, or a small mural might be just the ticket. Or do you want the room to have a focal wall? Paint the baby's name over the crib, it will be a great way to introduce letters to your little one as he/she grows and develops.
Remember there will be a very small person in the room so take a look at the room from their perspective. If the room includes a mural make sure that the most detail is at the baby's level or just above the crib. As they grow they will be able to view the details and enjoy the mural.
A nursery should spark imagination and wonder. A bunny peaking out from behind a door frame will appeal to a child's sense of adventure. Keeping the furniture to scale and the room uncluttered will ensure your baby can crawl around when the time comes.
A busy design could over stimulate a baby.
A good rule of thumb is to remember what is sweet and endearing for your little one today can become tiresome just after the first year. If you focus on not overdoing a theme, and remaining within the style of your home you can create a dream nursery design that you will enjoy for many years.
Designing for Big Kids and Teens
Yes, creating a space based upon the personality of an active 3 year old can be scary for a parent. Your daughter might want florescent pink walls with orange stripes. It is your job or your designer's job to help harness the true "essence" of those bold colors without creating a room that screams at you upon entering into it.
Some of the questions you should ask your children in order to help assist you in the interior design process are:
What are your favorite colors?
What hue of those colors do you like more?
Are they soft pastels or bold bright colors?
Use a color wheel to assist you and your child in these selections.
Do you want a monochromatic theme that is soothing or do you want to create energy in the room with the use of complementary colors?
Once you have established a color palette based upon the personality of the child, you can keep it from being age specific by staying away from a "theme"? Yes, we all know she wants a princess room, but instead of going over board with princess themed bedding, window treatments and art just hang some princess artwork.
Instead of an entire bedding ensemble based upon pirates for your little one use a solid color comforter with pirate sheets and order custom pillows to tie it all together. This will allow you to change the room from "princess" or "pirate" to "pre-teen" when the time comes without redoing the entire space. Keeping the room away from an all out theme will ensure you a design that will grow with the ages.
One of the greatest trends in decorating children's spaces today is the use of stripes and/or polka dots. Done in the right context, this design can carry your child for many years to come.
Ask your child, would he/she like horizontal or vertical stripes?
Horizontal stripes represent calm and will expand the space making it appear wider while vertical stripes with create energy in the room and make the ceiling appear higher.
What about solid colored walls and polka dots on the ceiling?
Remember; always think about what type of personality will be in the room. This allows you to create a very unique space for a child that is neither age specific nor tied to a theme and therefore not one they will likely outgrow.
Three Tips for Designing Nurseries
- Define a color palette. It can be based up bedding that you purchase or something to complement the rest of your home. Do you envision bold colors or pastels?
- Measure the room? Use low tack tape on the floor to make sure the furniture dimension work. Or use ¼" grid paper from an art supply store to space plan for furniture placement.
- Invest in custom window treatments. They are one element that will ensure the room looks like a custom design.
Three Tips for Designing Kid's Rooms:
- Ask the child what they want in the room? After all it is their space. What are their favorite colors? Use a color wheel and crayons for reference for small children.
- Research styles and designs. Go through catalogs or online together to choose bedding, artwork, and furniture making sure to get your child's input.
- Be Creative. Have your child paint his/her own artwork for their room. Buy canvas and paint to match the room décor and let them use their creativity to enhance the room with their own original art.
Katharine Miller
Residential Interior Designer
1074 Middlebrooke Drive
Canton, GA 30115
678-778-7031
[email protected]
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