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If
there’s one area of the house where you can
really relax and have fun, it’s in decorating
children’s rooms.
In the early years, these are also rooms where
you may spend a lot of time yourself, so work
to make them comfortable for you, too. (A rocking
chair is one suggestion.)
Here are some ideas to help you design successfully
for the baby to grade school crowd. |
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The first commandment for
interior design for kids is…think ahead!
In no time at all, your cute baby will be a
toddler, and not so long after that a rambunctious
grade-schooler, with wants, needs, wishes and
desires of his or her own!
If your nursery is a long-term kid’s room,
get the structural basics right—closets,
electrics, lighting—with an eye to future
needs. Storage requirements seem to grow as
fast as kids, so plan ahead.
Think before creating an oh-so-cute baby look,
because in a few years it may be way too ”cutesy”
for your growing child.
Design for fun and practicality. Keep decoration
simple and easy to look after.
Kids can be hard on rooms. Use paint sheens
that are washable and durable, and remember
it’s easier to repaint than re-wallpaper,
no matter how cute that pattern may look.
Including a scribble-on blackboard may help
spare the paintwork! |
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Well-Known
Characters are always a popular way to
go. When you pick the character, like Winnie
the Pooh, you have the colors and accents at
your fingertips in the Disney Color by BEHR
Collection. Plus, hundreds of other accessories
can be found very easily. |
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The
Winnie the Pooh Nursery
shown here is a childhood classic, with a painted
wall border to add just a touch of whimsy. |
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Or
you can take the same character, and execute
it in slightly more adult way that’s still
appealing to children, as shown here in the
Classic Pooh Nursery |
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The
bedroom is also a playroom, and Fairytale
Princess Rooms are lots of fun for girls
and their friends. All kids love covered places
where they can hide out, and with a few yards
of inexpensive tulle you can create a princess
bed that’s sure to be popular. |
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Mickey,
of course, is an enduring favorite. If your
kids have their own bathroom, why not consider
extending the design theme into that space as
well? Who wouldn’t want to wash behind
their ears in this Mickey bathroom? |
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Or
look at the simple, easy-to-do ideas in this
Buzz Lightyear room,
where the ceiling is the night sky and the window
is designed as a rocket ship. |
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| ©Disney |
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Rooms for older children
should reflect their interests—after all,
they’re the ones who live in them. Have
the kids pick a theme—the beach, flowers,
dinosaurs, sports—and work on it together.
Allow older children to have a say in choosing
the paint color—the finished result may be
treated with a little more care and consideration.
Just accept that children almost always prefer
bright colors, and may pick combinations that
you wouldn’t!
If children need to share a room, neutral walls
will give both a chance to enjoy their own decorations.
Color and visual interest are usually added
by the children themselves—in abundance.
A Classic Nautical Look
is good for both boys and girls, and is easy
on adult eyes. Think of blues, greens and aquas,
with soft sky above and deeper ocean blues below,
divided by white wainscoting.
Use red and white accents to add a little punch
and contribute to the nautical feel.
A Western Look
can also have staying power, and has the advantage
that almost any color works, allowing you to
choose a palette that matches with the rest
of your décor.
White furniture goes well with both of these
themes, and painting larger pieces white will
help to reduce their apparent size. Whatever
look you decide on, try to aim for something
that will grow with your child.
That way, you’ll have a constantly interesting
room, without spending a fortune!
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Try the ColorSmart™ by BEHR interactive program to experiment with thousands of different color combinations and see how they look in actual room settings.
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