Designing a Space For Your Child
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Article by: Jill L. Ferguson The old cliché says "home is where the heart is." That may be true, especially for children. Our young ones' hearts are not just at home, , Bedroom Feng Shui but more specifically, children's hearts and identities are wrapped up in their own particular part of home"”their bedrooms. For infancy and it's many hours of sleeping, children grow , Do You Need An Interior Designer? comfortable with "their space." And where the rest of the house , Spend a Weekend Installing Your New Cabinets may be decorated with things reflecting Mom and Dad's personalities and styles, a child's bedroom usually reflects interests of a child. From mobiles to Winnie-the-Pooh or a Sesame Street theme, the nursery, which later involves into a bedroom, contains all things child-like"”little clothes on small hangers, toys, often pint-sized tables and chairs , How to Buy Custom Slip Covers (like the ones from Rubbermaid Specialty Products), picture books, fingerpaintings, etc. Everything to make the room , Oh, the Comforts of a Luxurious Down Comforter feel like the child's kingdom. But with a growing , Contemporary Glass Art child and his changing interests, how does an economically-minded parent design , How to combine styles in any room a room , Kitchen Decorating Is Easy To Do that will last many years, or at least from infancy to adolescence. Interior designers , Loft Beds and decorators across the country had written numerous books on the subject. And all of them would be happy to design , How to Buy Custom Slip Covers the room , Interior Decorating Book Make your interiors lively for your child, but if you do not have a mountain of funds or if you are more of a do-it-yourselfer, there are many things you need to consider. First, decide upon the furniture. , What are HEPA Air Filters? When your baby has outgrown the bassinet and frequently escapes from the crib, it is time to purchase a bed. , The Different Spellings of "Crown Molding" You may want to buy one that matches the dresser already in the room. , East meets the West - Evolution of Indian Furniture But if there is no dresser and you are starting from scratch, here are some things to consider: According to Davenport House, , Give Your Window a Makeover a Florida-based mail order and on-line company, "When buying major furniture , Wooden Vs. Steel - Which One Should I Choose? pieces, try to choose items that will grow , How To Choose The Best Wine Rack To Buy For Your Home with the child. Paint, , Corner Baker's Rack: Create Extra Storage Space and Style wallpaper, comforters and accessories , The Language Silk Flowers are easier to change. , How to combine styles in any room " Opt for something more traditional that you'll be proud to have in your house. , Practical Feng Shui Debunking the Myths Though Davey may prefer the racecar shaped bed, , The Benefits of Gourmet Picnic Baskets he will tire of it quickly, and unless you're willing to trade him beds, , Corner Baker's Rack: Create Extra Storage Space and Style you'll be forced to purchase a new one. When purchasing a bed , How to combine styles in any room for your child, you may want to consider buying bunk or trundle beds. , The Benefits of Gourmet Picnic Baskets As a child grows, , Do You Need An Interior Designer? having the space for a friend to sleep over becomes more important. (If this is not an option for you, during a sleepover children can sleep in sleeping bags in a tent--or one made of blankets). In addition to a bed, , Granite counter tops Part.II your child will need a dresser (or something to hold her clothes and shoes), shelves or tubs for toys and books, and a desk (for play and eventually homework). Choose items that have rounded corners and edges. All of these items are available in wide array of prices from the lower end, stylish and functional IKEA to the moderate priced, space-saving wood designs , Bedroom Furniture Contemporary Choices: Beds of This End Up (found in major malls) to classic and higher end Ethan Allen. Consult your Yellow Pages for a complete listing of furniture , Give Your Window a Makeover and home , How To Plan Your Child's Bedroom Makeover accessory stores. Always involve your child in each step or process. When your preschooler or toddler gets to pick out posters and the bedspread this involvement further reinforces their sense of ownership of the room. , How To Clean A Mattress If your child is older than toddler age you may want to have her draw a picture of how she would arrange the furniture , Loft Beds in the room. , How To Choose The Best Wine Rack To Buy For Your Home For encouragement, you may need to ask questions, such as "Where will you sleep? Where will Teddy sleep? Where will you keep your Barbie dolls? Where will you draw?" She may draw an arrangement you had not even considered. If your child is a toddler or preschooler and still prone to occasionally falling out of bed, , Practical Feng Shui Debunking the Myths when determining the arrangement of the room, , The Language Silk Flowers you should suggest putting the bed , Curtains, Windows, and Feng Shui against two walls , Improve The Look Of Your Apartment Without Getting The Landlord Mad for safety. , East meets the West - Evolution of Indian Furniture Also for safety, , Vessel Sinks-Sleek and Stylish keep beds , Hanging Pot Racks and climbable objects (i.e., dressers and bookshelf units) away from windows, , Bathroom Online Design - 5 Online Bathroom Design Tips and make sure drape or blind cords are short enough that the child will not be able to wrap the thing around his neck. When choosing a color , East meets the West - Evolution of Indian Furniture for the walls, , Bedrooms your child should always have a voice. Even if you cannot stand the royal purple she has picked, repainting is one of the easiest and inexpensive decorating , How to Buy Custom Slip Covers changes. Let your child have her fun until she grows , The Different Spellings of "Crown Molding" out of the color. , Bedroom Furniture Contemporary Choices: Beds Other easy decorating , How To Choose The Best Wine Rack To Buy For Your Home ideas include jumbo stick-ups. These vinyl-like appliques can be reapplied many times and come in an assortment of designs , The Thrill of Triple Bunk Beds including Disney characters, Berenstain Bears, Batman and the Land Before Time. One brand of kits, Priss Prints, is available at most Sears and J.C. Penney stores. Another decorating , The Benefits of Gourmet Picnic Baskets idea for the wall , Choosing A Window Covering is the height chart. For years children have stood with their backs to wall , The Thrill of Triple Bunk Beds while some adult drew a line above their heads. If you love the idea, but do not want the pencil marks on your fresh paint , Choosing A Window Covering job, Priss Prints also offers a mylar strip that measures up to six feet and comes with frames to display photos of the child alongside his measurement. In addition to the aforementioned ideas, you can get many more by touring furniture , Bathroom Online Design - 5 Online Bathroom Design Tips and decorating , Contemporary Glass Art stores, or by browsing the following books: · Children's Rooms: A Mothercare Book by Jane Lott (Prentice Hall) · Designing Rooms , Principles of Interior Design for Children by Mary Gilliatt (Little, Brown) · In My Room: Designing for and with Children by Antonio F. Torrice and Ro Logrippo (Fawcett/Columbine) · Kids' Rooms: Decorating , The Language Silk Flowers Nurseries to Teen Retreats edited by Linda Hallam (Meredith Corp.) · Rooms to Grow, , Wooden Vs. Steel Furniture - Which One Should I Choose? Creating Rooms , Shared Beds - How To Make It Work and Furniture , Wooden Vs. Steel - Which One Should I Choose? for Children by Jane Cornell (Prentice Hall) After getting ideas and seeing what others have done, hopefully you and your children can create a special place , What are HEPA Air Filters? for them to grow. , Kitchen Decorating Is Easy To Do Writer, editor, public speaker, and professor of communication, creative writing, and literature Jill L. Ferguson often addresses family issues. Her novel, Sometimes Art Can't Save , Do You Need An Interior Designer? You, was published by In Your Face Ink (http://www.inyourfaceink.com) in October 2005. |
  
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