Rooms That Inspire
By Barbara Miller
Creating a nest
Before your child is born you dream about what kind of people they will become. Parents delight in anticipating a baby’s arrival by creating a beautiful nest to welcome them to the world. Why then, as they grow and develop personalities and passions of their own, do we put them in a bedroom defined by what the catalogs show as a “girls” or “boys” room? Not every girl is a princess and not every boy is a cowboy.
What excites your child?
Parents know their children are born with personalities. In my design projects I support each child’s process of discovery by creating spaces that take cues from a child’s natural interests. You know your children. What excites them? What do you have to tear them away from for bath time? These are the interests that I like to use as inspiration for room décor. Because children’s interests evolve, build their rooms with timeless and interchangeable basics. Choose beds and dressers that work for a toddler or a teen. But when it comes to accessories and wall colors, have fun!
Build on a theme
Inspire and surprise your children with their surroundings. If your child loves to collect rocks or bugs, create some special bug jars or group rock-display shelves together; find age-appropriate books on the topic and buy a real, adult magnifying glass. An adult item like this inspires awe that you entrust him or her with something precious. If your child loves to dance, don’t just layer his or her room with dance-themed posters. Buy a huge mirror at a warehouse store, install a barre on one wall (made with dowel and brackets), provide a source of music and most importantly, arrange the room to maximize clear floor space so there’s room to dance. To begin a redesign, sit with your child on the floor in the middle of the room. Ask “what is your favorite thing about this room?” Ask what should change. Draw crazy dream room pictures together. Take just one element from the “crazy dream room” and combine it with what you know about your child. Introduce this element in an interactive way: a place to build, draw, tumble, climb, read, hide and so on. Weave your child’s dreams into his or her space in a way that demonstrates you see, love and honor who they are.
