There is so much excitement that goes into planning a nursery, as there should be. Having a baby is an exciting time in one's life. In reality though, those spaces are for us parents more so than the child. We need the space to function for all the ways in which we will be taking care of baby, and we delight in all of the "cute" decor options available to us. But what happens once baby outgrows the nursery? I have many times heard comments to the effect of "the kids will just destroy the furniture so I'll get cheap stuff and I won't care what happens to it." Sound familiar?
Children's spaces so often get neglected or are placed low on the priority list in comparison to the rest of the spaces in our homes. But what about a child that wants more than a room ridden with posters on the walls and glow in the dark stickers on the ceiling? I may be naive as I do not yet have teenagers, but perhaps taking thoughtful consideration to designing the space will make the child want to take better care of it. And if we invest in good quality pieces that can grow with them, they will be able to withstand a bit of a beating over time without looking destroyed.
I recently designed a bedroom space for a client's tween daughter who wanted a space of her own that would truly reflect her interests and personality. The request was for a black and gray bedroom with edge, not frill, that would speak to the daughter's love of fashion.
THE BEFORE: The room was stuck between its little girl days and a few new pieces that are more age appropriate. The client was still struggling a bit to pull it all together. So where to begin?
THE PLAN: The most important step, and where I always start, is the space plan. The newer purchased items would be kept - area rug, bed, and desk, and we would fill in around those pieces. First, the bed was moved to the long wall opposite the entry door so that it became the focal point of the room. Once that was established, I determined it was best to have two large chests on either side rather than one large dresser, and storage space would not be sacrificed. The rest of the space fell into place around those key pieces.
Next, finishes were chosen based on inspiration images provided by the client and her daughter. I wanted to highlight the wall where the bed is located. I selected this feminine yet graphic from Hygge & West as the jumping off point for the finish selections and palette.
THE AFTER: The client, her daughter, and I could not be more pleased with the transformation.
[photography via Tracey Elizabeth Photography]
WHY I LOVE DESIGNING CHILDREN'S SPACES: Children's spaces are such a joy for me to design for many reasons. For one, it doesn't happen very often, but mainly because it provides me with an opportunity to have more fun with design. Client's are a bit more keen on taking design risks with children's spaces and they can take a departure from the design of the rest of the home. I enjoy meeting with the child or children to get their input on what they would like to see in their space. Seeing design through the eyes of a child reminds me to push the limits of my imagination and creativity. Basically, they are a ton of FUN!
FEELING INSPIRED? Here are additional children's spaces that I absolutely adore.
[design: Marie Flanigan Interiors]
[photo: Bjorn Wallander]
[photo: lonny.com]
[design: Helen Davis Design]
[design: Jean Lui Design]
To see more photos of our TWEEN BEDROOM REDESIGN visit our projects page here.
For more inspiring children's spaces, check out our Chez Lissette Pinterest Board Kid's Room Decor.
Lissette