What Do Color, Texture, Pattern, and Whimsy Have in Common?
Updated: Nov 1, 2022
The Makings of a Kid's Bedroom
Kids rooms are quite fun to design and are the one section of a home where you can go bold with color, pattern, and texture. They are supposed to serve as a resting space for the kiddos, should be a source of inspiration, happiness, and whimsy.
Before
After
So, how do you create a magical environment for young kids to grow into without making it too juvenile? Stick with me and I'll tell you how.
My seven-year-old daughter's room will serve as today's design case study. To be honest the room was pretty before, however, functionality was lacking. Case in point, she:
Had very little storage (she's an avid reader),
Loves to draw (but had no dedicated space to do so),
Enjoys sleeping with lights on (there was only the main overhead light); and
Needed ample space to share the room with her sister (ok, this is a bit of a stretch from function … but in my defense, she and her sister wanted a "grown up" teepee and somehow were able to get me to oblige by batting their lovely poppy eyes).
To address the above, I started my design process with the usual…. creating zones! There had to be a zone for:
Sleeping (aka the bed)
Creativity and studying (aka the desk)
Varied lighting; and
Reading (aka reading nook)
With the key functional elements clearly defined, I created a room layout, making sure there was room for flow and easy movement in the space. Then the fun process began - decorating the space.
Quick side note: A major investment I made in this room involved replacing the floors from carpet to hardwood. I just think they are easier to clean, are a worthwhile investment for resale, and if you have kids with allergies, having wood floors helps mitigate that to some degree. That said, you still need something soft underfoot, so a nice rug that can be cleaned often is ideal.
I looked to the Parisian design style and other designer colleagues like Rita Konig, Matilda Goad, Sarah Richardson, and French and French Interiors for ways to infuse color and pattern in a manner that works in this space. Specifically, I:
Started with white walls (Sherwin Williams paint color matched to Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace white paint) to serve as a blank canvas for all of the color was about to infuse in the space (art galleries do this quite well).
Selected headboard fabric with major pattern to serve as the focal point for the room (I was inspired by a dress my daughter loved and picked fabric with a similar pattern from Etsy).
Created a teepee/reading nook around the window with neutral curtains (the view outside the window is gorgeous and while I couldn't add built-ins, I settled for a canopy-like structure that gave the same effect, added a bench, cushion, pillows, blankets, art, sconces, and that was it)
Infused lots of vintage pieces including the dresser, secretary desk, side tables, pillowcases, and art (side note: there's an art piece with pressed flowers that was made in 1985, you might wonder why that resonated with me…hmmm)
Contrasted the more traditional elements with very modern pieces (i.e., plaster art that I made, and the addition of mushroom lamps).
Punctuated the room with lots of light through mirrors and table lamps in different part of the room.
Added texture with blankets (some with pattern, some without), soft linen, pillows, and plants.
While this room is for a little girl, it is certainly one that can be enjoyed by an adult and is definitely a space my daughter will grow into. The room also has a great foundation, meaning, I can spruce it up from time-to-time without having to do a major renovation.
What do you think? Will you luxuriate in a room with this much color and pattern? Sound-off in the comments and visit my portfolio for additional shots of this space.
Cheers!
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ODD Tips for Designing a Kids Bedrooms
I've covered a lot in this blog post for designing a kid’s bedroom. That said, if you want additional tips for designing a bedroom room, check out my …. master bedroom post.
