Six years ago, I wrote in this space about decorating kids’ rooms and recalled my obsession with the colour purple, inspired by Donny Osmond, and lovingly indulged by my Mom and Dad.
A lot has changed in six years. Now we have iPads with apps that your child could download and use to design their own ideal room in hotel style or contemporary chic. But some say kids are kids, no matter what happens in the world, so they’re apt to still want their surroundings to reflect kid stuff like cars, stuffed animals and Disney princesses.
Another development since 2008 is that I’m a grandmother now, which is no mean feat when I haven’t even been a parent. It’s an honourary designation I take very seriously, and listening to my grandson’s Mom and Dad mull over what to put in the baby’s room has given me a fresh perspective on what it means to create practical and beautiful surroundings for little ones. After the must-haves like the crib, changing table and Diaper Genie, they want what’s in the room to be as pulled-together as the rest of their home.
Even parents-to-be who want to be surprised by the baby’s sex don’t tend to wait until birth to decorate a room for him or her. Some parents still prefer the traditional colours but just about anything goes now. Bouclair has just launched a baby line that ties the classic pinks and blues to complimentary hues for a fresh look. They pair baby blue with grey and soft pink with burgundy or white in bedding, throws, bookends, cushions, storage baskets and picture frames.
While babies have to accept whatever environment has been created for them, it’s more fun and a little bit of a relief to involve older children in the process. A newly separated friend of mine allowed his young sons to choose their bedroom motif and apply it to comforters, wall colours and whatever else they could find. The extra challenge arose because the boys shared a room. But true to his word, my friend purchased a Cars duvet, lamp and border for one boy and the same articles in Spongebob Squarepants for the other. It didn’t matter that it looked like the room threw up a cartoon. The boys were thrilled to get their own defined territories with their choice of décor. It made an unfamiliar space instantly feel like home.
In 2008 I wrote that paint is easy to apply and almost as easy to cover up but the reality is, its application isn’t always simple, especially around ceilings and baseboards. None of those newfangled gizmos for trim and ceiling edging have ever worked for me but I’m willing to concede that operator error might be at fault.
Sticky little fingers can ruin a pretty paint job so a paint that won’t wither under a scrubbing is a must. Find a super durable paint like Diamond Interior by Dulux. .
Changing colours when fuchsia falls out of favour and your daughter now wants pale yellow is a lot easier now with the advent of paints with primers built right in. Purists may scoff and say that you have to follow separate steps but I say, whitewash! I’ve used these products and they work just fine. Long ago I adopted the motto, work smart, not hard, and apply it wherever it makes sense. I also plan to teach it to my grandson.
As children get older and their needs and wants change, they can make the decisions and do a lot of the labour. But be prepared to lend a hand. However you choose to do it, make it fun and develop in your child a sense of imagination and responsibility about the part of your home that they call “mine.”