We love to work with families who are curating spaces for their young kids within their homes. These projects give us a lot of joy as we are able to bring in design elements that bring in a sense of fun, creativity and imagination. We have four core ideas to share with you.
Photo from West Elm
Clever Kids Storage Spaces
Whether it is books, trains or cars or dolls, art supplies, legos or blocks; kids love their items and lots of them. We all can relate from when we were kids and had all of our favorite sets of toys. One wonderful thing that we enjoy helping families with in the design projects are clever storage solutions that also look great. Storage solutions that give kids storage they need.
A few simple solutions are shelving units. This can be everything from built-in custom shelving units to simple bookshelves. Beautiful ways to tie the design of the room with storage together can be through painting or upholstery of the shelves. Another great way to tie in some fun can be through colorful storage bins to slot into the shelving units.
Often overlooked space is under the bed. There are unique storage solutions you can build or buy with a bed for your kid that includes storage areas. If you already have a bed without storage, an easy solution is buying the perfectly sized bins that you can slide under the bed to keep the room organized and beautiful.
Photo from Pottery Barn
Creating a Special Place for Relaxing
A wonderful part of being a kid is having a place to dream and have some relaxing entertainment. We love spaces where kids can escape into their own imaginative places. Incredible bedroom spaces can include a nook where kids can cuddle up and take a nap or read a book.
A reading nook that creates a cozy space often includes plush pillows and blankets and a way to enclose the space. Enclosed areas we love have been done with canopy tents. kids can create their own space in an indoor canopy tent area that feels secluded and personal to them.
We enjoy some unique treatments with window seats where draperies are used to close off the reading area and create a sense of coziness for cuddling up with a book.
Also, when we think of relaxing spaces we think through how a bedroom can transform from what may be a more active play space during the day to a more relaxing place during the evening or nap time. This can be accomplished with some design elements with curtains that help to keep the light out and stars painted on the ceiling so kids have a sense of being outside. Draperies that go around the bed to create a canopy as well can be a unique way to create a cozy and relaxing space in the bedroom.
Photo from Pottery Barn
Designing Kids’s Creativity Spaces
A magical part of being a kid is creativity. When we design these creativity spaces for kids we are channeling our inner kid’s creativity as well. We often bring in a table and chairs to suit the needs that will help to accommodate your kids’s unique passions. In the design of a table and chairs for kids we have fun bringing in bold and bright colors with painted furniture.
If your kid loves arts and crafts we design spaces with that creative aspect in mind. If your kid loves painting this could look like containers to hold supplies, an art easel, a place on the wall where your kids can roll out butcher paper. If your kid loves to build things the design would incorporate aspects for storage of building supplies from glue to popsicle sticks to pipe cleaners and each unique container and space to hold the supplies. Some of the creative spaces we design would include a sink in the room to have your kids be able to wash their hands before moving onto their next adventure.
If expression through dress-up and theater is your kid’s passion, we have a lot of fun when designing areas for kids who want to dive into imaginative play with costumes and dress up. In these designs we lean into creating dressing areas that have hanging space for dress-up cloths, a mirror and a chandelier. We love theater backdrops and curtains to create a magical space for putting on a production.
Photo from Lifefad
Making Active Spaces for Your Kids
If your kids love to be active, we have some incredible design ideas to share with you. Some families choose to create an active play area designated within their home while others have the area within their kids’s rooms depending on your space constraints. Designs can incorporate the little climbers with indoor climbing holds set up on walls. A wonderful way to tie the climbing area together from a design aesthetic is with a painted mural background. Or for the gymnast an area with mats and a bar. We also love spaces where the rooms are vertical and can incorporate a slide.
No matter what your kids lean into more, whether it is more playing with toys, relaxing, creativity or active spaces; there is something truly unique that can be brought to life through a smartly designed space. Allowing your kids to express themselves in a space that incorporates their interests can bring out the very best of your kids. We invite you to think through what that perfect space may be and dream a little with us.
If you enjoyed this article you may like a blog we did for Kid-Friendly Home Decor here and Designing Kid Approved Rooms here
-Pamela
MEET PAMELA, A LUXURY INTERIOR DESIGNER IN HOUSTON
Pamela O’Brien is the founder of Pamela Hope Designs in Houston, Texas. Pamela is an award-winning luxury interior designer, writer, and speaker. Prior to founding Pamela Hope Designs, Pamela served as a spokesperson in media and public affairs, working with media outlets like Dateline NBC and 48 Hours. This experience allowed her to travel the world and furthered her love for travel, culture, and interior design. After attending an executive course at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Pamela launched her own interior design firm full-time. Pamela is known for building strong relationships with her clients, who later become friends and collaborators. She is highly influential in the Houston interior design space and shows no signs of slowing down.
