The kitchen is the “heart of the house.” Our family room is where we plop down and gorge on television. Formal living rooms and dining rooms are where we dress the home to impress. Man caves, home offices, work spaces and craft rooms – all areas in our home with functions specific to the way we live our lives.
To a child – for those of us that can still remember that far back – his/her bedroom is often all of the above and more. A safe spot to “chill in,” a place to hang with friends both digitally and in person, a corner to focus on homework, and for those older kids, an actually sanctuary to contemplate all the changes stretching out before them.
As much design focus as we often place on other rooms, our kids’ room often is little more than color on a wall and a shut door concealing what is usually not the tidiest of places.
For a newborn, we relish in creating the perfect space. Pinks, blues and yellows adorn every wall. Plush animals, wall decals and special touches create the perfect environment to welcome home the latest addition to the family. Every book, picture frame and piggybank is placed just so, with the greatest of care and intent.
If you’re like most of us, when the crib goes out and the plush toys have been outgrown, a fairly blank canvas replaces it. The blame doesn’t just fall on us as parents, a lot of times the child doesn’t really want to deal with the fuss, and their idea of a perfect room doesn’t match with what the parent feels is appropriate and fits into the overall vision of what the home should look like.
But when parent and child collaborate, and the creative juices flow…real magic can happen.
At the Stephen Cooley Group, we wanted to celebrate that magic. We are sponsoring a contest on our Facebook page allowing you to share with us your images of great kids’ rooms. Whether it’s for a newborn, toddler, preteen or full blown teenager we’d love to see what you’ve created. Details and official rules are available HERE and you can enter to win prizes by visiting our Facebook Page and uploading your photo to the entry post pinned to the top.
So what makes a great kid’s room? That depends 100% on who you are and to whom you gave birth. (Did I just say Whom?)
An amazing space for our kids happens when we focus on their talents, hobbies, likes and ambitions and surround them by all those things. Or simply make that room feel safe and warm, inviting them to re-energize and re-focus before starting another day.
Ideas are available nearly everywhere today with decals, DIY instructions and websites dedicated to creating different looks on any kind of budget. You don’t have to be a creative genius or crafting expert to create that perfect look. Just be open minded and have fun working with your child to engage them in a project you can do together. Allowing them to safely express themselves with some guidance of course, will give them a corner of the home they can truly feel is there own.
Of course, sending them to their room – which already in most homes isn’t much of a punishment – will really lose any and all power as a negative.
Let us know in the comments what you’ve done or plan to do. And make sure to upload the kids’ rooms that you’ve completed that you’re proud of and want to share.
Can’t wait to see the entries!
John Kotrides
