Rooms To Grow Kids

Once you’ve chosen a theme for the room you’re decorating, don’t be afraid to go all the way with it.  Although your project may take a little longer than you expected, you will be glad you put out the extra effort when your friends squeal over your room’s new look.

Don’t be afraid to purchase things to use in ways other than they original purpose.  For instance, if your room is decorated in a shabby chic style with a romantic wallpaper border, you can use a tin bucket as the basis of a floral arrangement.  Or, for a modern look, drill a hole in the bottom of the same bucket and use it as a lampshade.  The important thing is to create accessories that continue your decorating theme throughout out the room. 

Many of the necessities of a bathroom are the same whether the bathroom will be used by an adult or a child.  However, there are a few special needs to consider when selecting accessories for a child’s bathroom that won’t be a factor in an adult’s bathroom.  Think of these as you shop for accessories for your little one’s bathroom:

• Shower Curtains – Light-colored shower curtains will allow more light to enter into the shower while your little man is showering.  He’ll need all the help he can get as he scrubs away the day’s activities.
• Toothbrush Holder – Make sure you choose a toothbrush holder that can be set prominently on the bathroom vanity.  Kids in a hurry to start their day often need the visual reminder to brush their teeth in the morning.
• Nightlight – Help your smaller children find their way to the bathroom for nighttime visits by keeping a nightlight in the bathroom. 

As you decorate your son or daughter’s room, it’s easy to be tempted to embellish the room with the day’s popular cartoon characters.  Many kid’s rooms have been seen with themes like Hello Kitty or Spiderman.  However, using a cartoon character is your child’s bedroom décor can lead to your having to re-decorate way earlier than you had planned to re-decorate.

Instead of using a trendy cartoon theme for your child’s bedroom, consider using a more timeless theme in your decorating project.  Great options include a transportation, botanical or aviation theme.  Find something that interests your child that leaves him room to grow into his room’s look. 

Many of the necessities of a bathroom are the same whether the bathroom will be used by an adult or a child.  However, there are a few special needs to consider when selecting accessories for a child’s bathroom that won’t be a factor in an adult’s bathroom.  Think of these as you shop for accessories for your little one’s bathroom:

• Shower Curtains – Light-colored shower curtains will allow more light to enter into the shower while your little man is showering.  He’ll need all the help he can get as he scrubs away the day’s activities.
• Toothbrush Holder – Make sure you choose a toothbrush holder that can be set prominently on the bathroom vanity.  Kids in a hurry to start their day often need the visual reminder to brush their teeth in the morning.
• Nightlight – Help your smaller children find their way to the bathroom for nighttime visits by keeping a nightlight in the bathroom. 

Unfinished basements are wonderful opportunities to expand your home’s living space.  Without going through all of the hassle and expense of moving to a new house, you and your family can tap into this unfinished space and create a place for your family to enjoy each other.

The biggest obstacle to converting your basement to living space is its appearance.  Many basements are characterized by cement walls and floors and small windows that offer little to no light.  A fresh coat of paint can work wonders on minimizing the effect of the concrete walls; a light color will even help combat the lighting issues.  Finish your basement’s décor with a cheerful wallpaper border several area rugs and your basement will take on a whole new appearance. 

My grandmother was always a stickler about putting things into their proper home.  “There should be a place for everything, and everything should go in its place,” she’d say.  I used to think she was a little too rigid in her stance about housekeeping, but in the bathroom I can see she was completely right.

More times than I can count, I’ve come into the bathroom and found our bar of soap missing.  Sometimes, it’s laid in the corner of the bathtub.  Other times, I’ve found it on top of the shower wall.  Another popular place is on the counter next to the sink.  I always find it, but I really hated spending the time to look for it.

Little did I know, an inexpensive solution to my problem was right in front of me.  On a whim, I purchased a soap dish.  I chose a pretty one that matched the rest of my bathroom accessories.  Then, I instructed my family that the soap finally had a real home.  Problem solved.  Everyone knew where the soap was supposed to be and in a few weeks had learned to put it there when they were finished with it.  That’s the best $15 I ever spent!

As your kids get older, the sheer volume of stuff they have in their rooms seems to grow on a daily basis.  Besides toys and clothes, kids accumulate all kinds of keepsakes like special stuffed animals, trophies from sports, and souvenirs from past vacations.  Where are you going to put it all?

Although you can’t increase your kids’ stores spaces by moving out, you can find more room by moving up.  Try applying a wallpaper border about fifteen inches from the top of the ceiling.  Then install a simple shelf right above the border.  Tada!  You’ve just added the perfect place for your kids to store and display their favorite keepsakes. 

You’ve probably dreamed about having one of those large designer bathrooms you see in model homes.  But, you may not be able to afford to make your bathroom bigger.  Bathroom remodels are famous for being ridiculously expensive.  You can, however, make it look bigger.

Try hanging a mirror on the wall opposite your vanity mirror.  If you can’t find one that matches your bathroom’s theme, you could purchase a decorative frame and have a mirrored piece of glass cut to fit it.  The opposing mirrors will reflect images off each other and help give your bathroom a more open feeling. 

There’s no time in a parent’s life like getting ready for the arrival of their new bundle of joy.  You’ll probably spend hours choosing the perfect crib and bedding to make sure your baby feels at home in his new space.

As you’re preparing the nursery, make sure that you give some thought to the space’s appearance, as well as its fixtures.  Your baby will spend a lot of time looking up at the walls surrounding his bed, so you should give him something fun to look at. 

Our primary-colored Clay Aviation wallpaper border is the perfect decoration for a baby’s room.  The bright scenes will make the walls seem to come alive as your little one gazes upon them.  And the transportation theme will last long past your little guy’s infant stage on into his toddler and preschool ages. 

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that all bathroom decorating has to involve childish décor or fussy patterns. As mod fabrics become more and more popular, manufacturers have begun to create bathroom suites that include fun and modern styles. Geometric prints can be found with everything from stripe, boxes, circles, and anything else you can imagine. For an example of this trend, check out this On the Dot set of bathroom products. These bathroom accessories incorporate a series of bright-colored polka dots into all of your bathroom items. This fun, whimsical design is sure to delight everyone from stylish adults to young children.