creating guide for a childs bedroom

Essential guide to creating a kids bedroom Whether you're preparing your first nursery or trying to turn a children's den into a teenage living space, we've got some great ideas and expert advice to help you create the perfect children's room without breaking the bank. From a baby's first nursery to a teenager's bedroom, decorating a room for your children can be a tricky look to get right, but there are a few basic rules to follow to get it right. Ideas for a nurseryWhen you plan a room for a newborn, bear in mind that decorating a nursery can be as much about creating a comfortable space for you as for your child. Decoration Calm and comfort are all-important for newborns, so choose delicate shades and tactile fabrics for cosiness. Add a pretty mobile above the cot but make sure they are hung high enough to be out of reach when your child is old enough to stand. Furniture Rather than furniture specifically designed with babies in mind, choose well-made items that can adapt with your child. For example, a chest of drawers can be topped with a mat to make a changing table, and a two-in-one cot bed will last until your baby is ready for a grown-up bed. Window treatments Blackout blinds are a good choice for babies' rooms. They make it much easier to settle small children during the day or on light evenings and should help stop them waking up at dawn in the summer months. Roller blinds also allow you to let in as much natural light as possible at other times. Temporature To avoid your baby becoming too hot or cold, don't position their cot right next to a window or by a radiator. It may also be a good idea to invest in a room thermometer and try to keep the room at around 18°C. Ideas For a toddlers bedroomAs they grow, energetic toddlers will need a place for supervised play, as well as a secure and cosy bed to encourage them to snuggle down alone at night. Decorating Children grow out of the latest fads as quickly as their first pair of shoes, so rather than succumbing to an entire room of Dora the Explorer, choose a neutral backdrop and introduce colour with textiles, graphic wall stickers and fun accessories. A feature wall in a bright and lively wallpaper is also an easy way to change a nusery into bedroom. Furniture Opt for a wardrobe with a pole that can be raised as they grow older. Secure free-standing furniture by fixing it to the wall with anti-toppling devices such as straps or fixing brackets. Open drawers can be used to climb, so use child-proof drawer latches on lower drawers. Storage Store toys in a variety of containers, according to their size. Combine see-through plastic storage crates, trunks and toy boxes with tubs, baskets, over-door organisers and mini-drawers. Categorise things so that they make sense to your child and arrange them so that they're easy to take out and put away. Lighting Dimmer switches are a boon for checking on a sleeping toddler and can be left on low for an infant who's afraid of the dark. A glowing lamp or nightlight is also a good idea, but make to keep it out of reach. Safety Cover electrical sockets and keep trailing cords out of reach. Childproof the windows with latches that will allow the window to open no more than four inches and keep window areas clear of furniture so that children aren't tempted to climb onto them to reach windows. Ideas for older children's bedrooms Older children will relish having some input in the way their bedroom looks and will hanker after their own den for games and sleepovers with friends. Decorating Use their favourite colours, textures and motifs in a way that suits your home - If bubblegum pink and electric blue go against all your interior style principles, compromise with powder pink or dove grey. Instead of dousing whole walls in vivid colours, add accents with soft furnishings and framed pictures, which can be easily and cheaply updated. Furniture Have a spare bed ready for sleepovers. If space is limited opt for a hideaway bed with a pull-out truckle underneath for when friends come to stay. The White Company has stylish designs. Storage Adjustable shelves can accommodate big picture books for small kids, then be adapted for paperbacks as well as CDs and DVDs. Make use of wasted hanging space inside a standard wardrobe by fixing up a two-tier system of rails or fill the space at the bottom of the wardrobe with small plastic baskets for storing underwear, socks, nightwear and smaller items. Lighting Fairy lights are an easy way to add a magical touch - string twinkling lights round a mirror for a little girl, or pin up a net of lights to create a personal cosmos for a budding spaceman. Finishing touches Murals and wall stickers can create a fun focal point in a kid's room. Help them to personalise their space in a shared bedroom by spelling out their names with funky lettering so that they each have their own dedicated area Ideas for teenagers bedroomsA teenager's bedroom is a place to study, socialise and sleep. Use spots of bright colour and clever storage to ceate a multi-functional space that meets all their needs. Decoration Find the middle ground when you're choosing a colour scheme so that you end up with a look that you can both live with. Instead of all-black walls to ceiling, why not compromise with a single painted feature wall so that they still get their colour fix? Storage The key to getting a teen to put anything away is to make sure that it is easily accesible. Hang bulky items like guitars, skateboard helmets and backpacks on heavy duty wall hooks , add clear containers to bookcases to give at-a-glance storage for folded clothes and fix a brightly coloured peg board to the inside of a wardrobe for accessories, jewellery, belts, scarves, bags, sunglasses, etc. Furniture Create a dedicated spot where teens can study in peace. Choose a desk big enough to write comfortably and pack in extra space for books and notes with wall-mounted shelving above the workspace. Invest in an adult-size wardrobe and chest of drawers to accommodate a growing collection of clothes. Style extra Make a chill-out corner with beanbags, stacks of cushions and low-level seating to keep your living room teenager-free. Make it personal Let your children put their own stamp on the decorating scheme and they'll be more likely to take care of it. Get storage sorted Keep bedrooms tidy by making sure there's a place for everything. Get serious about safety From baby-proofing your nusery to ground rules for teens, basic safety measures can keep kids safe from harm. Use the space wisely Create zones for sleeping, work and play with functional furniture and fun accessories.

Planning Planning a decorating project will save you time, money and effort and produce professional looking results. Paint, wallpaper and fabric calculators Work out exactly how much you'll need to complete the job and save money on waste and leftovers

Colour ideas Be inspired by three different looks aimed at all ages Nursery Soft-grey walls are the perfect neutral shade for a new baby's room. Warmth can be added with vibrant limes, pinks and blues in stripes and checks, while pale furniture creates a restful feel and keeps the look clutter free. Boys Blues and green's combine to make a striking feature wall and are a good foil for warm, wood furniture and natural flooring. Cheerful motifs on the window treatment add to the sense of fun and create a welcoming look. Girls Pink is the obvious choice for a girl, but to prevent it becoming too sugary use a mix of patterns in vibrant shades of raspberry, red and orange. Temper them with white walls and furniture to keep the look fresh and contemporary. Safety guidelines Keep kids safe and sound with our essential guide to child-proofing your home Think about bed location. Don't position the bed underneath a window, directly against a radiator or with shelves, ledges or appliances above that a child can get hold of.

Avoid hanging heavy pictures or mirrors above the bed.

Secure free-standing furniture by fixing it to the wall with anti-toppling devices such as straps or fixing brackets.

Avoid open drawers that can be used as a climbing frame - use child-proof latches on lower drawers.

Avoid bunkbeds if your child is under six. Cabin beds are a better option if you can squeeze them in - there'll be plenty of extra storage underneath too.

Use socket covers to keep plug sockets safe from probing fingers.

Secure all dangling lamp cords to prevent injury from pulling on them.

Childproof the windows. Use latches that will let the window open no more than 10cm.


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Changing the Size of a Room With Paint

Rooms which have ceilings that are considered too high or too low may be changed simply by painting it a pale color; hot colors to make it seem lower, cool colors to make it seem higher. Brown as a color can belong to either of the two groups of color, depending on the amount of red in the make-up of the brown.

The choice of colors must to some extent largely be based on the situation and location of the house. If the house is in a town, bright clear colors will look extremely vibrant and will serve to brighten the rooms in dull districts.

However, if bright clear colors are used for interior decorating in houses situated in the country, where they are seen against a background of nature's own colors, they very often look harsh and cold.

The colors on the walls will also have some effect on the home décor you have scattered about. Whether you prefer metal wall décor (http://www.laserwallart.com) or posters, the color of the room is going to either compliment it or be a hideous contrast.

Tenants of houses situated in seaside districts may have a problem of their own to consider as certain colors will fade to a neutral gray when exposed to sea air. These are mainly pastel shades of pale greens and blues, and this fading may also happen in some country districts in rooms which have southern aspects where sunlight is particularly strong.

The deep greens of modern paints are able to stand up both to air and to light, and many of the best known brands of different kinds of paints are guaranteed against fading.

When planning an interior color scheme it is first necessary to choose the main or basic color which should be one that will do most to help the shape of the room. Here are some simple examples:

Low Ceilings: As previously explained the effect of low ceilings can be largely offset by the use of pale colors such as the shades of ivory and light blues. If the main colors are used for ceilings and walls and it is really no bigger, floor length curtains considerably affect the appearance of the height of the room, as do plates and other wall décor like a small metal wall art (http://www.laserwallart.com/servlet/-strse-COLLEGIATE/Categories) piece hung up high. Metal art is better fort his than canvas because it is slender.

High Ceilings: To give the effect of decreasing the high ceiling it should be painted or distempered in a deeper shade of color than that used for the walls. Pink and beige are good examples of this when set-off by a deep colored carpet.

North Room: North rooms usually lack sun, but they have a strong light, and colors most suited for rooms that face the north are warm creams, yellows, gold, pinks, peach and shades of reddish browns, which also tend to give warmth to these rooms which have a cold light.

The type of art that best suits a room of this type would be celestial themed art designs. You can find a lot of laser cut metal wall art (http://www.laserwallart.com) like this in holistic shops, or laser cut to order magazines.

About the Author

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in do-it-yourself interior design, home improvement, gardening, and landscaping. For an amazing selection of laser cut metal wall art and other types of metal wall décor, check out http://www.laserwallart.com/.

What Is Your Design Style

There are numerous options when it comes to determining your interior design style. If you don't know the difference between a Tuscan or Traditional, Contemporary or Casual then this article can help.

One of the most fundamental aspects to interior design is knowing what your personal design style is. But, it can be the most difficult aspect of your personality to figure out.

There are some wonderful ways to determine your interior design style but first let's take a look at why it is important to identify your preference at all.

There Are Fundamental Reasons

Image yourself needing a new car. You wander into a car lot already feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the choices so when approached by a sales representative who politely asks "May I help you?" it becomes almost overwhelming.

At that very moment, you realize you have no idea what you are looking for. Sure, you have a basic idea of color and desired interior features but as far as the specifics in regard to style, size, fuel type etc., you are at a total loss.

One of two things may happen at this point...you stomp out of the dealership feeling totally frustrated or, you end up buying something by default...not quite what you want, but you'll be happy with it for now.

Frequently, interior design consultants deal with this. Working with clients becomes more of a system of wading through a hodge podge of likes and dislikes. It's almost like pseudo psychology - counseling for the design constipated.

Most people already have a vague idea of what they like, but lack the clear thinking and vocabulary to communicate and implement those likes, in a clear designer fashion.

There Are Practical Reasons

By coming to a basic understanding of your style, it orders your mind and brings a cogency to the process. You will save time and definitely money being able to work within the parameters of the determined interior design style. You will know what works together and what wont'. The effort to implement will be simplified by understanding the theme options.

So, imagine yourself going back to the car lot. This time you are fully prepared. You know what vehicle you want, color, size, trunk capacity etc - you have worked out every facet of what you are looking for to best compliment your personality. Now you are prepared to make a deal. The dealer appreciates your preparedness, and before you know it, you are driving away with the car of your dreams.

There Are Emotional Reasons

A home that reflects who you are, will always provide a place of rest, rejuvenation and happy feelings. It's a known and proven fact that a home full of clutter and disorganization will darken any ones mood to some degree or another. Often, the feelings are not clearly identified, it can be just a low burn malaise or a down and dirty depression.

This, along with a purely "functional" view of home furnishings will not contribute to your overall well being and personal success.

Back to the car example...imagine yourself behind the wheel in the car of your dreams. Energized? Happy? Totally pumped? You've got a gas tank of sunshine! That's exactly how you can feel when it comes to your home that expresses your style.

So how does one go about identifying their personal design style? Here are some options:

1. Don't do anything at all and call yourself an "eclectic" when the subject comes up.

When I was teaching High School art students several years ago, I would often get the kid that would run up to my desk with a finished product that frankly, looked like....trash. When I would ask this aspiring young artist to explain why I should even consider evaluating it for a grade - the answer would often be "It's modern art".

Slowly and carefully I would rise out of my seat and explain to the student that "modern art" is not an excuse for sloppy and careless work. It's a choice made from an educated understanding of the art principles that inspired it.

What they did not understand was that most of the current modern artist put themselves under an exhaustive education of learning the fundamentals, the disciplines, the practice of solid art theories...once these were "mastered" they CHOSE the venue of modern art. It was not an excuse for lazy and haphazard, slap happy paint on a canvas explosion.

The same is true with the design style known as "Eclectic". Is is your choice or just a default mode because you don't think you deserve or can afford the home interior you want.

2. If you have the money - hire an professional.

A good design consultant will sit you down and pull out the shadows of your likes and dislikes. Once they identify a style to move into, the will be delighted to take it to the next level. This is a good option.

3. Take a Quiz

If you are more of a money saving do it yourself type, you can find in books, magazines and even online. One well known publisher (The For Dummies series) provides just such a quiz in their popular Home Decorating for Dummies paper back.

Another option are online surveys you can take that are fun and actually very insightful. Many not only identify your personal design style but will also help to clarify your over all personality in ways that you may have been aware of. One in particular can be found on the website called "iVillage", and contains a simple 8 question, instant analysis system.

4. Browse Around

Spend some time at your local Borders or Barnes and Noble. Grab a super sized coffee and hit the magazine and book racks to find the look you like. It could be a bit of this, some of that...there really is no hard and fast rule, but it may help to determine a consistent theme or approximate design style. Be sure to bring a notebook to jot down those important impressions for future ready reference.

About the Author

Frugal Home Design understands that a person can feel overwhelmed by all the design input that comes from so many sources so they have developed a unique personal design style product to clear away the fog and help you discover your perfect interior design style. Visit http://frugalhomedesign.com to learn more.

All Yellow Posters Concepts for the Summer

Usually, when seasons change, the items and interior of your room have to go along. For the summer, using shades of yellow to decorate your room will lighten up the rest of the interior in the area. You save on budget by not buying new furniture or decorations and have high quality and durable poster prints as art pieces and focal points easy for decorating.

Poster printing is a very practical way to change a room's façade fast. Also, with the right online printing company, you are provided with templates you can use, edit, add onto, and eventually turn into your own. Here are some concepts you might find useful for your summer redecorating project.

1. I Spy all yellow: For a kid's room, you can have a print of an I Spy book page, change the whole finishing in yellow to make the display more challenging. Now, with a gigantic poster of their favorite game, kids can always have something interesting to do on their walls.

2. Sun shot: A poster possesses a shiny finish that sunny shots will look extra good when printed on these materials. With standard poster sizes, you can collect different shots of you and your family under the sun such as beach/sand shots, biking/sports, or nature photographs. You can align these prints vertically on one corner of your room.

3. Yellow Elements: You can schedule your own photo shoot even at home. Build photos with different yellow elements in the photo. For example, you can have a garden shot of you wearing a yellow raincoat, yellow sprinkler, or have yellow flowers. With several 8.5x11" posters, the yellows in the prints will stand out when seen as a group.

Redecorating rooms and playing around with colors is one way to build themes for rooms. Also, with your online printing company to assist, you can count on high quality color and materials that pushing for a bright color, such as yellow, will be as bright as the sun.

About the Author

Nikki Sabato is a writer with a background in landscape architecture and design. She currently works in the field of marketing and design communication.