Children Special (Part I)

6 August 2011,
People grow up. It’s a fact of life. Though almost and never soon enough, your once newborn human will know how to sort colors, follow trend, obsess over a superhero (or villain), and want their bedrooms transformed to speak their individuality. Parents are rapidly catching onto this inevitable process and reimagining nurseries with infallible ease to convert into kids rooms. Any kind of transition can be difficult, but there are fail-proof ways to embrace the revolution of change – without sacrificing the love of gender-bias.

“Pink or blue, nothing new. Nurseries and children’s space, apply these clues.”

Double-Cross With Colors
* Avoid dullness by making use of wall stickers and shelving.
Think adaptability. Not all things work like liquid paper – off-white doesn’t always cover up royal blue, and even when it does, traces of the old are bound to haunt you after the new coat has dried and settled. We’re talking about wall paint in a very literal sense. So, how does one train their walls to go incognito without leaving a trail? Play with tints.
Tinting means the many various hues you can achieve by adding white. Colorists didn’t just adjoin the word ‘baby’ to names of colors for fun (baby blue, baby pink, etc.). It is a method of classifying all things novel, rudimentary, and starting out. Any color and non-color, including black, when laced with enough white, has perfect adaptability. When the time comes for your child to shed his/her infancy, simply increase the shade (add black) and change tone (depth). Designers call this fine-tuning.

Distinctive Instinct
In regard to high-fashion, one either goes LOUD or goes home. There’s no need to forgo the little perks of bringing home either a girl or a boy, or both. Customize with accessories. An all-around white crib can be cushioned with personalized beddings and paired with an eye-popping portrait or plush to match. Going the opposite spectrum of the wall color is ideal; however, maintain a primary depth throughout the process: If the room is overall soft and neutral, choose themes that are on the crass side; if the walls are ostentatious, opt for modest furnishings.

Nothing In Excess
* Steer clear of reds in nurseries. Reds and dark-toned colors have a tendency to make a room feel warmer than its actual temperature.
It takes a bit of expert advice to make a room less cluttered. Key word: less. Creating the illusion of spaciousness is but as simple as playing with colors and lighting. Avoid dark colors, as they can feel like an enclave; stay close to soft hues. Table lamps with large shades can easily become the focal point of the room – play with layers instead. Natural lights also help to open up a room, so make sure windows are plentiful and large.

Tell A Tall Tale
Sometimes … something in a frame just won’t do. Rather than conform to customary trends, turn your nursery into a giant canvas. Personalized murals are not only autocratic, but they tell timeless tales without a mention of a single word. The quality of the imagery, of course, depends on the artist(s) solicited to paint; but vision, the storyboard in which the child will live to know, is determined by the parents. Are you ready for creative control?