KidSpace Stuff

Really Unique Bunkrooms for Kids

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 172013

If your last round of holiday or summer guests was a little unorganized and you have room for a bunkroom…..now is the time to get started because I guarantee—they’ll be back! And if you want to keep them coming back, nothing is more exciting than a really unique bunkroom for kids to call home during a visit.

Why not try one of these amazing ideas……

Sailboats everywhere…..on the walls, the ceiling, and even the beds! Pure fun and adventure awaits as each visitor takes on the sea. I’m sure imaginations will go wild….as will the fish tales.

bright green painted bunkroom cubes for kids

Colorful cubicles can easily fill a corner in a large room, each with plenty of space and light for reading, playing, or talking to other guests

It’s a log cabin life……with a rustic, western look used to fill small, unused spaces in attic, alcoves, or lofts.

Reminiscent of the original “bunkroom” from the ranch, tuck your little “hired hands” in bed each night in a room stacked with beds surrounded by barnwood.

Utilize a loft or room with a vaulted ceiling by going up, up, up with beds. Love the combination of old wood beams with metal ladders and railings plus the pop of orange for eye candy.

What a view! Two over three with storage bins below the bed. Who could resist bunking in a room like this one…..watching the sunrise for sure!

Need more bunkroom ideas? Check out Kids’ Unique Bunkrooms, Awesome Bunkrooms at Grandma’s, Unique Nautical Bunkrooms, and the Kids’ Bunk Room Essentials Series for storage, privacy, and small space ideas.

Drawing Art on Kids’ Room Walls

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 162013

Do your kids like to draw “art” on the wall? Some of mine did but not too often (thank goodness!) and it was mostly light, easy to clean stuff.

When I found the photos in this post, it turned my thoughts to “what if drawing on the wall was really art instead of just scribbles?”

I’m not talking about painted murals or anything elaborate….not even color-by-number or wallpaper, just black and white line drawings.

I LOVE the cityscape behind the collection of toy cars. What a great place for little boys to play!

Artwork designed for timeout…..cute and simple.

Vintage room décor? Draw old suitcases on the wall when you don’t have room to stack the real thing.

Who doesn’t love a Vespa! Great addition to a playroom or bedroom designed around travel.

Featuring your budding artist-in-residence…..organic, continuous thoughts on the wall.

And, when you tire of the drawing on the wall, there’s always paint to cover and restore the walls back to the ordinary. Hmmm…..I see a project beginning.

3 Reasons Parents want LED Showerheads

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 152013

Have you seen the LED showerheads? I think it is really ingenious design but there are 3 reasons parents want them for the kids’ bathroom….and it’s more than just getting them to bathe!

1) Protection from Scalding: You don’t have to wait for kids to scream “it’s cold” or cry when it’s hot—a temperature sensor within the unit causes the color to change….blue for cold, red for hot, and green for “just right”!

2) Extra Light in the Bathroom: The LED light illuminates the waterfall—no batteries needed as the light is powered by running water.

3) Easy Retrofit: Most units match with any standard shower hose for a quick change-out of the old head for the new and hand held units are great for bathing little tykes.

Price will range from $10 to $250. To make sure you get a unit that will last, remember, you get what you pay for…..stick with a company that sells quality fixtures.

Kids’ Room Color Essentials

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 112013

“Among all the aspects of interior design, color is one of the most important—perhaps the most important element.”

John Pile

True statement…..especially as it applies to kids’ rooms. Children are naturally drawn to color and from an early age can have an unwavering favorite color preference.

Color alone can accomplish many design objectives in a kid’s room—create an impression, add vitality, trigger an emotion, divert attention, or even manipulate a room without architectural extras.

Color combination as well as choice is important. The right colors can bring satisfaction while bad choices can make any well-designed room unpleasant.

The Kids’ Room Color Essentials series in our design basics will help you see how to properly blend colors and create combinations that work. It will cover:

Light and Dark
Warm and Cool
Chroma and Intensity
Tints, Tones, and Shades
Monochromatic Schemes
Analogous Schemes
Triadic Schemes
Complementary Schemes

Have a room you want to improve? Changing the color scheme is the easiest way to transform and unattractive space into something you and your kids will love. Watch for enlightening ideas as we cover color.

Kids’ Room Color Schemes {Lovely Lavender}

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 102013

The next color in our kids’ room color scheme series is “lovely lavender”. (Can’t resist using a little alliteration now and then.)

Color influences us physiologically as well as emotionally. Color can influence our moods as well as provoke reactions—just ask marketing gurus why they use specific colors in specific places!

Lavender is known for the following:

Being the color of femininity—sort of a grown up pink.
Grace, elegance, and refinement.
Suggesting something special without the mystery of purple.
Replenishing, rebuilding, and restoring balance.

Have a tween who wants to be grown up but is still a kid or a girl who enjoys being a girl? Try spreading a little lavender around the room…..like one of these lightly elegant rooms.

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More Kids’ Room Color Schemes:

Cool Showers for Kids’ Bathrooms

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 092013

“Bathtime is successful when your kids get wetter than you do.”

Dee Ann Stewart

True statement. Sometimes just getting them IN the water is progress. Do your kids avoid bathtime? Do they scream when their head gets wet? Or, are your kids the ones who splash water all over the floor and stay in the tub until wrinkled from head to toe?

If shower (bathtime) is a daily problem, take a good long look at your shower. Boring design, dark corners, and small rooms don’t look too enticing to kids. Maybe one of the shower designs shown below will turn bathtime terror into successful showering…..

Almost like being rained on through a window…..but with the comfort of warm water. Great shower design!

cool shower tile design for kids bathroom

What kid wouldn’t want to get cleaned up with such a cool design on the wall!

Run ‘em in, run ‘em out. I LOVE showers with nothing more than walls and floor to clean! Nix the curtain, doors with tracks, and glass enclosures that always need cleaning. Perfect kid shower.

Except for the glass divider (glass block would be easier to maintain), this shower set up is perfect…..the “hose ‘em down shower” and “splashing won’t hurt “ bathtub. Smart design.

Lots more kids bathroom ideas here and here…..and here too.

Value of Interior Designers {Opinion}

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 082013

There has been an ongoing debate for several years about interior designers, especially the differences between a designer and a decorator and value of services they provide.

In a previous post I linked to an article titled 10 Reasons Interior Designers Matter. I had planned to add my top 10 reasons why you should hire a designer like the hundreds of others already on the net, but decided against it.

You see you can find a reason to do anything you really want to do. Hiring a designer is only an option for you when you find their services valuable.

Do you know the value of interior designers?

Apparently, most people don’t. Lots of bad information floating around out there. What really grabbed my attention and caused my post content to shift was another article I found about the bad reasons to hire a designer.

After reading the article, I realized the problem stems from design industry not properly educating the general public. People just really don’t know what all we can do.

Even an architect I worked for once asked me, “What can interior designers do?” I thought he was kidding but found out he really didn’t know what all my education and training had covered.

Once I got over my irritation I decided to do a rebuttal to “bad reasons” but not on this blog post…..your eyes would glaze over halfway through the post.

My reply and opinion on the value of interior designers is written in a separate downloadable article.

You might say I am biased but I’m really not.….just informed about a designer’s value. And you can be too. If you are interested, download it here.

Kids’ Playrooms: Uniquely Modern, Old Room

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 042013

So far in our Series: Modernizing Old Buildings + Kids’ Rooms we have covered bedrooms and bathrooms. So what if you have an old home, love modern stuff, AND need a kids’ playroom? Just how do you make an “old room uniquely modern” for a play place? There is a way……

First, buy or move into an old house that can be restored easily—ok, maybe some work on your part—but if you find one with lots of original details that need a little TLC, you can preserve the historical features that are sure to add instant charm.

Clean it up, patch cracking plaster, refinish doors and cabinets, renew old hardware, and repair damages to floors. Paint surfaces high and low to preserve wood (and little fingers from splinters), then begin adding your modern touches like…..

Furniture—sleek, contemporary lines with a little of the unusual thrown in makes it fun for the kids.
Light fixtures—wall or ceiling, for dramatic effect or purely utilitarian, modern fixtures fit in an old home. (And don’t forget to update the switch plates, placing them in easy reach for kids to turn lights on and off.)
Area rugs—add for a soft place to play on hard floors or to add a burst of color. If you have beautiful wood floors you want to show off, use the rug for a smaller part of the room.
Pillows—use for seating (or pillow fights) but keep them colorful with contemporary patterns and fun shapes.
Artwork—is the easiest place to add a uniquely modern touch to any old room. Find something really special.

Check out the photos below to see how well playrooms of such varied designs fit into old homes.

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Watch for post from the Series: Modernizing Old Buildings + Kids’ Rooms:

Kids’ Bathrooms: Old Walls, New Fixtures and Accessories

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 032013

I’m sure you have heard the saying, “What’s old is new again”. It really applies to modernizing kids’ bathrooms in old homes with new fixtures and accessories.

Thanks to manufacturers, you can update an old bathroom with new fixtures that look old….meaning old style design.

From pedestal sinks to old-time fixtures to vintage lighting, old is new again and you get the best of both worlds. You get modern function with old style updated for current times.

OR…..you can refurbish old fixtures and modernize the rest of the room with accessories and finishes.

Freestanding claw foot bathtubs are in hot demand but are often in need of refinishing. You can update the finish with a contemporary color but still retain the original charm and personality.

A fun and funky shower curtain, lighting, and colorful tiles on floor and wall add the modern touch you want while eliminating maintenance issues from old materials.

Small space bathrooms in older homes often lack necessary storage. Who says you need a bulky cabinet for storage? Rolled towels in a basket are accessible and out of the way under the no-frills counter.

Notice how the bathroom to the right has a new “vintage” style sink, mirrored wall cabinet, and light fixture, totally in keeping with the historic look of the home.

Storage found! Recessed areas painted, finished, and organized with shelves and doors are perfect ways to put unused space to work. Get the look and feel of expensive storage for less.

Leave the register….but lose the old sink and modernize with a cool new fixture. Even this small space feels larger with the right fixture, large mirror, and lighter colors.

If you really want to modernize a tiny bathroom, add a corner tub, new hardware (ultra cool style), and fabulous wall tile design. Sleek!

Not every item needs changed to make it modern and easier for kids to use. You can preserve historic charm with just changing a few simple details….and have the best of both worlds.

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Watch for post from the Series: Modernizing Old Buildings + Kids’ Rooms:

Kids’ Bedrooms: Modernizing Old Rooms

Posted by jsimpson at 10:00 am

Apr 022013

Carved wooden balustrades, embossed metal window latches, odd shaped windows, and interior brick walls…..just a few distinctive examples of craftsmanship found in old buildings. That’s the fun part of old homes.

The not so fun part is lack of modern conveniences—closets, HVAC, and finished walls—we take for granted. So, if you have an older home, here are a few ideas for modernizing old rooms for kids’ use.

I love the first room shown above! Ever seen an old brick warehouse with high windows bricked in? Bunk beds and bookcase built-in take advantage of an unused opening. Modern furniture mixes well with old brick and wood floors. And if the wood floors are in bad shape, paint can add a modern touch.

Compare a little here—transom windows, heat register, high ceilings and wood floors (not typical in most modern homes) combined with simple box storage, contemporary rocker, pouf and area rug plus “Once there was a tree….” adorning the closet door. What a great modern touch added to this kid’s room!

Neutral color scheme highlights both old and new. Old wood floors and fireplace add wonderful architectural detail and character to this baby nursery while furniture, fabric, and accessories add a modern flair. Drapery and painted wall design go one step beyond.

Bedding, including throw pillows can quickly transform an old room and add a seriously modern touch. Fabric in current patterns, textures, and colors are wonderful transformational tools.

This little all-white attic alcove feels modern just from pillows and especially the artwork on a shelf.

See, all it takes is a few little touches using paint, fabric, and the right furniture for you to easily make any old room modern for kids’ use.

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Watch for post from the Series: Modernizing Old Buildings + Kids’ Rooms:

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