I am willing to depart from the flow with paint colors and fabrics. Kids tend to love bolder, clearer colors on their walls than their parents prefer in other areas of the home. If I’m designing a shared space such as a playroom or media room, I am more sensitive to what pleases all parties. AHMMS: How can you update a growing child’s room without completely overhauling the design? AL: With thoughtful planning, you can start with window treatments, furniture and light fixtures that look sweet enough for a nursery but timeless enough for older kids and pre-teens. Select window treatments that will transition to an older child’s room. Plan ahead and have pillow shams and bed skirts made for future big-boy or big-girl beds. That forms a foundation from which he or she can add special sheets or pull in the latest favorite color, while the room hangs together enough to please mom and dad. AHMMS: What must-haves do you recommend for a children’s area of the home? AL: I love bulletin or magnet boards, the bigger the better, for kids’ spaces. I make upholstered memory boards in coordinating fabrics and I make magnet boards from framed sheets of galvanized metal. Other necessities include bookshelves to display their treasured reading material, plenty of wall hooks and baskets and bins for easy tidying up. AHMMS: What is the best part of designing for children? AL: The best part of designing for children is their genuine appreciation and excitement. Several years ago a client’s daughter wore a purple dress to see her newly painted purple bedroom. She threw up her arms and shrieked with joy when we opened the doors to reveal her favorite color. Her mom and I were beaming as she was giggling and exploring.
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