
Inviting Adventure into your Child's Bedroom
When it comes to a childs bedroom, the majority of overworked parents will simply paint the walls, buy white or pine furniture and possibly theme it with super hero or princess bed linen. Add a picture and a few toys and voilà, the perfect bedroom ..fail! Okay, not a true fail but if you want to truly inspire your children, give them something more than a room for sleeping give them a catalyst for their imagination.
More Than a Bed
There are some incredible joinery-made, fantasy beds out there, from castles to space ships, however few of us have the time, skills or money for something that elaborate. Fortunately, its easy to modify an existing set of bunk beds or a loft bed, and your child will appreciate it. You can buy ready-made bunk curtains but you can create your own in minutes, with zero sewing or screwing. You will need: an extendable shower curtain tension rod, curtain clip rings and a single-sized, flat bed sheet. Thread the clip rings onto the rod and fix securely in place between the bed posts, fold the sheet in half lengthways and attach the clip rings. Instant curtain. And you can repeat the process with smaller bits of fabric for the ends. If you or your child are feeling creative, you could use fabric paints and fabric markers to turn your sheet into something spectacular, like a castle, shop or even an alien planet. You could also cut out windows and glue some net curtain material over the holes. If youre handy with power tools, you could get some MDF and use a jigsaw to cut out fun fascia boards to attach to the bed frame. Make it look like rock, so its the entrance to a cave, or if your child is into castles, you could add some ramparts or towers.
Outdoors Indoors
If you want to remind your children that its fun to be outside, why not bring some inside? Get some large tree branches and position them around the room. These should be allowed to dry out first and make sure theyre not infested with insects. If your children are old enough, attach a tall branch from floor to the ceiling, then paint an extension branch across the ceiling. Bolt a swing or hammock to the painted branch. Safety first, so you may want to invest in foam matting or thick carpet. To encourage your child to be active, you could add a short climbing wall.
If your tree is all about interior décor and not homely traditions, you can opt to theme your spruce based on current trends. These include metallic colours in everything from pewter to platinum; red and white stripes, reminiscent of candy canes, which brighten and lift the tree; retro-style, tin decorations from the fifties and sixties (popcorn strings would be de rigueur here) and ornaments made from wood and other natural materials, such as hessian, which could be closer to what the original Christmas trees looked like.
Secret Rooms
If there is suitable loft space next to your childs bedroom, why not consider converting it to a secret play area? A fun idea would be to create a secret entryway to the loft area through a wardrobe (a la Narnia). Imagine what wonderful adventures would take place in their secret room. And that room could be turned into their own fantasy land, such as a jungle, King Arthurs court or outer space.
Walls and Ceilings
Consider murals for the ceiling and walls; stencils are available to make it easy. Hang beaded curtains from the ceiling to create a maze from the bed to the door. Yes, it will make it challenging to clean the room but when you see the look on your childs face, it will be worth it.
Your children will have fond memories of playing and exploring in a special place created just for them.