Not long ago one of my nearest and dearest girlfriends called to ask me if I had chosen a theme for my son's new room. I recoiled against the question and then had to confess, I am not a very themey kind of gal. It's all too much for me. I know I am probably about to offend, well, pretty much everyone I know, since I can't think of a lad or lass out there whose room isn't themed out to the max. Maybe I am a decor commitment phobe, or perhaps I just can't fathom adhering to a themed room when kids are so filled with imagination and ever-changing interests. But as far as my kids' rooms go, we'll be going themeless.
I am in the process of compiling ideas for Matteo's space in our new house. Not sure exactly what I want to do yet, but it's going to be a departure from his last room which, of course, was his nursery. It is time to say good bye to lullabies and sweet, soft baby blue... sniff. Matteo is almost three and all boy. Rough and tumbly and into everything from Tonkas and firetrucks to tools and robots to superheros and monsters. He has saved me from the dreaded theme concept for children's rooms just by being himself. Earlier this year it was Lightning McQueen, before Christmas it was Tonkas, then Spiderman and Transformers and no sooner had I lamented that he hadn't expressed any interest in animals when all of a sudden he is intrigued with owls, bats and chipmunks.
And so, in an effort to find design inspiration I've had to abandon the regular resources and think outside the box. Even Pottery Barn proved too themey for me (beautiful furniture though). As far as I am concerned, themes are for birthday parties when kids are into an of-the-moment thing. Then I stumbled across this modern mom's magazine called Cookie. In it was an article about kids rooms and lo and behold, they were so darn stylish and blessedly theme-free. Everything from nostalgic vintage-chic to modern-fabulous. The magazine's website provided even more food for thought. Mum's from all over the world emailed photos of their kid's rooms. What a breath of fresh air! Rooms painted crisp white and the color provided by artwork, accessories and toys. With a neutral backdrop and the right combination of shelving and furniture, I think Matteo's favourite things will provide more than enough colour and visual stimulation without any help from a wallpaper border, thank you very much.
I am looking for that perfect combination of classic and modern. I like funky, old-fashioned furniture painted up in bright colors and juxtaposed against modern graphic bedding. Oh! And I mustn't forget the thing I am most excited about- a giant World Map for my pint-sized explorer. Colourful, educational, classic and fun.
Finally, in addition to my eclectic take on design for kids I can feel good about recycling old pieces instead of outfitting a room with all-new furniture. Did I mention my boy is rough and tumbly? His furniture is going to see some serious wear and tear. But this isn't about filing my kid's room with junky cast-offs. It is about making a conscious effort to be environmentally responsible, re-use and re-purpose and to find items that can withstand the test of time and still stay stylish and functional so my darling boy has a room he can grow with, not into or out of over time.
