Inspiring Creativity: Design With your Child’s Creative Side in Mind

Since this month we’re focusing our creativity on the spaces kids inhabit (The Pinterest Room Challenge Room of the Month is the Kids Room), we should
probably also take some time to look at how to design a living space that will inspire a child’s creativity. Many people spend countless hours dreaming up and
decorating their baby’s nursery, preparing for their bundle of joy to arrive. But now that bundle’s here and you’re all ready for a change. How do you create a living space to maximize your child’s youthful exuberance and imagination?

First, I’d say it’s important to remember that kids tastes are ever-changing. Luckily, paint’s pretty cheap, and most decor can be swapped around when it’s time for a fresh look.

Even though I paint murals, I’d probably recommend staying away from a mural, instead going for broad strokes of color with coordinating accent colors.  I would also recommend letting your child choose, if they’re old enough. I wouldn’t expect them to pick an exact shade, but if they say purple makes them happy, work some purple in that color scheme. The best children’s rooms I’ve seen aren’t afraid to ignore gender standards. Little girls can have lime green walls, little boys can have royal purple, there are no limits. It’s all about making their space inviting and fun and a place where they are excited to spend time, whether it’s to play or take a nap.

Visual interest is key for the developing minds of children. Whether you apply repositionable wall decals, hang mobiles from the ceiling, or make an interesting display with wall shelves and unique toys, making the room as inviting and fun as possible is the goal. I enjoy wall decals and murals to inspire creative play, as a variety of scenes tailored to your child’s interests are available, and it’d be pretty hard not to have a great time making up pretend-play scenarios with a farm or castle scene on the wall. However, I will caution away from being over-stimulating in an area that’s meant for sleeping, especially if you know your child is prone to being distressed or amped up by too much visual stimulation. For example, bright neons and a lot of busy wall art are fine for a playroom, but a bedroom should be a little more low-key.

A great idea for both types of room, though, is plenty of storage. It’s great to sort storage areas into “centers”, where children have the option to play with certain items, but are also able to start learning the skills of cleaning up. I personally also love having a “lost and found” jar where stray puzzle pieces, marbles, and building blocks can visit each other until their proper home is found. Giving your child options for play and laying the foundation for good personal skills is just as important as capturing their imaginations through
decor.

Hopefully you and your child can form a one-of-a-kind design team and create a space that captivates them and inspires them to live their creative lives out loud. There is nothing more exciting and wonderful than the imagination of a child.