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I’m writing a book about design of spaces for kids. I’m looking for photos and design ideas for kids’ bedrooms, bathrooms, playrooms, studies, playhouses, etc., as well as spaces the whole family uses, such as kitchens, family rooms, patios and decks. If you have any design ideas or photos, let me know. I’d love to hear from you!
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Large cardboard refrigerator boxes. One for each friend also
*Yeah, we had one in our family room(!) for years. What I'm looking for is actual room designs, or details of rooms. Do you have anything?
*wendy recently I built a recessed "nap nook" in the deadspace of an 8/12 roof of a 1and 1/2 story guestcabin. The owner is having afoam mattress made tofit the floor. The floor is 16 inches above thefloor. the ceiling slopes to the rear and a drapery is used to close the opening for privacy.There is a switched light and a bookshelf nearby.It is inhabited currently by two or three largeteddy bears.
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How about a kids playroom with a 12 inch trench around the perimiter except for the doorway-toy storage-no toy boxes, shelves, cabinets etc. just push the toys in trench-instant clean up-blocks mixed up with cars and teddy bears-so what-carpet the walls. The trench becomes one of the toys.
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Sounds neat, Don. Do you have a snapshot or design you could send? Wendy Jordan
*Yes! I love the trench idea! Do you have a photo I could take a look at? Wendy Jordan
*Wendy I'd be happy to send you a snap shot of theNap Nook or a working drawing. One problem'Where do i send it to? sincerely Don.
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I like the idea of indoor-outdoor carpet on the floors and walls. A drain in the middle of the floor would help, also. Except you have to be careful not to hose down the cardboard boxes. Large plastic bins of dirt should be brought in, also - it will save the children the trouble of tracking it in.
Seriously, I did see this neat thing in the family room of a friend's house, that could work for kids: a plywood platform was suspended from the ceiling, by decorative chains, so that it was about 3 feet off the floor; it was fitted with a "slipcovered" mattress and lots of big pillows. Of course, you would make it closer to the ground for children, and I would also pad the edges of the plywood. Fun to nap, read AND swing on! Plus, a great place to play Big Looziana Alligator in the Water.
Patty
*The wife and I recently placed a bid on a home that had a guest suite built onto one side of the 2 car garage. Her idea was to keep all the kids belongings in it (along with the kids I think may have been her true intention) The garage is about 50 feet from the house which is about the distance needed to eliminate the noise pollution the children make by running around, playing, fighting, whining, etc....Had i only known, I would have just bought a dog.Pete Draganic
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Sounds like a really fun idea. Do you have any photos I could take a look at? Wendy Jordan
*Did you get the house? How many addresses will you have -- one for you and one for the kids?? Now your wife will probably be so worried about how the kids are doing out there that she'll put in one of the baby monitors and listen to the noise all day long!
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Two Words Wendy:
Fireman's Pole.
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Actually, I hate wall to wall carpet, indoor or outdoor. It is too hard to clean, and eventually bacteria and other nasties (like pet stuff) WILL build up in it, necessitating replacement. Instead, to give a warm cushioned surface that can be used for trikes and hotweels and tops use rubber flooring. Commercial grade flooring comes in tiles as well as sheets, many patterns and colors, and is resistant to just about everything. I think the possibilities for designing a wonderful pattern of colors and/or textures are much greater and cheaper than doing the same with carpet. And you can have a floor drain (great idea) to boot. And if neccessary, continue up the walls with it...then all you would need to do is add a slot in the door for meal trays and you're set for the teenage years... :-)
As for storage, if you can't do a trench, how about a built-in bench all around the room. Supported by brackets or braces from the rear would make cleaning under it easey, and the kids could could just shove the toys underneath. Vary the height a bit as you go, add higher and lower sections, even a curved bump or two... The kids will use it for everything from running toy cars to naps to pirates to climbing everest. This *could* be covered with a tight nap carpet and be expected to wear well and be comfortable.
Lisa
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Got outbid on the house as of one week ago. IT is in a great community but is kinda small but has a huge yard. Think I may be better off spending more money on a house that has the room we need rather than getting a deal on a smaller one and spending the extra time and money adding on. Might just wait a while longer and build one from scratch but I'll probably be 90 before I ever finish it.
Pete Draganic
*Wendy, nope, no photo, but maybe someone could sketch it for you based on my description?Dan, yeah, a fireman's pole that goes down to the swinging bed-platform!Lisa, I was just kidding about the carpet. I like hardwood floors - easy to keep clean, softens falls. Then there's the trusty battlship linoleum...Pete, big yard, big yard! Big deck, big deck! I have one built around an old pecan tree. Worked for me! Kids stayed outside all the time,i especiallyduring their teenaged years! Ran electricity for jam boxes - hell, they even took a little tv out there to watch the Saints! And I spied on them from my second-story roost, heh. (When you have girls, youi spy.)We still use the deck; they bring husband and children over to use the deck - the deck has been wonderful!Did I mention that we used boyfriend labor to help build the deck? ; )Patty
*Wendy,How's publishing your book?? When will it be on the shelves??
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Taunton Press is publishing the book. Do you have any
ideas or photos to share with me? Love to hear from
you.
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I'm writing a book about design of spaces for kids. I'm looking for photos and design ideas for kids' bedrooms, bathrooms, playrooms, studies, playhouses, etc., as well as spaces the whole family uses, such as kitchens, family rooms, patios and decks. If you have any design ideas or photos, let me know. I'd love to hear from you!
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unfortunately no pix, only a vision, actually it was my older brothers idea-he was an odd kind of engineer-had a lot of practical ideas. He would not even keep silverware in kitchen drawer seperated in cutsy little knife and fork cut outs-all in one big drawer all mixed up-reach and grab, but I don't quite go that far ,we just have spoon bins, fork bins etc.
And hey don't knock carpet on walls until you try it. You will always have alergens everywhere but for those real sensitive other options are available. How about big hanging pads like used in school gyms-removable for tumbling etc and rehang on wall for crashing and bangin games and soundproofing.