AbbeyK — On Interior Design

Designing with Young Families in Mind

A lot of my clients have young children and they don’t want a very expensive sofa that they can’t sit in because it’s white and they’re afraid they’re going to stain it.

Or they don’t want a chair upholstered in a silk brocade as it is not only expensive, but it might break if you jump on it or it could potentially be stained with one jelly hand.

Most of my clients want something that’s beautiful but livable. And so for me, that’s really important.

How do I do it, when small children are involved? Performance fabric, solid construction (after all kids are hard on furniture) and patterns that help hide an occasional spill. That and stain treating.

Oh and by the way...If it looks "precious" it probably is.

Micro free fabric

Here's a great new fabric called Agion by C.F. Stinson.

It's the first PVC-free polyurethane upholstery with a patented antimicrobial technology that uses silver ions to ward off bacteria for the life of the furniture. No chlorine, no bromine, and no placticizers, either. Performance that's “green."

It is available in four patterns and packs an incredibly durable rating of 400,000 double rubs. That's about as durable as it gets.

Sure it's a great product for commercial use, but think family room built ins, banquettes, kitchen chairs. Fabulous.

10 Ideas for a Fabulous Kid's Room

A kid’s room can be a space for a child to grow into, a magical space for a child to play in, or a space for an older child to retreat to. You’d be surprised the changes a touch of creativity can make. Here are 10 great tips to create a room your kids love!

1. Color Since children often prefer bold colors that are too bright for adult tastes, compromise is the way to go. Try choosing softer tones in the same family color family. You can bring in the drama with accent pieces or by adding bold colors in small doses. A cobalt blue counter top with a dramatic glass strip adds sparke and interest.

2. Walls A can of paint can transform a room, but there’s no stopping there. Great wallpaper borders exist at low prices. They can be added as a chair rail, crown molding or interest above a changing table. Stencils, stamping, and faux finishes are fun and stylish.

3. Windows Window treatments can make a room, but you don’t need to spend a fortune to create fun and functional window treatments. Ribbon, stamps, and cutouts can add interest to simple store-bought curtains. A design can even be applied to vinyl pull-down shades.


4. Flooring To make flooring interesting, do up the floors. Adding a fluffy rug, a painted design, or an educational rug can bring interest underfoot.






























5. Ceilings Ceilings are the most under-used space in a room and white is no longer the trend. Canopies, hanging lights, starry nights, clouds and colored ceilings are popular today.


6. Furnishings Wood pieces painted fun colors add personality and can save you money if you use paint-grade wood furniture or garage sale finds. Young children also appreciate furnishings that are scaled down. But remember a spot for Mom and Dad, too.


















7. Bedding A great inexpensive idea for a headboard is padded fabric hung from a curtain rod. Trundle beds are also a great idea for space saving.


8. Theme Rooms From Fantasy storybook, to transportation, to sports, to rustic cabin, to far-away lands, there’s no end to ideas for a great retreat.


















9. Looks that Last Furniture that can adapt as your child grows is an investment worth making. Because tastes change as kids grow, items which are inexpensive to change like towels, posters or bedding area great way to decorate without having to redo a room frequently.


10. Organization and Storage When everything has a home, clutter disappears and organization is a snap. Model a room like a kindergarten classroom with labeled activity areas, and you will teach them organization that will last a lifetime.

Basement Theme Room

Recipe: Adirondak basement

Take one pinch of checked fabric for the window treatments.
Add a table spoon of ultrasuede for the sofa bed.
Mix well with wool rustic pillows.
Stir in lots of cabinets for storage and a desk for a great
work area.

Add casegoods made out of branches and accessories to taste.

Safari theme room

What can be more fun than a safari theme room? Dreams of wild animals abound.

I typically do not suggest wall paper boarders when doing a theme, but this client loved wall paper so we went for it! If you are looking for a safer bet with longer life span, keep the themed items on easily changed items such as pillows, towels and bedding.

Don't you just love the animal prints?

(Click to see a larger image.)

Basement not in the dark

Common misconception: Basements so dark and drab. Paint them a bold color.

The biggest mistake people make is painting their basements bright bold colors thinking it will make them brighter. Actually, correct lighting will make a dark room brighter. Track lighting used here is a great choice for a basement. Todays fixtures are not giant white cans like in the 70's.

For paint colors stick to colors that are soft and light. Too bright and they'll advance at you and feel shocking and jarring.

Another tip for a basement? Use flooring suitable for a basement (below grade.) Vinyl composite tile (VCT) used here is a great choice for the art area. Were this basement to ever flood, it's easy to take up.