Modern with kids?
Lili24
My tastes are modern/transitional, I'm purchasing a home built in 1948 with a fabulous white marble fireplace in the living room which has a giant 18 X 24 framed mirror over it. I think with the amount of light the new house gets and the marble fireplace as the focal point the living room calls for something more me, more bright, colorful and modern. I'm recently divorced and admittedly distracting myself with a renovation of this house. I have custody of my 4-year-old son and don't want to shock the lil guppy with an overhaul of the type of housing he is used to living in. We previous had a townhouse with dad that was traditional dark full of wood and sports memorbilla really typical family friendly midwestern home and not really "me". So can I decorate my house in my tastes and tough luck the kid will have to live with it or should I respect my son's comfort and what he's used to in light if the changes he is going through and tone down my modern design plan for something more family friendly and comfortable to him? Oh yeah he has his own room which he is in total control over I think he's decided on crayon green with race cars and fire truck theme...go figure.
ju-ju
Change is never easy on a child, but, a fresh start in life and home deserves a fresh look. With lots of support and love, your son will adapt to all of the changes more easily than you think, but, he deserves to have a say in your new life together. Let him be involved in some decorating choices (even small ones like: "which pillow do you like for the sofa?" or "do you like this color for the kitchen walls?" etc.) and it will make him feel that his opinion matters and will allow him to be included. When we moved to a new home, my kids (then aged 3 & 6) picked out the paint colors they wanted for their rooms (surprisingly they made great choices!!) and I allowed them to choose (from 2-3 that I had already paired down) their new bedding, curtains etc. And 2 years later, they are still proud of their rooms! Of course, the rest of the house is my domain...and my decor. And to be honest, the kids (and the husband) don't really care as long as the tv works!
catwoman708
You do not need to consult a 4 year old on how to decorate your home. You can decorate it any way you want, just keeping safety (and durability) in mind. Of course you wouldn't want all white carpet and furniture, sharp edges, or anything really delicate that might get broken, but other than that, suit yourself! The only thing kids really care about is their own room, the video games, and if there is a yard to play in. If you have a yard, consult him about what kind of swing set or tree house/fort he wants, where to put the wading pool, or let him plant a butterfly garden. I saw a great kid's room recently, that was kind of like a simplistic outdoor mural all around the room. They had about 3 feet along the bottom painted green (for grass), the top part painted shades of blue, and clouds on the ceiling. A tree was painted in the corner, and an old wooden bunk bed had been modified to look like a tree house, up against the "tree" on the wall, complete with ladder/steps. The "tree house" was a reading loft, full of books and large floor pillows. Underneath was a toy chest and kid sized lawn furniture.
ju-ju
Allow me to clarify that I was not advising anyone to allow a child to decorate their home...simply suggesting that a child in the midst of great change might accept their new living situation with only one (rather than both) parent(s) more easily if they are excited about it, and feel involved in some of the changes that effect them too.When I suggest that you should allow the child to be involved in the decorating decisions, I specifically mean to choose two or three pillows that you yourself like, and ask the the child to pick the one they like best, and use in on your sofa. I do not mean to allow them to choose neon green paint for your bedroom.That said, I (of course) think that you should decorate your new home in the style you like most, and feel most comfortable in. I will suggest one other thing: If you plan for your new home to have a seperate area for your son to play in (a play room), you can allow him to have a lot of his own input here, AND you won't have toys cluttering up the rest of your space.
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