SKW ENG V09

LIFESTYLE
Start with a room plan
You’ll need:
• A measuring tape
• Note book and pen
Measure and jot down the exact
measurements of the entire room, from
wall to wall. Note too, where the doors,
windows and closets are. Discuss with
your child to get ideas of how they would
want their ‘dream room’ to look like. You
can make a simple drawing of the room
dimensions on plain paper. From there, you
can plan the layout of the furniture and
‘rearrange’ them until your child decides
on the ideal plan.
Know your budget (and
stick within that limit)
Decide on a budget amount and vow to
stick to it. Discuss the budget with your
child; this is a good opportunity to teach
them about money management and
appreciation. Include your child’s opinion
to help in the decision making process
when it comes to prioritizing purchases for
the room.
Versatility
Choosing the right furniture for instance,
can be a challenge, especially if you are
dealing with a child’s whims and fancies.
Some children also have a tendency
to change their preferences regularly,
especially to match up with current trends.
In this situation, finding a lasting set of
ideas when decorating the kid’s room
would be the smartest step to take.
Unless you don’t mind a total makeover
in a few years (or perhaps less!), entertain
your child’s fancies for a certain trend
with bed-sheets, comforters, rugs, curtain
and posters of his fancied movie/sports/
cartoon character instead of purchasing a
whole bedroom set with that one theme.
Using your creativity, there are many
ways you can accommodate a child’s
fancy or obsession for a trend realistically
and wisely.
Theming and scheming
Select a theme and choose a color
scheme. It would be so much more easier
if you need only pick and choose from
bedroom items which fall in a certain
theme or color scheme. Your child’s
preferences are paramount here because
they will be spending the most time in
the room. On the upside, you’ll need
only purchase things that fit the category
for your child’s room, hence avoiding
unnecessary purchases.
SmartKids World Vol. 09 183