In my typical home in Chicago I have two fairly typical children. Like most parents, we fight, wrestle, and shoot to get our kids to clean up and keep their rooms clean. Most of the time, what usually happens in my house is that I break down and end up taking care of it myself. This happens a lot, until I got them involved in decorating their rooms. Our first project involved the walls.
Surveys show that what drives parents crazy is children who neglect their rooms. Psychologists suggest that if children help design their environment, they will respect them more and tend to take great care of them.
Many parents and children are searching for that perfect backdrop. More and more companies see this market niche and sign up and create more lines just for children’s rooms.
The origin of children’s wallpaper began around 1870 and continues today. Since its inception, wallpaper designs have been heavily influenced by literature and pop culture. The early works had strong religious and moral connotations. Later in the 19th century, it saw more wallpaper designs that emphasized the importance of good behavior. In the 20th century, the wallpaper has a lighter tone and presents more attractive content. Papers have been made to illustrate favorite literature, nursery rhymes, comic strip characters, and works of fiction. Some examples of these are Mother Goose, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella.
There are many well-known artists and designers who have helped shape wallpaper designs. Some of these famous people are Walter Crane, Beatrix Potter, Cecil Aldin, and William Wegman.
Today’s wallpaper is designed to educate, stimulate and amuse. Most children’s wallpapers use a sophisticated color palette, but have a childish touch. Most combine graphic patterns, prints, stripes, solids that are fun and friendly. They create a world of stories with happy endings. They provide a safe and inspiring dream world for children to escape to. It culminates in a positive room concept.
When my son was just a kid, I chose a wallpaper border. This was easily changed and removed as he got older. What I did was put it at eye level with him and as he got older I kept replacing it and moving it further up the wall.
Another one of our options was called frames. This wallpaper allowed my son to interact with the wallpaper. It consisted of loosely drawn picture frames on a plain white background. My son created his own unique designs by coloring the frames. Who knows, maybe he will become the next Michelangelo!
One of my son’s friends had Lego wallpaper in his room. This was a huge hit and a must see. In fact, you can place and arrange the easily removable wall cladding on any surface you like. How creative is that?
You should always choose your paper for what type of surface it is going to cover. Ask yourself, is the wall smooth or rough? Also, some papers smear easily and can get dirty quickly. This may not be the right choice for a child’s room. Be sure to choose wallpaper that is easy to clean and maintain.
Some papers that are available are vinyl coated paper, paper backed vinyl, cloth backed vinyl, silk, grass cloth, flocking, and foils. The average price of a single roll is about sixteen dollars. But you can find them for less or more expensive.
There are thousands of themes, and just to name a few, there are animals, flowers, sports, nursery characters, Sesame Street characters, and adorable creatures. Remember that the main goal is to fit your child’s personality and interests. This will inspire her child’s imagination and instill in him or her the respect that parents desire.
After choosing the wallpapers, pay special attention to the preparation of the walls. there is nothing more important. Wallpapers and borders work best with a primer and a smooth finish on the walls. This aids installation and makes it easier to remove at a later date.
Take a moment and relive the time when the world was full of curious adventures waiting for you. You have the power and incentive to turn your child’s room into a magical creation. Begin your search for him today so he can find the peace he seeks.