Rooms your kids will love
Sam Scarborough
NB Publishers
ISBN: 9780798169356
Authors on their books: Sam Scarborough on Rooms your kids will love
- Rooms your kids will love … Is this book one for the serious DIY handyman or for any parent who would like to change his or her child's living space?
The ideas in this book are easy to make and do not require DIY handyman experience. There are step-by-step instructions with each project and idea.
- Children grow up so fast – please tell us about the different categories (age groups) in this book?
The chapters are: baby, toddler, child, preteen and young adult.
- Again: children grow up so fast and they have expensive taste. Would the cash-strapped parent be able to keep up with the costs of your projects?
A coat of paint on one feature wall is a very inexpensive way to update any child’s room, or a simple wall feature or wall art made from fabric scraps.
- You have the most fabulous ideas in your book – which shops are the best ones to go to look for the materials suggested in your book?
The projects in this book are made with simple materials, things that you could well have lying around at home. Fabric shops will provide inspiration and all the materials you need, as will craft and stationery shops.
- Not all parents are handy. Which projects in your book do you think could be easiest for them to attempt?
The simple wall saying that is made out of black paper or card and string and requires a few punched holes. What could be simpler?
- Not all children are handy either. Which projects in your book do you think could be best to involve them?
All children are creative, if not handy! The printables require some colouring-in, but even if your child goes out of the lines, this will add to the picture. The washi tape pictures and posters are very easy to do, as are the wall sayings, which are cut out of cardboard.
- If you think of a child's room – at the various stages – which practical things do they need the most? (Storage, systems, privacy corners, etc).
Storage is the biggest challenge in any child’s room. Storage will be determined by the child’s sporting and interests and play needs. Mostly bookcases and cubby storage work and can be altered as they grow older, adding more shelves or more cubes.
- If you think of a child's room at the various stages, which decorative/pretty things do they need the most?
Wall art can add a decorative element to any room, and this, too, can be changed as a child grows older. Personalising a child’s space with family photos in pretty frames is one of the best ways to add decorative elements to a room.
- Where did you get your ideas for this book?
I have many ideas in my head and am always keeping an eye out and I am inspired by the many kids’ rooms I decorate and consult on. I grew up with a wonderfully creative mum who taught me to sew and be creative from an early age. I also went to a Waldorf school, so my mind is trained to spot creativity in any situation and every aspect of life.
- Did you try out all of the projects in this book yourself?
Yes, I had to make them all for the photo shoot. Some of them I have done with my own child, and some of them I have made for others.
- Again, a question about money: If somebody really cannot afford much, which projects in your book do you think they should consider?
Take a look at all the projects in the book and you will see you do not need an extensive budget to do them yourself. Most of the projects can be done with recycled items in your home.
- Also: not all children have their own rooms. Any thoughts on this?
Paint, fabric and display shelves are an easy way to decorate a shared space, giving each child a personalised area within that space. I consult on many shared rooms, creating lovely corners of a room for each child’s personal space, identity and character.