How to Decorate a Cozy Space for Children in Public Places
By Anna Tomalik
A kid’s room in a public space, be it at preschool, school or in a hospital, is one of the first places where we are left as children, set apart from our home and parents. Oftentimes, it’s a scary space full of new objects, people, and rules.
As we spend more time in new space, we learn the layout of the rooms, find our favorite corner, befriend furniture and finger-paint a few walls. The kid’s room becomes our second home. And just like our home, we want it to be a beautiful cozy place where we feel welcome and safe.
Having this perspective in mind, as grown-ups, we can mindfully create a comforting space for our kids. With a little help from wall decor designers, we can turn a kid’s room in any public space into a wonderland. I’ll give you a few hints on how to do this.
Arrange Rooms in a Home-like Style
The trend of creating office spaces in a homey style has been prevalent for several years now. It turns out that we feel better in a surrounding that imitates our home. The same trend applies to schools and other public spaces for kids since they are the second home for them.
As you arrange rooms at preschool or school try to make them home-like rather than school-like. Throw in pillows, blankets, wall decors, hangers, and simple wooden furniture. Kids will feel more comfortable in such a setting as it will remind them of their own room.
For nursery spaces, work with the design as well. Decorate walls with pastel murals or stickers and hang delicate curtains on the windows, so that light is smooth and silent. You might be surprised that the little ones will feel calmer in a well-curated place. They can sense that the room was filled with your heart and care.
Other places in demand for a homey touch are kids’ rooms in hospitals. With a bit of creativity, these can be filled with color and life, and hence be less scary for young patients. A kid’s room was decorated with soft, curved, modular, playful furniture and a wall mural with a castle in the psychiatric ward in a German hospital. The composition aimed for a clinic-free atmosphere that reinforces the children’s healing process through positive sensuous experience.
Use a Wall Mural
One of the simplest ways of turning a blank room into an inviting space is sticking a colorful mural onto the wall. A mural can present anything from animals to cartoon heroes to coloring book motifs.
Kids are likely to befriend the wall character and teachers may use him for storytelling. The train may become an integral part of a preschool or school, making it more pleasant, enjoyable and personal.
A wall mural can also present abstract objects, like a bunch of colorful dots in various sizes. Combined with similar patterns on the curtains it creates a warm-looking room, that soothes the children’s senses and invites them to play or take a nap.
Artwork on the wall can calm children in a hospital as well. The route to the operating suites at London Children’s Hospital, was decorated with a mural wallpaper presenting a quiet teal colored underworld that calms kids while they are traveling for treatment.
Wall murals are 100% safe for children (and adults) as they are printed on eco-friendly materials and allow the walls to breathe. Moreover, they are resistant to moisture, dirt and scratches so kids are free to touch them at all times. Our job comes down only to washing them with a wet cloth everyone once in awhile.
Create Theme Corners
A lot things happen in a kid’s room — playing, sleeping, drawing, resting on the carpet. Each activity requires a slightly different setting that can be created with a simple designing technique.
If we choose a corner for drawing we can apply a inspiring wall mural on the wall closest to the drawing table.
A space for an indoor playground can be also decorated with a educational mural that teaches kids about letters.
And a corner in a geography classroom will attract kids’ attention if we cover the walls with maps of the world.
For theme corners, we can use wall murals that will cover a large area of the wall or stickers that will be an element on the wall. Both decors will last for a long time as they are printed out on a durable material that can be peeled off and moved to a different place anytime. So if we decide to do some rearranging during a summer break, we’ll be free to use the same decor in a new setting.
Light up Other Spaces
Activities at school also happen in other areas, such as the dining hall or waiting room. These places need our gentle creative touch as well.
A dining room can be ornamented with a large mural with Vikings happily sailing through the sea.
And a waiting room, a space for saying hellos and goodbyes to parents, can be turned into a fun spot with a comfortable furniture and a wall mural with a lanadscape from fairytale.
Use the Design for Comfort
The design matters for kids just like it matters for us, the grown-ups. Beautiful surrounding brings them joy and well-curated places comfort them while they bravely enter a new world.
We can easily craft cozy corners, fun spots, and fairylands that will accompany children in their growth with wall decors. Our effort will be rewarded with their laughter, amusement, and happiness.
PS. If you’re looking for an inspiration for a children’s room, a witty article written by my friend, Justina will be the best source for you:
