The Kid Cave – A Kid’s Room Remix

So often I have clients who have a clearly defined room and even have most of items they need in the space.  Usually these are the hardest to deal with because they think “the bones are there, I like this and I like that, so why isn’t this working?”  It’s at times like this that a Room Remix is in order!  And that’s what this post is all about!

It’s not a big change but it IS a huge difference.  In this case, The Kid Cave Remix, a kid’s room gets an upgrade.  Take a look a few of the changes that made all the difference in this room.

Before

This kid’s room had all the essentials – toy storage, a TV, and comfy seating for lounging, reading, or watching TV.  The walls were even a great shade of blue that the homeowner loved.  There were only a few issues with the space:

1. No place to sleep – a small issue since this room is for grandkids who do not live here.  Even when they stay over, they prefer to camp out in grandma’s room.
2. The seating – bean bags are perfect choices for kids – they love ’em!  But these had taken some abuse that’s left them a little flat.
3. Storage – it wasn’t being used to it’s full potential.  Even with a bookcase, a full desk, and a toy organizer with bins, it was clear just how hard it’s been to keep any order in to it all.

Since my client loved the wall color, we used that as the jump off.  The goal – add color and functionality, and eventually it would be nice if the kid’s had the option to sleep in there… someday.

Space planning was the big key in this Kid Cave and we decided originally to:

1. Add a gender neutral daybed with trundle
2. Bring in a ceiling fan (don’t judge – we southerners can’t live without our fans) and add lighting
3. Tame the books and toys

With the walls already painted a peppy shade of blue, I chose to go with a complementary color scheme.  It all started with a hanging light fixture that made me feel quite Seussical!

Going through all the toys and stuffed friends I found Addy!  I just about lost my mind and got completely off track from the project at hand.  The day was over for me at that point because all I wanted to do is comb her hair and play with her!  I kid you not.

So I called my client, who went on to tell me that the doll was almost 30 years old!  I LOVE her… my client I mean!  I told her I completely lost control and was off to pamper her Addy.

Back on job…. some folks might be creeped out by a doll hanging on the wall, but THIS is an American Girl and she’s sweet and pretty – not at all creepy.  Oh and the toys have been organized by type too.

The bookcase was already in the room and is actually a hutch for a dresser that’s used in another room.  It’s solid wood so we kept it and used it for books, display, and the TV.  It’s been styled – yes kid’s things can be styled too – and screwed into studs for added safety.

Special books are displayed on the wall shelf that’s also mounted into studs.  They can be changed out for different holidays or as the kids get bigger and their interests change.

Everyone knows I have a love hate relationship with cords.  And I definitely don’t want them front and center in a kid’s space.  That’s an accident waiting to happen – no thanks, not on my watch.  Hiding them was a little tricky in this case – I didn’t want to drill holes in the hutch for fear of  losing the structural integrity of the wood.  So I used what I like to call the “hide and distract” method, which worked well since the kids have some mini collections of specific types of toys.

I put the surge protector on top of the bookcase behind the electronics and fed all the extra cord down behind the bookcase and some behind the TV (most TVs have a little “hook” or a “clamp” sort of thing to hold excess cord).  That’s the “hide” part.  Then I used a few of the boys’ mini CAT models as displays to hide any bit of cord that may show from above the surge protector.  I also wrapped all the outlets (and switch plates) in colorful duct tape that complements the colors of the room.  That’s the “distract” part of the “Hide & Distract” method.

And there you have it.  A Kid Cave any kid would love and all it took was a little Room Remix!