Kate over at Centsational Girl (fab interior design blog) just redid her little boy's bedroom, and I have to say I'm totally impressed. For a few reasons: She did a great job with color, but even more impressive to me: she solved a problem that I think a lot of mom's like me deal with: how to make action figures/commercially popular icon characters fit into your idea of a nice/simple space for your child.
Let me just say this first: I don't mind having commercially popular things in our home on occasion. But when it comes to "play" spaces, I am just really big on having spaces that foster creativity and imagination play with many things to do...and not dominated by just the commercial stuff. I've come to find that (for my kids at least) having too many "commercially popular" things around gets in the way of that kind of play. I guess what I am saying is, even for me....who has really strong opinions about good old fashioned play....still has to battle the ever stronger force of commercialism.
But the truth of it is...kids love those things. We don't even have TV (we watch movies...just not television) nor do we have video games. We're not Amish or anything....I just know how incredibly attractive and addicting those are, and I've seen how they can easily win the place over good books, educational play and imagination play. Nothing wrong at all with TV characters and toys....it's just that it gets harder to keep those things in check the older they get. So how do you incorporate what your child 'likes' and what you know they will 'like more?'
Enter Kate from Censational Girl.
She bought one of my prints (Whale Dreams) and I knew she was redecorating her son's room, and I was so interested to see how she was going to put the room together.
And I'm so impressed! She made a collage of all the fun things her son loves: Star Wars, Legos, Motercycles, Water, Boating all while keeping it classic and eclectic at the same time. But this is how she did it: She chose everything to come together in blues. So Smart! It actually looks rather classic and nostalgic with the colors all working together.
And I must say the Whale Dreams print works so well. I never would have though that Sarah Jane art could look so good next to Lego Star Wars Figures.
And like I said: We're big star wars fans here, and lego fans...nothing wrong there. It's just how much the commercial aspect of it is around that I've put a lot of thought to.
Well, I may be walking a fine line here by saying what I would and would not hang up in my kids room...but tell me...have you had the same discussions with your children? Have you ever had to say things like, "No...I will not let you get a Mega Mind Bedspread. Sorry!"
I'd love to know your thoughts: How have you kept that balance between letting your children bring home all the "commercial stuff" while maintaining the kind of environment you envision for your kids? Am I the only one here who is constantly trying to keep the world out just a little bit longer?