The Kids Are All Right - The Bend Magazine

The Kids Are All Right

Decorative magic for your kids' spaces.

By: Katy Jones-Gulsby  Photos by: Lillian Reitz

My daughter came into this world as a contained missile of energy and strong opinions. Almost every idea I had about how our lives would look as a family of three was fairly quickly thrown out the window. But I try not to take for granted that she seems to enjoy old things just as much as we do, so for now she lets me take the reins when it comes to her room. She is right beside me through every step, though I do hold veto power (sorry, a fuchsia wall just isn’t going to fly). I tend to gravitate toward more traditional children’s rooms, though I’ve had to make allowances for a curious amount of tiny plastic toys. I never want her room to feel too formal, but I do want her to find it magical.

Tips:

•  Storage. Full stop. Anything that you can stash things in or under, totally out of sight, is the biggest life-saver. Large wicker baskets (with lids!), under-bed bins, nightstands with as many drawers as possible. 

•  I love the symmetry of a pair of twin-size beds, and if you have the room, they are surprisingly practical. An extra bed in the house is always a plus. and if you buy the modern tall frames there is plenty of room underneath to hide things. Bed skirts hide all sorts of sins. 

•  Groups of items make the biggest decorative impact, so don’t hide their collections! Display them on floating shelves, bookcases, or repurposed vintage items.

•  Shopping secondhand for a kid’s room makes so much sense. Older items are often of better quality and will stand the wear and tear that children will inevitably cause. Vintage brings so much character into a space, and the treasure hunt can be a fun activity for the entire family.

Get the look:

Scalamandré Zebra Pillows
Best Estate Liquidators Corpus Christi
Antique Chinese Wool Rug 
Lillie Mae Cazales Estate Sales
Vintage Framed Art
Red Crow Antique Mall
Striped Pink Lampshade
Shell & Pine