Big Kids & Nursery Decorating Class

Wall Art - Decals for Children - Anna's picks

2012-01-19T16:33:00.000-08:00

Decals are the most wonderful invention for children's bedrooms. As children grow so do their favourite toys and heroes. It is SO useful and cost effective to be able to change out the decal instead of stripping wallpaper and doing it all over again. Especially when you don't want to make a permanent feature.

Color is key! For these decals to look fabulous you have to think very carefully about what other colors are at play in the room and whether the decal would benefit from a strong background color. Think about what else is in the room from the pillows/cushions, the bedspread/comforter, the valance, the furniture finish, the artwork, the flooring, the window treatments. Very important to bear in mind is what favourite toys are in fashion at the moment- if primary colored trainsets are dominating the floor then it would make sense to complement that with reds, blues and yellows, or if the floor regularly turns into barbie's palace it might make sense to create a link to some vibrant pinks, turquoises, yellows or jade greens.

Another key thing parents ask is not to make the children's room too garish - make it flexible to change and make the decor scheme allow the child to grow through it over a few years.

So below I have featured some of my top picks for decals. I find ETSY a great source for the better artwork that looks a little more grown up.

There are educational opportunities here also with decals featuring the alphabet, geography, animals, numbers, quotes etc. I love the ones where you can customise with the name above the bed. This is great if you don't plan to stay in the house too long. If you do it might be worth commissioning an actual painting that will look good when your child grows up also.

The best thing about them is the fact that you can change them in a years time with the next passing fad without too much expense. Genius!

So for the boys:

And for the girls here are some beautiful and tasteful ones.

If you have any queries or would like a second opinion on a paint choice color to go with a decal please do not hesitate to pick up the phone or drop me an email anna@overandabovedesign.com. I have just installed a google voice app below this post which should let people call me through the internet. Please drop me a line with your design query! I love to help!

Eco Friendly Wallpapers for Children's Nurseries

2012-01-04T17:03:00.000-08:00

Whilst  working on a nurseryfor a client currently and I set about searching for some  eco friendlywallpaper. I thought I would share some findings from Europe....

Babies, withtheir tiny, developing systems, are especially vulnerable to toxins in the airand on surfaces they touch with their delicate skin.  In order to avoidthese poisonous substances, it is important  choose to decorate baby’snursery with eco friendly products. 

Designed and hand printed in the UK, Birdie tree deluxe eco wallpaper is absolutely stunning.

Dinosaurs rock deluxe eco wallpaper is from the same company as the Birdie tree.

The deluxe wallpaper collections are from a high-end wallpaper range printed with incredible detail onto the finest quality, super strong, heavy weight wallpaper.

The design is printed with eco friendly non-toxic water-based inks on 225gsm heavy paper made from sustainably sourced materials.   The wallpaper is wipeable and colour fast for 125 years and is fully fire retardant. 

Its bold design is perfect for a kids bedroom of all ages. 

These lion and Emu wallpaper silhouettes arehandcrafted from real vintage wallpaper by Dutch designer Inke Heiland.

The silhouettes are produced by hand in Inke's workshop or at the shelteredworkshop DZB in her home town Leiden.

There are so many fun ways to decorate a children's bedroom and it doesn't even have to be fixed to the wall. Next article will feature wall art! Contact Anna for more information (www.overandabovedesign.com) or if you want any supplier details for these wallpapers.

2011-12-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Quentin Blake has designed a range of wallpapers for Osborne & Little. With charming drawings and a beautiful soft color palette these wallpapers are ideal for nurseries. They even have an educational focus with alphabets and numbers, animals and sports themes.

As a kid I loved reading the Roald Dahl books - Matilda being my favourite. What a wonderful way to get them into reading!

Clients of Over & Above Design in San Diego will be thrilled to hear that they can order this wallpaper from January 1. Call 858 480 6837 to order.

2011-03-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

Children's & Nursery Room Decorating Class - San Diego

Classes starting June 2011 and take place on Thursdays at either 10am-1pm or 4-7pm at 5060 La Jolla Boulevard, 92109.

Places are limited so please book early - email anna@overandabovedesign.com with your name and details of your children/baby.

The class will involve learning about healthy eco design for children's bedrooms, selecting and putting together furniture and soft furnishings, coordinating colour schemes and exploring accessories and toys. You will leave inspired and knowleadgeable about the best furnishings and finishes available for your home and your children, with a mood board, and a list of invaluable suppliers for your own decoration project.

Refreshments will be served.

Cost: $65 pp

Other classes we run are Pillow Making and Lampshade Making - please email if you are interested and more details will be provided.

Please visit Over & Above Designer Interiors (www.overandabovedesign.com) for more information on our interior design service.