“I won’t grow up!” were the famous words of Peter Pan, and our tiny character loves saying them too. He is a New Yorker who just turned 2 years old and his favorite stories are Peter Pan, The Lion King, Jungle Book and Anansi the Spider – a tale from the Ashanti.
Every child has his favorite stories and characters. Parents and educators teach through telling these stories, and I believe, the design of a child’s room can also play a role in education. When my daughter was little, we would read a book together and she would always be inspired. Then we would buy a toy and that would allow her to play and cultivate her imagination. Lastly, we would buy a video and talk about differences and similarities.
I wanted to surround our little boy with all his favorite stories and allow his imagination to flourish. The focal point of the room is a Simon Horn Crib which has just been converted into a Toddler Bed. The safari-inspired bedding is accentuated by Peter’s own embroidered cashmere blanket. The bed is surrounded by murals; The Lion King’s Pride Rock to the right and Tinkerbell sprinkling her magic over the crib to the left. Across from the bed, we have a classic hand-painted chest of baby lions and a large hand-painted mirror celebrating “the circle of life”. The hand-painted murals on furniture come alive and take on a different dimension and function.
When designing a nursery or toddler’s room one should always incorporate appropriate seating. The glider and ottoman set is number one on my list however, I also wanted Peter to have a chair of his own, after all he is 2! I have given him a luxurious faux leather wingback chair accented with green velvet welting, and incorporated a leopard print skirt with matching fringe to keep it youthful and fun.
Another essential aspect of a toddler’s room is, of course, the bookcase. Peter knows the importance of reading and learning and we have provided him with the start of his very own library. More importantly, the bookcase is at Peter’s reaching level, and that allows him to develop his sense of independence and challenges his creativity.
While Peter might still be saying, ”I won’t grow up!”, we can educate and stimulate him in the meantime.