Soft Touché

By Kajal Gaba

Photography: Courtesy Dreams Furnishing Studio

Choosing the right soft furnishings for your pre-teens can contribute to smoothening out the crinkles of the growing years. Spot pointers to a quick makeover:

“Pink is for girls & blue is for boys”... little girls with baby pink sheets and Winnie the Pooh curtains, miniature-dressing and desking units, LED lit ceilings, playpens... are grossly passé.Today’s child is in a great hurry to grow up and how!

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The young child wants to be recognised for more than just reciting, singing or showing off his computer skills. He has strong preferences; and recognizesthat he is growing as he is allowed into family decisions like buying a TV or other gadget or planning a holiday. Thus the child in this pre-teen boy or girl is reticent to accept baby prints and perhaps at times even won’t share his secretive cravings for pure baby play.

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In such a scenario, if this age group is given a room of his own, how would he ideally want it decorated? The transition from a child to a young impressionable to-be-adult, yearning appreciation for his intellect or for just what he/she ‘is’... and not like a prized trophy....is not an easy one. And to design a room for youngsters in this age group of say 9-13 years, where they don’t know their mind; with constantly changing preferences and personality swings; one has to think of elements that would be extremely versatile, to say the least.

Soft furnishings like bedcovers, duvets, curtains, rugs, throw cushions, etc., can play a very vital role in lending a creative touch to the room. Knowing that the look of the room can be easily changed anytime the need arises, further makes the whole process of designing it very intriguing...

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Spot pointers to a quick makeover:

       .  Keep the ‘baby’ word out for this age-group. Yet include an occasional Superman bedspread in woven textile or a Cinderella shimmer in some curtain trimmings.

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·        Use a neutral colour on the walls; generic motifs – geometric or otherwise.

·           Highlight one wall with paint /wall paper with bold block print or stripes.

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·        Let the young lady or gentleman decide the colour scheme for the furnishings.Furnishings can be bought as a whole coordinated set or just mix & match.

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·        Use materials like pure cotton and denim that takes the vocabulary ahead as they grow.

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·         Appease the child in them without making it obvious: so don’t discard soft toys and babyhood knick-knacks; incorporate them as significant elements of the decor, without being overly in the face.

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Useful tip:

Find a good tailor and try to create your own customized furnishings with fabrics like denim, news print fabric, jute, corduroy etc.....the result is sure to be awesome!!

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KajalGabaa trained child illustrator with over two decades of contributing as a theme and colour consultant designing “Interactive Interiors” for children. She is today well admired for her focussed work for institutions and individuals alike. Kajal also represents Belgium based KCC Entertainment Design that specializes in creating world class FEC and entertainment centres worldwide.