had a beautiful room
growing up, lavender
and white, with classic
furniture. But what
made it really great
were the David Cassidy
and Bobby Sherman
posters all over my walls.
My mother was not thrilled.
Today, I probably would not
even be tempted to desecrate my
walls, or I would have a coordi-
nated bulletin board. Children's
rooms are getting living-room
treatment in many homes, with
themes, coordinated fabrics, com-
puter and desk space and built-
ins accompanying beds.
"A lot of parents will get more
excited for a kid's room," says Jeff
King of Jeffrey King Interiors in
Birmingham. "It's their fantasies
come true."
In more and more houses, Mr.
King is being. asked to design
aiildren4itOiiiirisI try to give
them a lot of different fun areas
so they will enjoy their own
space," he says.
Many bedrooms are becoming
"interactive" rooms, with mov-
able desks, work stations and
room for kids to play.
Mr. King is currently finishing
a "boys' dream room" for Alan
and Sandy Bittker's sons, Daniel,
6 1/2, and Jeremy, 4 1/2, in
Franklin. The boys, who share a
bedroom, needed more space for
their things and room to play. "I
wanted bunk beds, and I want-
ed more room. I needed a com-
puter area, a desk, dresser, and
lots of bookcases. Jeff asked about
the boys' interests, and I told him
they both loved sports," says Ms.
Bittker.
Wood floors were put into the
room, and Mr. King had the floor
painted like a basketball court.
An electronic basketball score-
board is being installed on one
wall, and the boys should be able
to control it with their computer.
Wooden bunk beds will feature
painted basketballs attached to
the end posts. A basketball net
on another wall will catch 2-
pointers.
A wall unit starts high with a
dresser, moves lower to a com-
puter station, and then lower to
a desk on a roll-out table.
"It's great because when one
boy is on the computer, the oth-
er one can move out the desk and
work there," says Ms. Bittker.
Bookcases have been built by
each bunk for easy access. The
room is softened with denim fab-
rics and accent pillows in the
shape of stars and the moon.
Ms. Bittker points out that the
bunk beds and wall unit are
wood furniture that should last
until the boys are older. "The oth-
er things can be changed if they
outgrow them," she says.
Many parents invest in classic
or traditional furniture in the
hope of avoiding another major
purchase. Some anticipate
changing the fabrics, others try
longer-lasting designs.
Anne Damman of Birming-
ham hopes the rooms she de-
signed for Drew Catherine, 10,
and Dylan Hannah, 11/2, will en-
dure.
"I wanted not only to reflect
the girls' personalities, but also
for them to enjoy them through
young adulthood," she said.
Dylan's nursery is tiny, but
grand. It features a European
print in melon and peach, a cat
border, and stark white cottage
furniture. Drew's room is pink
and white with yellow, blue and
purple accents. Waverly fabrics
were used to create a feminine
but very sophisticated room with
an upholstered headboard and
antique linens.
Ms. Damman did the room
without input from Drew, wor-
rying that the fad of the moment
would dictate the choice. "I did
what I thought would have the
longest-lasting effect, and she
loves it," Ms. Damman says.
"Most people do not involve
their children in the decision-
making," Mr. King says. "We de-
sign the areas for them to put in
all of their things, and plan on
the space for their posters, etc.
We do a lot of bulletin boards,
chalkboards, eraserboards.
"Some of them are built into
the walls, or framed, or hung on
the walls like art. Posters are
great mounted on foamcore, or
framed."
When Heidi Fishgrund of
West Bloomfield was ready to de-
sign the bedrooms for daughters
Michelle, 6, and Marcy, 4, she
consulted Linda Shears, ASID,
of Linda Shears Designs, Ltd., in
Troy. She wanted to anticipate
the girls' growth.
"I wanted both girls' rooms to
be flora's, but different," Ms.
Fishgrund says. "I tried to gear
the rooms to each girl's person-
ality. Marcy's room is more un-
derstated and quiet while still
being feminine. It's like Marcy.
Michelle is very dramatic, and
her room is very dramatic."
Michelle's room features clas-
sic white wood furniture and
aqua carpet, and a Tiffany-style
lamp sitting on a skirted night
table. It had belonged to Ms.
Fishgrund as a child. Fashion
prints from the 1800s hang above
the dresser, also from Ms. Fish-
grund's childhood. Wallpaper and
fabric explode in a matching
peach with wild floral print.
Above the beds are canopy-
style fabric crowns in a green fab-
ric with a flamestitch inserted
inside the crowns. Bed skirts to
the twin beds are in a green
striped taffeta. Around the bay
window are side panels and ele-
gant swags in the floral fabric.
Marcy's room is very feminine
and sweet with a rosy-pink car-
pet and a pink and blue floral in
wallpaper and fabric. A day bed
is filled with pillows. A rocking
chair resides in a corner. A dark
wood desk and white ceramic
wicker lamp also came from Ms.
Fishgrund's childhood.
"I did not let my daughters
choose their wallpaper because I
did not trust their taste would
stay the same," Ms. Fishgrund
says.
Posters on the walls will not
be welcome in years to come, but
room has been left in each room
for them to put out their trinkets
and special things.
'When you design a good
space, and try to plan on it to
grow, you're all set," Mr. King
says.
❑
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Opposite page: A peek inside a Fischgrund room.
>_
Left: Michelle's room features a Tiffany-style lamp.
Above: Michelle's name adorns her room.
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