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Designing The Den
You have moved into a new home, and you have designed most of the rooms. The bedrooms are well set up, as well as the kitchen, study, living room, utility room, and bathrooms. But there is one room that is missing that is particularly important as the summer vacation is about to begin. This room is the children’s den or playroom, where your children are probably going to hang out for quite a lot of the time, and they will probably bring their friends, too.
The summer vacation is a time that poses a lot of challenges, as schoolchildren from the age of five to eighteen are somehow expected to entertain themselves over a period of several weeks. Unless you are a stay-at-home mom, you will not be on hand to entertain them all the time. And when you work from home, it can be even more difficult because even though you are physically there, you cannot really be there all the time because you still need to work.
The den is therefore absolutely crucial as
it is a great place for the kids to hang out when you can’t actually
be with them.
So what do you need here? First of all, a couch and some chairs are
vital. The couch need not be brand new – just cover it with a washable
sofa cover so that it looks decent and is comfortable to sit on. A
TV-the classic unpaid babysitter in most homes during the summer
vacation since the 1950s- is also a great idea. Set up the TV in a part
of the room that is the most visible to the couch and all the chairs so
that there are no fights over who can see best. As TV is not always
interesting all the time, keep some good children’s videos available,
with a stereo and some CDs. You also may consider keeping a computer
down there, with some games. If you do, your children’s safety is best
served if the Internet is either completely disabled, there is a decent
filter, or you only allow it to be used when you are present. This will
prevent any possible problems caused by your children being on line
without adequate supervision.
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You also need at least one functional cupboard containing board games, arts and craft materials, and toys according to the ages and needs of your children. A shelf of children’s books will also come in very useful.
On the floor, put some soft area rugs.
You could go for bamboo rugs, or polypropylene rugs, which are easily washable. This will add to the look of the room, and will also be a nice soft place for floor play.
The curtains can be child-friendly designs, such as teddy bears, fairy princesses, animal prints, or anything else that your children may like.
Decorate the walls with some fun stickers. These days, there is a variety of stickers that can make the room look exciting and bright. Your children will have fun sticking them on the walls. Alternatively, one of your summer vacation projects may be painting the walls of the den with your children.
Have fun in the den with your children. This room could be the most important one in your house for the next few months …
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