Create a space that can evolve as your child grows For 20 years, Aaron Christensen has created every type of fun and immersive environments for children?from nurseries and bedrooms to retail interiors and play spaces?through his firm Embellishments Studio.
As a self-described ?artistic handyman,? Christensen has experience with woodworking, metal craft, and decorative painting from his prior work in ?visual design world? conceptualizing merchandising displays, and he now puts all of those skills to use in his kid-friendly interiors.
?Kids are kids for a short time,? he says. ?Create a space that lets them live in that world for as long as they can.? Here are his top five tips for doing just that.
1. Think like a kid
Designing rooms for kids and infants means letting your creativity and imagination reign. ?Everything?s on the table,? he says. ?There?s no such thing as over the top to a child.? He encourages parents to have fun with brainstorming during the design process and get input directly from the room?s inhabitants.
When he starts a new design project, he interviews the child to learn about their hobbies and favorite things. Designs can then emerge from a favorite color, storybook character, theme, or environment.
?I really try to start from the child?s standpoint,? Christensen says. ?I try to understand what they?re about now and try to amplify that forward into the future.? For a glimpse at his creative process, check out his Pinterest moodboards.
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