Artistic Window Shades

It's easy to spruce up window treatments. Paint a personal message on a shade for a cool window treatment. Not an artist? How about a sticker decal - which is all the rage?

Window shade images via My Home Ideas.

My 18 year old sons nickname is "Jude". He would love these blinds. Have your favorite painting transformed into painted blinds. Photo image from here.
This company does a "shadey" business - custom shades that is! Photos via Drink and Dream.

Wednesdays - What Color is That??

Pale blues are restful and have a pronounced calming effect in children's rooms; those soothing blues can easily be energized with small accents of brown, green and red. Jason and Geri Datus-Ward created this fun and fresh nursery for their little guy. I like their idea of adding interest and color to the room with paper lanterns. Colorful lanterns are an inexpensive addition to a baby nursery or child's room.

Sherwin Williams is the manufacturer for all the paint colors. The main wall color is Blue Bauble #6948. The striped accent wall colors are as follows:
Real Red #6868
Dancing Green 6716
Compatible Cream #6387
Terra Burn #6408

The choice of colors illustrates the fresh way color is being used today in baby nurseries. Thanks to Geri for sharing her sons’ adorable nursery with us!

Back at the Ranch

Warm and inviting western theme brings about a classic feel to this kids room. Usually bead board is placed on the lower half of the wall, instead bead board was installed on the top portion of the wall near the ceiling. Love the fabrics chosen for the bedding and pillows. Brown weave fabric makes a great border on the valance: piping around the western print fabric completes the window treatment with fabulous detail.

Creative Ceiling Treatments

Don't forget about your ceiling - your kids room ceiling that is! Check out the following photos of some very creative ceilings used in kids rooms.

I love this beautiful starry night for a kids room. It appears to be ceiling tiles with small white lights peeking through. Photo from here.

Isn't this the cutest? Parasol umbrellas really add a statement to this ceiling. Photo from here.

Domino Jenna Lyons

Great use of bold yellow stripes on the ceiling - loving the yellow and black.

Using pink from the floral artwork, the designer painted the ceiling a fresh watermelon color. It pulls the whole room together and draws your eyes upward - making the ceiling appear taller. southernliving.com

Motocross Boys Room

Is your child a motocross-racing enthusiast? If so, they might enjoy seeing this cool room -

Bring nature indoors with this fun shelf made of faux stone. Cool features such as this stone shelf really make this room - although it's not the most practical:)
This imaginative mural of the dirt bike rider taking a jump right over the rocks.

Up, Up And Away - Hot Air Balloon Room

Up, up and away in a beautiful hot air balloon. This is an unusual theme for a child’s room – but a great idea for a unisex room or a shared room between brother and sister, accommodating many different ages. Love this little girls room with the cloud valance...

A few coats of sky blue paint will be perfect in a hot air balloon theme room and will create a great backdrop for hot air balloon images that can be added to the room. It’s easy to sponge paint several white clouds on top of the walls and ceiling to create a gorgeous scene. Muralists can also be hired to paint an intricate scene of hot air balloons and sky. Images from here.

Here’s a simple idea using a wicker clothes basket and painting a hot air balloon on the wall above the basket; clever use of the wall shelves. Image from here.

Would you like a mural already to go? Beautiful wall paper mural pattern #110266 Click here

image from here.

Ceiling treatments can sure add a lot to a room - this might be a little "over-the-top" but nevertheless fun - the underside of a hot air balloon! Image from here.

Navy and Orange

Orange color incorporated in kids accessories, like a rug, lamp or pillow will enhance visual interest and evoke a certain mood. Orange is known as a bright and cheerful color complementing navy blue. Kelly Porter is a designer and color consultant, she recently used navy blue and orange for her twin sons' bedroom. "Pairing orange with navy offers a youthful palette," Kelly says. Check out Porter House Designs for great tips on the use of color from Kelly.



Below: A room painted Benjamin Moore Calypso Orange from Domino

To view this orange mod rug, click here.

To view this wavy striped blue rug, click here.

To view orange rug, click here.

Touches of orange would complement this navy bedding.

Contributors Wanted!

Design Dazzle Contributors Wanted!

• Do you love design and decorating - especially for babies, kids and teens?

• Are you an idea junkie for kids' design, decorating and party ideas?

• Do you enjoy creating and making DIY projects?

• Would you like to inspire others and share your ideas with tens of thousands of readers each month?

I'm looking for a few talented folks who would like to be contributors for Design Dazzle. If you would like to be featured on our blog with your photo and bio, and are interested in becoming a featured contributor, please email Toni(at)designdazzle (dot)com for details.

Paper Crafts For Kids

Tooth Fairy Gazebo and Sign
When the tooth fairy visits your house she'll have a nice place to visit and leave a gift!

Looking for easy, activities to do with your kids? The Toymaker, the website of Marilyn Scott-Waters, is loaded with many whimsical patterns for foldable paper toys. Print the templates, then cut, and fold along the lines and glue to make really great products as a steamship, race car, airplane, Tooth Fairy gazebo, popcorn bag and many, many more! Visit The Toymaker for many FREE patterns - it's a very cool website.
The popcorn bag and admission ticket would make a terrific addition to a circus party or a hosted movie night in your backyard.



To download the templates, visit The Toymaker.

Wednesdays What Color is That?

Teen Room - Charcoal Slate
Marie Hanson decorated this teen room for her son as a Christmas present. He wanted lime green, which mom wasn't too thrilled about, but she now loves it. Charcoal Slate paint (Lowes) is the main color on the walls. The contemporary bedding is from Target, rug and furniture from Ikea. To view more room photos, click here.

Step Right Up and Join The Fun! - Circus Party

The circus theme never gets old. My daughter had a circus party when she was four - these images bring back great memories. I was reading DesignMom and came across the cutest circus invitation and a link to Armelle Jewelry. Caroline who is a jewelry designer - designed this circus party for her two year old son. Have fun enjoying the photos...
Love, love the photo booth - a simple backdrop with red clown noses and voila the cutest photo booth around!




To see more fabulous photos and great ideas, click here for the full story.
Wouln't it be fun to have your little one wearing a ringmaster coat for the circus party theme? Image from here.