Decorate with Your Inner Child in Mind

A child-like bookshelf holds my tomes,
bears and a couple giraffes, accented with
some of my favorite Disney pieces.

When I began decorating my home office at the castle, I decided to use that room to showcase collections that demonstrate my youthful side.

During our last couple of moves my husband and I have purged more stuffed animals and toys than any childless couple nearing 40 should possess, but I refuse to let go of my cherished Teddy bears or my favorite Disney memorabilia. Because we want the first home we’ve ever owned to reflect a more grown-up sensibility than our apartments have, I decided to concentrate these items in one place.

Luckily, experts indicate that an office is a fine place to embrace one’s inner child. Art therapist Sarah Magsamen indicates that being more child-like enhances curiosity and creativity, two traits that are crucial in research and writing. 

Creating a functional space

I teach on my college campus two days a week; the other five, I’m writing, grading, and doing class prep at home. The office gets a lot of use, so it’s crucial that the space is functional, especially because it doubles as my workout room. It also is important to me that despite the youthful focal points, the room doesn’t read “playroom.”

A Thomas Kinkade print of Cinderella's Castle
is being framed to hang above the desk.

Therefore, I consulted design experts on proper office planning and am incorporating more child-like elements where they make sense. Following advice from 1 Kindesign and myfancyhouse.com, I chose a room with ample natural light. It happens to be an extension of my master bedroom, separated by lovely French doors.

Appropriately enough, the prior owners used that space as a nursery, and it came outfitted with a whimsical lantern as its primary electric light source. Because so much light streams in through the windows most of the time, I only need it and my prized possession—a Snow White Tiffany desk lamp—on overcast days or when I burn the midnight oil.

Incorporating color and patterns

Myfancyhouse.com and 1 Kind Design also recommend choosing the right colors for your type of work. When I have a chance to paint, I aim to use yellow as the primary wall color because it stimulates the mind. Green accents provide balance, including my grandmother's comfy green barrel chair for reading.

I am focusing my use of green around the window, following a tip from This Old House for making a space look bigger by using color to extend the outdoors into the room. Lavish Living Magazine indicates that this trick, as well as incorporating plants into the design, also reduces stress.

The view from my two office windows is green and natural.

Luckily, vibrant greens and yellows are perfect for a youthful design. Decor blogger Kathy Joe recommends polka dots as another design element to please the inner child. She and Huff Post Home suggest using curtains and rugs to bring child-like touches into a room. These cute green polka-dotted curtains are my next purchase.

As I complete this work in progress, I have my eye out for a rug that ties it all together. I’m looking for something plaid or striped with yellows, greens, and maybe a touch of pink.

How do you celebrate the child in you?