From bedroom makeovers to clutter control, New Kidspace Idea Book presents over 250 up-to-date ideas for creating fun and practical places for children. Theres something here for every house and every budget: big ideas and simple ones, whole rooms and shared spaces, off-the-shelf and custom storage solutions, clever built-ins, accessories and decor, and outdoor play spaces.

About the author
An award-winning writer and editor, Wendy A. Jordan is the author of Taunton's Kidspace Idea Book and co-author of Great Kitchens. She has written several books for the remodeling industry, and is senior contributing editor of Professional Remodeler magazine and a housingzone.com columnist.

Introduction

1. Bedrooms
Welcome Home, Baby
Toddler Territory
Grade School Districts
Perfect for Preteens
Teen Domains
Shared Spaces
Rooms That Grow Up

2. Splashy Bathrooms
Extreme Themes
Accent Details
Using Every Inch
Grown-Up Baths

3. Places to Play, Places to Study
Recreation Zones
Setting the Scene
16 Bonus Space
Upstairs, Downstairs
Clutter Control
Homework Zones

4. Outdoor Play Spaces
Dynamic Playhouses
Active Outdoor Adventure
Lighthearted Landscaping

Credits

Kids rooms are in a class by themselves. Other parts of the house may be designed with a certain reserve, but the most appealing spaces for children are those that are created with abandon and joy. Of course, there are implicit rewards in crafting an environment for children. We have the pleasure of shaping a setting that fosters both fun and learning, a place where kids can thrive and grow. And besides, were all young at heart; designing rooms for kids draws on our own playfulness and youthful spirit.

I was impressed by that fun factor in kids room designs when I collected ideas for the original Kidspace Idea Book. Im even more impressed by it now. The first book offered hundreds of excellent designs from around the country and beyond, and I was happy to learn that designers and homeowners alike found much inspiration in those pages. It was particularly gratifying to know that the book was used exactly as we had intended as a source of ideas to build on and personalize rather than simply reproduce.

I began researching kidspaces again and discovered a whole new generation of wonderful designs, all of them fresh and vibrant. Those new designs are presented in this book. Some are big ideas -- dream rooms, you might say. They are here to inspire, not intimidate. In fact, Ive made a point of zeroing in on the specific ideas contained in these rooms so that you can apply them as a package or make la carte selections. In either case, you can interpret the ideas as you wish and make them your own.

Other ideas are simpler but just as creative. Ive highlighted many economical ideas, easy-to-implement techniques, and shortcuts to great designs. There is something for everyone in these pages: designs for kids of all ages; projects for do-it-yourselfers as well as those that may be best handled by professionals; approaches for whole rooms as well as room areas and components; off-the-shelf as well as custom solutions; clever built-ins as well as room-making accessories.

All the pieces are here. With a touch of your own imaginative spark you can combine them to create kidspaces just right for your needs.

Customer Reviews from Amazon

great ideas. I have already applied some of them and the kids rooms look great. Thank you.

There are some really great ideas in here, but I wish the book had more references for plans -- how to recreate the ideas shown.

I love this book, it is full of ideas, and that is what they are doing with this book, it's not a do it yourself book, it's an idea book, as they call it. But most of these room can be used by anyone, if they really love it, and it's always good to put your personal touch to it anyway, it doesn't have to look just like the picture. I am an Interior Designer, and I have this and many of their books in my collection. Can't wait until they come out with more. Whenever I go out to a client that wants a child's room done, I take this with mw to get an idea of what they like, and we go from there, they never look just like the pictures, or near them, but either the mood, colors, or theme are picked up. It is a 5 star book

This is probably one of the better kids room books available. However, it still does leave a little to be desired. It has a wide variety of styles that would be appealing to a variety of ages. There are many "theme" rooms. The majority were bedrooms and bathrooms, there are limited number of play spaces. Some of the photos I had also seen before in other books/magazines. It does have current photos though which is more than I can say for many of the kids room books. Also, I agree with the other reviewer who said that these ideas are customized. If you are looking for step by step instructions you will be dissapointed. I just wanted a few ideas for creating a playroom. So it met my goals. I borrowed and idea from here and there and some things we will just try and re-create on the cheap "Sensible Chic" style.

This may very well be a (5) star book for someone else who discovers the fantastical room that speaks to them and as a consequence sets off to replicate. However, what I really hoped for was a book filled with creative ideas *and* substantive do-it-yourselfer content. If you are looking for a step-by-step guide or recipes you won't find it here. Essentially this is kids-only interior design magazine a la Architectural Digest in book form. The majority of creative rooms are anchored by tailored furniture hugging the contours of the room and atmospheric wall and furniture paint applications. Lots of bunk-bed variations if that's your thing. There is quite a bit of custom work here that looks *expensive* -- themed carpeting and rugs, or a domed ceiling done up celestially like a planetarium.

Personally, I liked the crawlspace under the staircase that was converted into a hobbit-sized, carpeted, well light personal space for reading and/or solitude with a framed entrance.

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