4 The Dallas Post Spring Home Improvement ] ® Section 2 © eo Wednesday, April 21, 1993 © e 1S Creating By Alison Ashton Copley News Service Expectant parents might envi- sion the ideal nursery as a fantasy place, complete with an antique cradle, lace curtains and Amish quilts. But whose design needs does a room like that serve? As Mary Gilliatt points out in “Designing Rooms for Children” (Little, Brown), that kind of nursery might be a parent’s dream, but it won't do much for the child. Instead, the ideal nursery is a functional room, a stimulating place where children can sleep, play, sit, read, draw and store all their stuff. Even a room for a new- born can be designed to grow with the tyke. Gilliatt is a staunch advocate of function rather than making trendy design statements, and she insists that the same basic room that serves a baby can be adapted to suit a teen-ager. Smart new parents look ahead; instead of blowing decorating dollars on a fancy crib, they invest in a sturdy wardrobe and drawers (not baby- size ones, either). : Take, for example, a nursery that includes a sleeping cot, ward- robe with cupboards, bookshelves, a counter with two sets of drawers and a trolley for baby things. For a toddler, the cot is replaced by a bed with a safety rail, and the troi- ley now holds toys. Once the child is in school, par- ents might add bunk beds, and the trolley holds a computer or books; the counter that served as a changing area in babyhood is now a desk for doing homework. For a teen-ager, the room also can serve as a private sitting room — the bunk beds are replaced by day- beds or futons that convert from sofas to beds; the trolley can hold a television set or stereo equip- ment. Along the way, parents can use HOMEFACTS Hot Home Improvements The top five most popular remodeling | projects and their average costs: 1. Remodel Kitchen 2. Remodel Bathroom; 3. Replace/Add Deck or Patio $4,437 4. Add a New Bathroom $11,592 5. New Family =e Room Sa Source: National Association of Home Builders Copley News Service fun - light fixtures, prints and color schemes using inexpensive paint techniques and throw rugs to cre- ate a room that reflects their child’s interests and stage in life. Here are more tips from Gil- liatt’s book: ® Provide plenty of storage. Kids, like adults, have lots of stuff and they need room to store it. And having enough storage space might even encourage tidy habits. Be sure there is plenty of draw- er space, as well as open shelving that is accessible to the child. Storage can be improvised out of almost anything, including built-in wood shelves, wire and wicker baskets, crates and bookshelves. Where space is really tight, con- sider buying a bed with drawers underneath for more storage. ® Look underfoot. Pay particu- lar attention to the floor. Children spend a lot of time playing on the floor, and it’s really an extension and safe - of their living space. Choose flooring that’s hardy and easy to clean. Options include vi- nyl-coated tiles, hardwood floors, rubber-stud flooring, carpet (get one that’s stain-resistant), sisal or coir matting. e Use inexpensive decorating techniques. Gilliatt is a strong ad- vocate of paint and stencilling to add excitement. Not only are they inexpensive and easy to change as a child grows, they also can be tackled by the do-it-yourseifer. The ambitious can use paint to create a variety of motifs, from puffy clouds to a cow jumping over the moon. Or you could sim- ply hang an ever-changing gallery of posters and prints on a plain painted wall. A large cork bulletin board is the idea place for chil- dren to hang their own artwork. If you have your heart set on wallpaper, be sure to choose one that’s washable. Wallcoverings & Window Treatments 40%-6 Largest in-stock selection of Mayflower Wallcovering in NE. PA Custom made window treatments, vertical blinds, mini-blinds and pleated shades. (05750) 3 WALLCOVERING SHOWROOM Free Shop-At-Home Service For Custom Window Treatments o Shared rooms. Like it or not, many siblings must share a room, and that puts a strain on space and privacy. Bunk beds are the obvious space-saving choice, but also con- sider installing loft beds with desk and play space underneath. For children who have to share their sleeping space on an occasional basis — when a friend sleeps over — invest in a trundle bed. As children get older, they’ll want more privacy. Gilliatt sug- gests turning the master bedroom over to them, where they’ll have more space, which makes sense — children tend to spend more time in their rooms than parents. Pri- vacy can be created with anything from folding screens to partition spaces for children walls to roller blinds hanging from the ceiling. ® Install adequate lighting. The ideal room has a mix of natural, general and task lighting. Try track lighting with a dimmer switch, as well as wall lights. For task lighting, use lamps or clip-on spotlights. ® Remember safety. Children spend a lot of unsupervised time in their rooms, so it’s important to remove any hazards. Electrical outlets should be child-proofed, and keep free- standing lights and appliances out of reach of the small and curious. There is a DIFFERENCE. Log Is Straight from they, Cary Ra Choice of Pine, Oak, Cedar, Walnut $$$ OAK LOGS AT PINE PRICES $$$ Since 1977 over 2500 Gastineau Homes have been built. Theirplans oryours. SOLID 7 1/2inch thick walls. Classic WoodLine Homes Oak Authorized Gastineau Log Home Dealer $$$ Explore Unequaled Living $$$ Dalton, PA 18414 Phone: 800-882-9128 > The Dallas Post Spring Home Improvement a a Section 2 Wednesday, April 21, 1993 13 Planning ahead can make packing and moving pain-free By Sharon Achatz Copley News Service When it’s time to get a move on — whether just down the block or across country — here are a few tips pain-free packing. If moving an entire household, a commercial van line — whichof- fers assistance in packing and handles all driving, loading and unloading — may be the best bet. If professional movers are beyond your budget or if moving from a one-bedroom apartment, it will be less expensive to rent a truck or van and move it yourself. To find the right professional van line, ask friends or business associates who have recently moved or real estate agents for their recommendations. 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Before even thinking about be- ginning to pack, savvy movers get rid of excess baggage. Then, es- tablish a “don’t pack this stuff” closet to store things youll need during the trip and immediately after arriving at your new home — such as clothes and cleaning materials — as well as valuables. When you begin packing, follow these tips: e Start with objects that aren’t used every day — such as out-of- season clothes or collectibles. e Pack the contents of each room in separate boxes and label the outside of each box with its contents and the room in which it should be placed in the new home. ® Use small cartons for heavy items such as books and cookware, and keep the weight of each box less than 30 pounds. ® For larger boxes, put heavier items at the bottom of boxes and lighter things on top. On moving day, accompany the mover as he takes inventory of your furnishings, making sure the condition of your items is correct- ly recorded. Apartment rental costs vary widely These are the most-expensive and least-expensive cities for renting a typical 800 square foot apartment, with one bedroom and one bath. MOST EXPENSIVE LEAST EXPENSIVE Honolulu $960 Oklahoma City $300 Boston 763 \ Austin, Texas 315 New York 752 Wichita, Kan. 315 Colorado 320 Springs, Colo. San Jose, Calif. 725 Washington D.C. 708 San Francisco 693 San Antonio, Texas 325 Ventura, Calif. 665 Tulsa, Okla. 525 Los Angeles 662 Houston 333 Chicago 637 Pensacola, Fla. 345 Hartford, Conn. 630 Sait Lake City 355 Tucson, Ariz. 355 SOURCES: Good Housekeeping magazine; Runzheimer Intemational Copley News Service/Ken Marshall NEW... RECYCLING SYSTEM! The SIMPLICITY 5C Yard Waste Management System'"...recycles yard waste into valuable mulch and composting material. Powered by a depend- able and powerful 5-HP engine that fits into a well-balanced package for easy maneuvering over soft yards and gardens. 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