Susanna Salk's Room for Children PLUS a giveaway!

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With two successful books under her belt, a regular design contributor on the Today Show, an editor at 1stDibs and iVillage.com,   Susanna Salk, has quickly positioned herself and rightfully earned the reputation of one of today's top harbingers of style.
This week, we sit down to discuss her newest book, "Room for Children" which showcases, of course, the interior design of children's rooms. If you have a book, grab it and following along as we discuss the images, great tips and a general approach to the one room in the house where it's ok to play.





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"Room for Children" publisher Rizzoli is generously giving away a copy of the book to one of our listeners! So, in the comments section, please share a quick story about a kids room you've decorated for your own kids, a client, or even when you were a kid! The book can only be sent to US and Canada. Thanks!

Comments

Julie said…
Me!

What a fantastic book; I'll probably buy it anyway.
April 28, 2010 at 7:11 AM
Unknown said…
Lovely talk about kids rooms.
I have done my fair share of kids room, having four children of my own. Just last week I posted on the latest makeover for my teen daughter's room!
Kids rooms are always a challenge, since children's emerging style ideas sometimes clash with the parents or designer plans. I love their input and I found that rooms without to much styling work best. Kids want to decorate their places with their artwork, their creations of all sorts, found objects and the likes! I also favor a low key approach, there will be no regret when things go wrong and children are able to get messy when they need to!
And they should feel comfortable and safe!
With large space for the imagination!


XX
Victoria
April 28, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Deb said…
"Room for Children" looks like a gorgeous book! Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy. When my children were younger I turned their bathroom into a "jungle/zoo theme" and painted all the walls with animals and a little boy holding balloons, even a hot dog vender :-) A really special room for me now is my daughter's bedroom which now that she has moved into her own home, has become my studio. She asked me to "paint something pretty" on her wall when she was 4 and wanted a sun ~ 21 years later it is still there ♥ I think it's personal, whimsical little touches that make a house a home.
April 28, 2010 at 8:56 AM
Whits said…
oh! I would love this book for when I have my own children. My room when I was growing up was a peaceful place. My mom is an interior designer with an obsession with french antiques. I had an antique french bed and my walls were painted sunny yellow. I loved it!
April 28, 2010 at 12:08 PM
kottagekara said…
I am in the process of finishing my daughters room. We painted it dk pink and hung white curtains from the ceiling surrounding the bed. She loves to get in there and close her curtains around her bed.
April 28, 2010 at 12:17 PM
daninotes said…
Would LOVE to win this book. I am currently working on my three little boys rooms, the book would be a fabulous resource! thank you!!
April 28, 2010 at 2:57 PM
desaline said…
This book looks fantastic. My baby's 6 months old and I still have yet to even begin working on his room. It's got an unused crib with piles of blankets and that's about it. I suppose that's what happens when you move a couple weeks before giving birth!
April 28, 2010 at 4:43 PM
Kate @ ramblingsfromutopia said…
I found it hard to find a theme to decorate the room my youngest son and daughter share but after listening to them sing each other to sleep I went with a music inspired room and couldn't be more pleased!
April 28, 2010 at 10:07 PM
Aimless Olive said…
I NEED this book, now more than ever, with 3 daughters rooms to decorate & overhaul!!! I am usually the 1st one out of the gate, wheels turning- blueprint in my head, but this time...I can't seem to get the hamster on the wheel...with 3 girls, seems like we've already done & tried EVERYTHING. In serious need of fresh ideas!
What a fantastic giveaway- book looks amazing!!!
~Mel
April 29, 2010 at 5:44 AM
Christy said…
There is nothing more whimisical than living with a family of four in a two bedroom 100 year old cottage! It is fun and challenging as decorating my home is one of the favorite parts of my life. If this book lands upon us via this giveaway, it will be welcomed with happy applause. Our son who has bunked in his crib in our room has just turned one. Happy Birthday, Whitaker! It is time for him to move to his own room. Unsure if we will convert a sitting room into his personal space or if he will share a space with my daughter, we dream, Dream, DREAM about the transition and all the changing colors and walls and sophistication levels. I would la, La, Love this book. Best of all, Beatrice and Whitaker will too!! Thank you for considering us for this juicy, fun, glamorous giveaway.

Fingers crossed and hoping we win,
Christy and children
April 29, 2010 at 6:52 AM
Anonymous said…
I can't tell you how irritating it was to listen to this week's podcast. The four of you were gushing over images that most of your readers can't see. Please either post the pictures you're referring to or keep the photo references to a minimum and discuss the ideas in them more generally.
April 29, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Linda Merrill said…
Hi Anon - you are absolutely right. We realized after our conversation that we should have preselected a few rooms and focused on them only. However,it didn't turn out that way and it was too difficult to put in pics of every space mentioned, so we tried to focus on the ones that got the biggest part of the conversation. Live and learn. But, your feedback is noted.
April 29, 2010 at 2:48 PM
MicheleKaplan said…
Thanks for the chance to win this great book! My daughter is 16, and we are continuously redecorating her room depending on the style that she's going through. It's a lot of fun! My brother is redecorating his three daughters' bedrooms, and this will be super inspiration for him too! Michele
April 29, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Terry said…
Thanks so much to Ms. Salk and the GSO's. Speaking as an empty nested dad this brought back great memories our 23 following mom's nesting instincts. The daddy instinct: Do what the mom says.

The joy moms take is making places for their children is strong medicine. It's as if one of the reasons for having a baby is so you can do a new room LOL.

Anyway, as the dad I did what I could while thinking: "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy." The kids WILL trash things, get over it. The children mold me more than I mold them. It's all over so quickly.
April 29, 2010 at 6:38 PM
Anonymous said…
Finally w/ my 3rd son i realized how important storage is in their bedrooms! We added a closet along the shortest wall and eliminated the need for a dresser. Now even in a small room (old converted cottage, all the rooms are small!) he has storage and room to play!
Would love to have this book!
April 30, 2010 at 7:14 AM
ArchitectDesign™ said…
I remember getting to redecorate my room when I was maybe 12? I chose a very boys blue for the walls (but looking back on it it was more periwinkle!), a red white and blue quilt my mom had made me and very traditional looking pine furniture from Ikea which had just opened. I had a really old braided rug with all sorts of colors in it that had been my fathers as a kid and that stayed. It was much better than the ugly clunky old bedroom set that was a hand me down from my parents which had been painted white (lead paint I'm sure of course)!
April 30, 2010 at 8:49 AM
Robyn said…
When I was little, I LOVED the polka dot door, so one day when my parents weren't around, I painted my door! And I loved it! I still can't believe I wasn't grounded for 6 months...
April 30, 2010 at 9:40 AM
Reyna Meinhardt said…
I would love to win this book! It looks amazing!

When I was a teenager, I decorated my room in purple and black. I lived in a log house and painted the walls that weren't logs purple and sewed myself a purple and black quilt. I had a huge purple rug from Pottery Barn Teen and it looked very neat!!

Thanks for the chance to win!
countrystars95@yahoo.com
April 30, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Unknown said…
This looks like a great book! I decorated my first child's room in purple and teal. I made a large palm tree and each leaf was a different color, then I put an elephant rocking toy on the floor, made the letters of my daughter's name out of matching colors along with a matching comforter and bed-skirt. What was I thinking? My daughter is a girly girl and should have had a dainty pink or purple room!

~Lauri
http://knitsandreads.blogspot.com
l_meinhardt@yahoo.com
April 30, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Katherine said…
I've never, ever entered a giveaway or even added a comment to a blog. But when I read this post several days ago, I bookmarked it up on my tool bar. The book looks brilliant and with an 11-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl, plus an old house to fix up, I'd love a little brilliance! His room is blue and hers is yellow and the rest of the house is a project! Thanks for the opportunity to enter for some inspiration.
May 1, 2010 at 6:04 PM
Cristin // Simplified Bee said…
Sounds and looks like a great book! I love designing baby and children's rooms - my favorite to work on! Organization is key with young children and their toys, books and games, so I do focus on function while making it look stylish too.

xo,
cristin
May 1, 2010 at 8:33 PM
courteneykay said…
Oh I want this book so bad! I have not had kids yet, but hope to very very soon! I can say that I dream about how I will decorate their rooms one day though.

When I was little my mom was very crafty. We had a very old and small house, but it had alot of character, and my favorite thing, window seats:) I had antique furniture, and old desk painted a light blue that folded down, white coverlet, striped wallpaper in white and blue. My sink in my bathroom was ugly and she made a skirt to hide the pipes with a laura ashley floral fabric. It was so perfect!!
May 1, 2010 at 9:08 PM
Unknown said…
Designing a child's room is my favorite room to create.

Once, I designed a pink candy striped princess bedroom complete with an entire veiled ceiling made from tulle.
May 2, 2010 at 4:11 AM
EP de Montfort Walker said…
when I was 12 my mom "let" me redecorate my bedroom. First she nixed the idea of chartreuse carpet, then she said no way to the "bright" Marimekko print I had selected. Instead I ended up with a pale pink carpet and a blue pink Marimekko print. Looking back now it was adorable, but at the time I was incredibly upset. I just have to figure out what to do now that I am the mom!
May 2, 2010 at 5:21 AM
Room Service ~ Decorating 101 said…
Children's rooms are such fun to do. I loved this post. Now, a story... I have been decorating since I was little, when I was 4 my 2nd sister was born which meant that my other sister and I would have to share a room. I was not too happy about sharing my space until my mom told me I could decorate the room. She thought I might pick out a new bedspread ect. I started talking about taking down walls and new windows...lol
May 2, 2010 at 5:50 AM
Michelle said…
My favourite ever kids room was my second daughter's "big girl" room when she moved from the nursery to make way for her baby brother. We painted a white picket fence around the bottom of the walls, all around the room, including a gate. Then while I was 7 months pregnant, I handpainted a mural of a cherry tree in bloom, and filled the walls with handpainted birds, butterflies, ladybugs, and a bunny. I was so sad to leave that room when we moved to our current home!
May 2, 2010 at 7:01 AM
CarolAnne - camdesign said…
I so enjoyed listening to this post the other day... have come back today to comment. I have only done my daughters rooms...lots of pink and dark purple, white painted antique furniture with black accents... I say if they want a weird colour... give them what they want it's only paint and they will always remember how cool their room was and how cool a mom you were.
My youngest room took 5 coats of purple to get it dark enough but it was worth every hour it took to get it right...
After listening I so want a copy of this book... it would be very nice to win it... but if not I will be purchasing this one for sure... you all made it sound so amazing... Thank you all for an hour of pure enjoyment. Regards, CAM
May 2, 2010 at 7:23 AM
CarolAnne - camdesign said…
Dear Linda... I totally disagree with Anonymous above... the more you talked the more I wanted to see this book, after all the author is talking to you about the book to sell it, right...?
If you post the pictures and talk about them we do not have to go out and buy the book...
I will say it again I so enjoyed the post, Thanks again everyone!
May 2, 2010 at 7:32 AM
Virginia Smith said…
When I was a kid my mom started to decorate my room, painting wild big flowers on the ceiling...but then she "took to her bed" and never finished. That started an obsession with kid's rooms in my imagination until I could make the family garage an apartment of my own with vintage wire ice cream chairs and table, an old armoire painted white and yards of flowered sheets on my bed, on the windows, floor pillows.
I've had fun decorating my children's rooms, rooms of friends and after a few years of nothing much...a grandchild! It starts again and I will never be to old to decorate. The only way I'll stop trying new ideas or "take to my bed" is when I'm dead.
May 2, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Anonymous said…
Hello Ladies, and thank you again for another great podcast! Great topic! First, my mother let me have great input into my rooms . . . I helped select the colors, carpeting, wallpaper, etc. I LOVE that you brought up the importance of letting children live with beautiful things - I couldn't agree more.

I cherished the experience of creating my daughter's room. It has quite a cottage look: light yellow walls, shutters in the windows, an antique wicker chair, wood floors, creamy white furniture. She loves it!

Susanna's book sounds wonderful, and I'd be delighted to win it!

Thank you again,

Jennifer
joejen92@yahoo.com
May 2, 2010 at 1:01 PM
Tt's Tutus and Designs said…
Hello!
I am currently working on my 2 year old little boys room and my 13 year old daughter! What a range!!! The one room I am stumped on is my daughters....she is an avid figure skater! And I have searched and searched for some creative ways to make her bedroom a "figure skater" bedroom....and I am lost... the only thing I have is my imagination cause there isn't much out there for girls figure skating rooms! I would love to own this book ...as hopefully it will draw the inspiration I need to make her room magical and special!

Thank you!
Kristi Ripley
May 2, 2010 at 4:27 PM
Terry Browder, www.saylesranch.com said…
Would love to win the book. I grew up in the country, and when I was 13, my parents built a new house. We moved from a shack, and it was my mother's dream come true. That being so, she always allowed my to decorate my room painting it different colors through the years. She's been gone now for many years, but looking back, I really appreciated her relinquishing control over something that she had dreamed of for so long. Her tolerance fostered a lifetime of decorating in me. Since Mother's Day is next Sunday, I laud her for her wisdom and unselfishness!
May 2, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Sophie said…
I'm currently in the process of transforming my daughter's nursery into a more pre-school-er appropriate room. It is quite challenging, because everything I do - I want there to be longevity!
May 2, 2010 at 11:42 PM
Andrika King said…
I can't wait to see the photos in this book. I've already pre-ordered it on Amazon. I design children's nurseries and playrooms and am always looking for more inspirations. It will be nice to have a collection of elegant and well designed children's rooms in one concise book! Thank you!
www.nurserynotations.com
May 3, 2010 at 12:01 AM
All that is Pie said…
I would like the book. We've seen alot of girl's rooms on the blog space, all actually decorated. I've only seen one boys room that was ok, but yet not really attractive. I got a mustard color cottage chest at the comfort antiques show this weekeng to put in a boys room. I hope when I win, I can see all the cute boys' rooms in the book!
May 3, 2010 at 5:50 AM
Anonymous said…
Oooo. I need this book because I haven't decorated any children's rooms. I am particularly looking for ideas for a room that would work for either sex.

I always love your discussions!
martih at usa dot com
May 4, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Unknown said…
For my stepdaughter I painted the entire room with stripes in pink, yellow & lilac...she loved it...two days after the project was done I could still not move my arms..!
For my boys room..I went very nautical and painted their beds and night table navy blue...the rest of their room is light blue.. and then I spray painted in a medium blue some frames and put all their latest "art" work!! would love to get this book..I'm in need of more inspiration for my 3 and 6 year old boys!
May 4, 2010 at 4:35 PM
Elizgonz said…
Unfortunately, we ran our of room in our house for our surprise baby, who is just 6 weeks old, so we converted a spare walk-in closet in my bedroom to make a temporary home for her and her crib. The room is tiny (about 6x6), painted in BM Rhine River like my bedroom, has one gold leaf mirror and a piece of white, pink, and black modern art. There is a small, very shallow side table with a small lamp on it. I think it's adorable!

elizgonz@hotmail.com
May 4, 2010 at 7:27 PM
Sherry said…
I've been working on my 10 year old daughters room for well 10 years. I've tried to buy things that transition well from toddler to teen. I never really have a budget for anything so I buy things I love when I find them on sale. I purchased the curtains and upholstered chair in her room from Calico Corners when they were having a sample sale. I'm hoping to get her room done enough to show on my blog soon.
May 5, 2010 at 6:47 AM
Knoble said…
I recently decorated my 4-year-old's room. We were on a budget, so I decided to crack open that sewing machine I swore I'd use years ago. I sewed (loose term) a canopy and curtains for her bed from ticking. That's an achievement for this non-sewer. I kept her out of her room for two days and unveiled it to her for her birthday. The look on her face was worth every minute of hard work!
May 5, 2010 at 9:50 AM
bbrace said…
in decorating my sons room when they lived at home I have a cross town baseball theme. White Soxs on one side and Cubs on the other. It was crazy with color, black and white on half and Blue and white on the other side. I use a solid red rug to tie it all together, it was fun. Beth
May 5, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Stephanie said…
I would love this book! We painted my daughter's first nursery with the Ralph Lauren linen technique. It was very difficult for a perfectionist like me when every brush stroke shows but I loved the final result! Then we moved when she was only 6 months old and there is no way I could ever replicate it (and find 4 days to work on it) with a toddler running around!
May 5, 2010 at 10:44 AM
the language of design said…
One word! Rumples!!! When my daughter was a baby, I painted a scalloped pattern at a picture rail height in my daughters room. She loved her rumples (she named them!) and now as teenager fondly recalls how much she liked them! Makes me feel good that I created that for her and they are now a fond memory! Excellent round table! Hope I win the book!
May 5, 2010 at 11:17 AM
Unknown said…
My ten year old is begging me for a new room. This breaks my heart as I designed her room for her when she was two, and I was pregnant with my second...and planning on moving her from the nursery to her big girl room. I really hope I can stall her until at least 13...if not, this book looks like it will be chock full of some great inspiration that we can both agree on!
May 6, 2010 at 6:55 PM
Three Men and a Little Crazy said…
I would love this book...especially to see all the rooms you were talking about and come back to listen again. :) My favorite room is my son's. It was his nursery and has easily transitioned to a "big boy" room with just the switch of a bed. I stalked eBay for colorful vintage license plates and bordered the room (along with other vintage gas station signs, airplanes, etc.). I still love it!!!
May 6, 2010 at 7:30 PM
DecRenew Interiors said…
My daughter Is. Tomboy and really loves birds and birdwatching. We painted her room a wonderful bright cheery green. We decorated with bird cages, a collection of her favorite birds and I found a great bedspread that has a tropical leaf print (soft colors). We also hung a scarecrow in the corner of her room with great burlap overalls. Of course a blackbird is sitting on his shoulder and my daughter hangs her bird watching bernoculars around his neck. Later on, we can take the birds and cages down and we can create something else she loves. I have a feeling it's going to have something to do with ceramics and clay. Hmmm.... Another fun project and I love making my kids rooms their personality!
May 7, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Liz said…
The first room I ever designed was my own, at age 5. The concept was to bring the outdoors in, so I selected bright green carpet and floral wallpaper. I have to give my mom, someone who is very particular about her home, a lot of credit for letting me make those choices - that was some very, very bright green carpet! I hope I will be as laid back with my children as they learn to express their own creativity in their spaces at home.
May 9, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Anonymous said…
I decorated my 12 year old sons room with old imac posters and old "bondi" blue and green imac computers. He loves it!
May 12, 2010 at 3:00 PM
Jennifer said…
When I was a child, I was reading one of those cheesy sky mall magazines and saw one of those princess chariot beds. Made completely in pink plastic, Mattel had brought the cinderella carriage to life, so I could live my own fairy tale. My parents instantly refused, it was plastic, completely clashed with my current white wash furniture, but I would not give up. Finally they gave in and purchased the Cinderella bed, and I couldn't have been more thrilled. Shaped as a large plastic globe, with a twin mattress inside, I felt as if I was on my way to a fabulous ball every night at bedtime. The only problem, a year later I had a growth spurt, and could no longer sleep comfortably in my cinderella bed. I was devastated, but my parents were ecstatic. Finally they could get rid of this hideous pink plastic eye sore occupying my room!
May 28, 2010 at 11:14 PM
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