MAKEOVERS
indoors
‘The kids are instantly
drawn to the stage area.
They put on costumes and
start dancing around.”
H O M EO W NER A N D REA SANDY
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T H E
PLAYROOM Plenty of lim e green and bright blue warmed
P A L E T T E
with tangerine tones.
ONE-STOP READING SPOT
Forget the bulky bookcase—a
knapsack attached to the chair holds
favorite books. Britton armchair;
russellmackenna.com
PLAY IN PROGRESS
Curtain panels (hung from a wire
cable system) instantly create a
stage. Audience members can pull
chairs over from the table. Wire cable
system and panels; pbteen.com i@
For haying information seepage
204
.
EMBRACING
THE ARTS
“ I wouldn’t be the
designer I am today
without support
from my art
teachers,” Stephen
says. “That’s why I
tell people to
support the arts in
their children’s
com m unities.” Here
are his ideas for
stim ulating kids’
im agination.
■ Tune out
Start
by turning off the
T V and video games
for an afternoon.
T h is frees your
child from media
bombardment and
gives him mental
space to be creative.
■ Set an example
Make a point to
enjoy cultural events
as a fam ily. Theater,
museums, and
concerts all spark
im aginative play.
■ Set downtime
Give kids tim e to
unwind after school
before starting
homework or
chores. Gently
nudge them toward
a no-pressure
activity such as
drawing or dancing.
■ Give them
space
Making a
spot just for them
even if it’s a sm all
table with art
supplies in the
fam ily room
shows
you’re committed to
their creativity.
6 0
FEBRUARY
2009
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
