Chapter Three: Princess of the Air
Our story continues with the fairest little Princess in the land...
The youngest child, of exquisite angelic beauty, the Princess of the Air, commanded all the wind currents, all the winged creatures, all dreams and all with a very feminine attitude. Her voice like a beautiful bell, when she sang, soothed all beasts, including her Father, the King, after a bad day at the office.
She loved the sky, of course, and wished to greet each morning in her bedroom and adjoining playroom, with her own sky that said: "Have a wonderful day, Princess, and don’t forget your wings!” She loved roses, kitty cats, fairies, butterflies, and anything that sparkled, as did her late great Grandmother, another wonderful Queen, and wanted these special things to decorate her room.
Being a Princess of course, she had quite the jewellery collection – a little Elizabeth Taylor in fact – with tons of crowns, rings, and necklaces. Her motto (just like her Mom, the Queen), was more is more! She loved to perform in front of a mirror (or people), singing, dancing, acting and giggling for her royal audience. She loved to draw winged creatures, usually fairies, and she could often be seen by the townspeople riding her little bike with her own fashionable wings on. In fact she wore them all the time with her tutu and had a collection for any occasion. Her nursery school teacher created a dream circle (inspired by our little Princess) beginning the class each day with the Princess of the Air, in full regalia, sharing her last night’s dream with high drama and passion! Other children wanted to get in on her act, sharing their dreams as well, some making them up as they went along, and delivered with vim and vigor!
The new Princess bedroom, in this tired old castle was in dire need of magical transformation. Our Design Fairy Godmother whipped out her trusty wand, tons of sparkle, and began to call in the merry forces.
First, new electrical wiring replaced the old knob and tube. We included a light in her closet to help the Princess coordinate her wings and outfits any time of day or night. A beautiful 1940s light fixture with green leaves and roses was miraculously found and hung from the original plaster rose medallion on her ceiling. The floors were refinished! Covered with three layers of linoleum from different eras, black tar, and white glue, the beautiful oak floors were preserved but suffocating underneath. Sanded, stained with an off-white paint glaze (a light airy look called pickling) and finished with satin varathane, made this floor fit for the Princess’s tiny royal tootsies.
A beautiful morning sky was painted on her ceilings with paint glazes in an impressionistic style. Her walls were also glazed in an Italian faux fresco style with a peachy rose color not unlike her little cheeks! Antique bedroom furniture with gilded leaf accents, custom bedding, custom curtains with ties and crystal/pearl details, rose garlands and pearls strands were added to complete this child’s bedroom story. Kitty cats, fairies, and butterflies found their home with this little Princess of the Air.
And of course, an ancient enchanted mirror was placed in the right magical spot for our royal one to practice and perform her astounding routines! The Design Fairy Godmother chuckled with delight as she watched the little Princess jump up and down with happiness, squealing with excitement!
And as the Princess grew and sparkled, so did her multiple artistic talents. When she became a teen, her passion for fashionable fairy wings soon evolved to a fashionable shoe collection, although she never forgot how to fly. Her jewellery collection grew – of course, and she kept her last (and favorite) pair of fairy wings, safely in her closet, ready for action whenever she chose. The Princess of the Air acquired through her talents, determination, and some good luck, a real audience to entertain and her imaginative dreams became a reality... Except the one about the Kitty Cat Fairy Dragon.
THE END
(And should you be wondering about The Princess of the Fire... Well, that my dears, is another story.)
INTERIOR DESIGN by Andrea Carini for Your Sacred Space Interiors
ANDREA’S DESIGN PEARLS OF WISDOM
When designing a child’s room, consult and get to know your child, Prince or Princess. The space should reflect their individual personalities, and interests, not those of their parents, interior designers or cookie cutter cartoon character. Ask questions. Find out what they like and don’t like. And listen!
An interior design professional (or fabulous Design Fairy Godmother) will listen intently and skillfully blend and harmonize your child’s wishes, dreams, interests and personality into their special space. Not only should a child’s bedroom be functional, but must also encourage him/her to be and express themselves comfortably in their own personalized environment, conducive to their healthy growth.
Children should be partners in the design process of their own bedrooms. They must own their space. What colors do they like? Allow him/her to express their imaginative and creative ideas! The design-challenge? Make it all work!
Don’t follow trends. These have nothing to do with who your little Prince or Princess is. If you must as a result of their current interest, then represent these trends in decorative items, accessories, you can use and later remove and sell on Kijiji. Remember as the child’s interest changes, so will those accessories!
A child’s bedroom should grow with them. They will not remain four years old forever! After the baby stage, choose furniture that has multi-functions and can organize the space with lots of shelves and storage. Someday your child will be a teen and will need places to put things – other than the floor – or at least have the option!
A child’s needs for their new bedroom design includes: a place to sleep; a place to play/entertain; a place to do homework; a place to relax; and, most importantly, a place to feel safe.
Don’t be afraid to paint the ceiling with a lovely relaxing accent color or even a sky! Lying on the bed a child can look up and be inspired.
Great lighting is important for your child’s space. Make sure to have soft light, and a lamp for reading. If possible, install dimmers to control the brightness in the room (actually a great tip for all bedrooms). Have an interesting light fixture as a focal point. Remember lighting affects our moods – even children's – to read, play and relax.
Place your child’s art in their rooms. Frame their artworks and display them proudly.
Have fun! A child’s imagination is unlimited and has no boundaries!