Cool Kids Furniture

Furniture for this theme

Through the swirling sands of North African deserts come the ancient peoples of these inhospitable lands. A people and a way of life seemingly as old as the sands themselves. Their camel trains criss-cross the desert from one civilization to another, stopping for rest and supplies at equally ancient oasis villages along their routes. Towns that appear to have been created out of the shifting sands by wind and time alone. These nomads carry spices, rich fabrics and precious trinkets, frankincense and myrrh, perfumes and beautiful intricately woven rugs and tapestries.

Stimulation:

Apart from the bustle of the market place and their constant battle with the elements, their lives are quiet and steady. Of course there have been wars between these merchants, as they fought for trade routes access to oases and there are occasionally bands of brigands that descend upon the camel caravans from the dunes to loot and pillage. But in general, theirs is a life of serene desert landscapes, lush and exotic oases and beautiful rare objects and materials.

Color Schemes:

Deep saturated hues of the Persian carpets, stunning colors of their robes and silks the hard blues of a cloudless desert sky and always the background of the beige yellow sand.

Infants: Beige, yellow, lapiz blue and dark orange and pale greens.

Toddlers: Bright blue and palm green, beige yellow and white and a little dark orange.

Children: Beige, yellow, rust red, palm green lapiz blue, gold and white.

Teens: Red, black, dark red, gold lapiz blue.

Opportunities for Learning:

The migration of people across continents, often along such trade routes, is a story rich in adventure and significance for modern society. We all of us are the product of traveling tribes. If you live in an urban environment, you or your forefathers almost inevitably came from one or more other places. It is this melting pot that brings so much richness and diversity to our lives; just as it does to the lives of these early nomadic traders. They themselves carry not just the goods of many cultures but also the blood and the genes of many civilizations. The history of how man came to populate the whole earth, coming as he did from the heart of Africa initially, is an amazing story and one that should inspire new perspectives on the perceived divisions between cultures, countries and civilizations.

This theme may also offer a great deal of inspiration to learn about the peoples and products, herbs and spices of the Middle East and North Africa.

Reassuring and Comforting:

As every child knows, there is nothing as comforting as one's own tent! Warm and cozy, private and secure, a hiding place for all of ones most treasured items and a place in which to allow one's mind to float away to distant lands and adventures. Animals are also a great source of comfort and the camel, with its wonderful long lashes and deep fur is no exception.

Feng Shui:

The heat and fire of the desert is a wonderful balance for so many of today's homes, full of (or built from) wood. Introduce images of water, a date palm infringed oasis pool; a camp fire, a stone well, a balance to those shifting sands.

Budget vs Talent:

Make the whole room into a tent.

First choose one wall with the fewest openings to paste a mural depicting the view looking out of the 'tent'. Sand dunes, an oasis or village. Using two by fours (lengths of timber), make sufficient rectangular kite-frames to cover the whole ceiling.

Stretch-cover with panels of poplin or parachute silk, stapled in place. Width of fabric will dictate size of frame. (Look for surplus supplies on the web). Hang from cup hooks on ceiling on short lengths of bathroom chain, to corresponding hooks on frames.

To cover the walls staple overlapping panels of the same fabric, onto the frames along the outer edges of the ceiling, allowing the panels to hang loosely to the floor.

Note: Closet doors not to be covered. Windows and doors should have central openings which can then be tied back. If possible doors should open outwards!

Persian Carpets would be wonderful on the floor and repeat the same rich colors on the bed covers, lamps, chair etc.

Alternatively: See The Princess Theme for a tented bed.

Click here for Nursery Rhymes and Songs related to the Desert Princess theme