In My World: Designing Living & Learning Environments for the Young

By Ro Logrippo

Your child's room is more than just a place for sleeping . . . A treasury of innovative design ideas for creating environments in which children learn as they grow From America's foremost communicator on designing supportive home environments for kids, here is a design treasury that no parent or professional designer will want to be without. All but a few of the 130 striking full-color photos depict actual kids rooms, not studio setups, that demonstrate workable solutions to design challenges that arise from today's lifestyles. From space-savers that eliminate the squeeze in tight quarters to home computer stations that adapt to growing bodies, from nurturing nests for newborns to teen retreats that express fledgling maturity, here are quick-change, minimal-expense settings that keep up with a child's physical, mental, and emotional development. Focuses on stimulating ways to encourage kid's special interests--transforming wasted space under stairs into a play nook; recasting the attic and upper section of a closet as an intriguing hideaway; using walls for 3-D display and interactive learning Features child-welcoming decor for residential kitchens, bathrooms, family, and play areas Taps the latest research and includes insights and suggestions from a variety of experts--from leading psychologists' ideas on room features that help bridge the divide in shared custody, to an architect's tips on how to enliven allergy-free settings Ro Logrippo's internationally syndicated column, "In My Room," is a continuing source of ideas and inspiration for parents and design professionals interested in creating supportive home environments for infants, young children, and teenagers. Now, in In My World, Ms. Logrippo shares the fruits of nearly a decade of researching, writing, and consulting about living and learning environments for the young. Part design treasury, part design guide, this stunningly illustrated book provides hundreds of design ideas while it describes a dynamic approach to designing for children that was developed by the author's late partner, legendary children's designer Antonio Torrice. Central to that approach is the concept of interactive design--the process by which adults and children join forces to design interiors that encourage a child's special interests and emerging sense of style, yet which can be inexpensively and easily adapted to a child's changing tastes, interests, and needs. As a consequence, throughout In My World the emphasis is on creating spaces that are playful without playing on a single theme, educational without being didactic, supportive without being overbearing. In writing In My World, Ro Logrippo drew upon the work of leading specialists from a wide range of related disciplines whose insights and suggestions interlace the text. For instance: A clinical psychologist specializing in photo therapy explains how photographic displays can enhance the feeling of safety and family cohesiveness. An expert in language development explains the major learning styles that must be considered before designing an environment. Two prominent psychologists specializing in the effects of divorce on children describe room features that can help bridge the divide in shared custody. An architect specializing in allergy-free design shares his ideas for safely enlivening rooms. And a bath and safety design expert provides many practical and imaginative design ideas for bathrooms that capitalize on safety without compromising on aesthetics. In My World is a rich source of ideas and guidance on creating supportive environments in which children of all ages flourish physically, intellectually, and emotionally, and where they can develop a positive sense of self that will sustain them through the challenges of adulthood.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471111627
• ISBN13: 9780471111627
• Release Date: September 1995
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 2.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 0.9" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

An invaluable source of information.

I purchased a copy of this book when it was first published, and it is dog-eared from use!! I have loaned it out numerous times to friends who have ALL raved about it, and I continue to use it as a reference as I update my boys rooms as they grow. I HIGHLY recommend it & can't say enough about it!!!

Bright, well-designed, full of info

A very well-designed book that combines bright, clever photos with very practical and interesting info. Very useful for designing great kids' rooms and raising creative kids

Co-design a living & learning space w/ your child.

I have read and enjoyed Miss Logrippo's book titled In My World . I found the book of interest on several levels: · Miss Logrippo demonstrates a through knowledge of the subject matter. · She imparts not only decorating ideas but also the psychological and educational reasons for each decorating approach. As an Early childhood teacher it was fascinating to read how room decorating impacts a child's healthy mental and physical growth. · The author believes children should co-design their rooms with parents to optimize the child's environment for their needs and enjoyment of their living space. If a child's opinions and needs are considered in the design of the child's room then the child will have a vested interest in helping to maintain his room. Many exciting ideas are given to update the look of older furnishings. I would describe In My World as a "how to" book; but it doesn't read like one. Miss Logrippo writes with humor and illustrates her directions with antidotes from her career and childhood experiences. I was drawn into the book by the author's writing style