Kids rooms don’t look like they did years ago. Gone are the cutesy, somewhat bland blue and pink color schemes with ballerinas and baseballs, replaced by the sophisticated colors, fabrics and materials that look like more whimsical versions of their parent’s spaces. As a publisher we have watched the evolution of juvenile art and décor go from pieces that are inexpensive and disposable to high quality, hip items that could actually fit into any room of the home. We’ve seen the trend led by retailers like Land of Nod and Pottery Barn Kids, which are divisions of grown-up retailers Crate and Barrel, CB2, Pottery Barn, and West Elm. Larger retailers like Ikea, Target, and Serena and Lily have also built kids décor collections that have more subtle color palettes in high quality materials meant to last.
Trending patterns include whimsical stripes and polka dots, but in color palettes like black and white or eclectic color combos. Animals, Maps, Typography, Nautical, Nursery Rhymes, Pirates, Sports, Ballerinas, and other classic kids subjects are still popular but now they are created by hip, up and coming artists and illustrators. Beyond these classic themes, we’ve seen nearly all constraints removed from kids décor. Soft abstract watercolors, patterns, and whimsical photography are now all completely viable options for decorating children’s rooms. Parents are choosing images that they may show elsewhere in their homes, that don’t need to be sequestered to the playroom walls. In recent years, McGaw has added several fantastic artists whose work is perfect for contemporary juvenile décor. John W. Golden’s “By Order of Management” series has been extremely popular and included in Land of Nod’s collection for many years. Golden’s series’ of animals, pets, and vintage toys are perfect for the modern kids room. Andy Warhol’s “So Series”, a collection of whimsical illustrations created by the artist in the 1950’s has also been a best-selling series. Jennifer Mercedes’ “Mom Cow” , “Cooper Dog” and “Soft Grey Giraffe” are perfect examples of animal illustrations that inspire and delight. Kristiana Parn’s delightful animal paintings featuring adorable bunnies and foxes have been some of our best-selling whimsical prints for years. My Zoetrope creates bright and cheerful animal illustrations that are perfect in combinations for a gallery wall. The vibrant watercolors of Kiana Mosley and Louise van Terheijden would brighten any kids space. Cathe Hendrick’s light and bright abstracts are on trend for sophisticated juvenile rooms. See the Kids Print Collection.