Dwarfism-friendly bedroom + Reading room

Addie’s bedroom was something Dave and  I were sure would be a struggle. Making sure it was accessible to her, as a child with dwarfism, as well as safe for her and her sister, functional, and with enough space for all of her items… it was making our heads spin.

We began the process about 2 years ago, when she moved into a toddler bed. We decided then that her bureau, which was 5 drawers high, wasn’t safe (though  it was fixed to the wall). She needed a night table. You get it. So we made a list.

We chose two sources to make Addie’s room the ideal place for her: Ikea for the furnishings and Minted for the perfect finishing touches.

 

Dwarfism:

There are a few major things we always want in Addie’s room, such as:

• Accessibility to her clothes
• Safety (all items need to be able to screw into the wall)
• The ability to get in and out of her bed, and a safe height if she does fall
• Door handles she can operate
• Lights that she can turn on and off

With  all of those things in mind, we took a drive to Ikea and set her loose in the store. Literally.

Ikea:

We wandered around our local store in Stoughton, MA for about 2 hours with Addie opening and closing things. She climbed in a lot of beds and chairs and we measured and checked the height of a few different bureaus, but we kept coming back to the Malm series. Which makes me laugh. It’s the same bedroom set we have in our “master” bedroom.

The bureau is the 3-drawer, which made the most sense, as it is low, but also deep. Instead of just one night table for her cup or a lamp, we grabbed 2. Each table comes with 2 drawers, which hold a lot of things! Two hold Addie’s socks/underwear/undershirts and  her dance clothes. The other two hold her extra sheets and blankets- the perfect  easy access to have her help learn to make the bed.

We also chose the Malm twin bed, which is perfect because you don’t need to use a box spring with it! We got a great green tea foam mattress, which offers  awesome support, and placed it on the Ikea slats for the bed. Simple, and low. The height of the bed gives Addie a “big girl” feeling without placing her too high that she can’t get on or off, and if she falls, she’ll be OK. An idea she’s tested once or twice.

The details:

When it comes to a bedroom, the most important thing is to feel comfortable. For Addie, that includes being  surrounded by her books, and with the items that inspire her imagination the most; mostly animal figures and her small stuffed animals.

What I love are the finer details. The closet and door handles are lower and lever-style handles. We installed a mirror at an angle perfect for her to see herself. And for lighting, we have a lamp with a foot switch, as well as a small lamp next to her bed with a roll switch she can turn easily. The most unique aspect is the small piece of wall between her windows; a prominent space you see when you enter her room. It was in that space, that I wanted to show Addie how proud I am of her and how much I love her imagination, but do more. Add a detail of inspiration.

So I did. With two beautiful prints from Minted. World Awaits and Aim for the Moon were two foil-stamped pieces I knew she needed. Messages she would never outgrow, and designs that are fit for a growing girl. I hung each piece with other items Addie has made: a rocketship, the Earth, a starry sky and a little Icarus (who doesn’t need to learn  about the great Greek stories, and some Matisse?).

This kid? She’s going places, but in her room, she’s going to dream of all the amazing things she’ll do.

The Reading Room

Addie was the blessed one in this house. She got the “walk-in” closet. It’s actually a walk-in because it’s utilizing the space between the outside of the house and the stairs, but it’s perfect for her. It was just a place to toss her laundry basket when we moved in, the shelves un-installed and messy space.

Adding Addie’s Pottery Barn chair, installing her shelves and stocking them with books, and giving her a private nook of imagination… it’s become her reading room!

The icing on the cake is this beautiful, personalized bedroom sign. She loves going into her reading room… even announcing that’s where she is when we call upstairs to her.

Creating a safe space that’s more than utilitarian, but beautiful and personal was so important to us. I am grateful to Minted for helping me put it all together and give Addie a bedroom fit for a super-hero warrior princess.