Imagine a healing space that lets a child take the reins. A place where children have an active role in making decisions. For those thinking of opening their own dream space, rest assured it can happen, but it might not come easy. There will be expenses (like A LOT!) life changing decisions and lots of hard work. 

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Why on earth did i do it, you might ask? Well, why not!

Having worked with children for over twenty years, I had seen so many children live through more, take bigger chances and show more bravery than me opening a business. So, when a beautiful old homestead came up for lease not far from my home during COVID of all times, I figured, why not take a chance.

 

At first glance it was a sight to behold...but not in a good way. It was run down and needed some serious TLC. Now, before you think I had endless supply in funds in the bank, I didn't. I just knew I could create something amazing and worked with the savings I had, to make it work.

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Starting with the bare bones, I knew the space had to be inviting, calming and offer a sense pf safety for children when they arrived. So we got to work on creating a simple garden with some sensory plants e.g lavender (easy and grows fast) and some special animals to hide amongst the flowers. 

* Remember to pick flowers that are hardy and will save you money. We bought lots of lavenders, pink Gaura (butterfly kisses), salvia and native daisies. I also had a heap of mother-n-law tongues which filled the space up really quick as they grow like weeds (and hard to kill)...lol

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Next we took the garden back to basics and added some fresh lawn. With the outside done and ready to grow, we began with the inside. Firstly, I can't even explain the colour system they had going on, from hot pinks to electric blues and canary yellows; my brain was literally in fight and flight!  

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Knowing that a high percentage of children who have experienced trauma, also identify with having other diagnoses such as ASD, ADD, Sensory Processing Disorders to name a few. With that in mind, it was clear that the colours had to go, for a more consistent, calming colour palette. Warm white and faded lavenders was the way to go, as the old house could be quite dark on low light days. We then mixed in bursts of colour with the deco and toys. This way we could reduce or increase the colour output whenever needed.

 

With all that done we had to do something about the smell....old house, old smells. Now I dont know about you but like many, I have a thing for Glasshouse candles. They might not be cheap but they pack a punch and this old house needed some serious fragrance. So A Tahaa Affair (Glass House candle) it was. With its a strong caramel/vanilla scent, the house soon filled with dreamy smells of warm caramel and vanilla, and it didn't go unnoticed. Children and adults alike all responded really well to this scent, but it's important to take note. Not all smells gown down as well as other, so make sure you check in with clients to be sure.

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By now our gardens were done and growing nicely, the inside walls were all  bright but calming and we had a clean slate to create on. It was decorating time. We added furniture that featured simple whites mixed with natural woods and fabrics. Again, colours were only used when decorating so we could quickly pull it back if needed. Not to forget lots of plants for keeping the place feelings grounded. Even if you have to fake it till you make it. Any and all plants are bonuses.

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The main entrance was via a wide verandah overlooking our gardens, making it a perfect place to support children's felt safety. We had a sensory swing installed and nice wooden benches as well as big rugs with books, for kids waiting or needing that extra minute before they entered to regulate.

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Stepping inside, the hallway was filled with childlike wonder. Our two special giraffes lined the doorway for cuddles and our hanging monkeys and branches distracted kids with curiosity. Did you know that giraffes have the biggest hearts of all land animals? Well if you didn't, you do now. I didn't even know that when I chose to have the Giraffes line our hallway. 

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One aspect I wanted to ensure was that the space not only acknowledged children within the space but also promoted ownership and empowerment. This was demonstrated through signs on the wall to show how they could say hello, child size furniture, water they could independently access, signs and posters placed at child height, even our doorbell was placed at child level. This gave the sense that it was a child's space with adults welcome, instead of the other way round. I would often have clients advise their parents/carers that it was their special place or a place for kids first and adults second. I was really proud of that

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