A Guide to the Best of Southern California : DESIGN : When a Child’s Fancy Turns to . . .

THE IDEA was born when 2 1/2-year-old Adrian Martinez wanted cars and trucks on his bedroom walls. Frankie Martinez couldn’t refuse her son and created a colorful street scene constructed from cut-out colored contact paper. Adrian was delighted, and Decorate-It! came into being.

Using an adhesive similar to that of the familiar Scotch Post-it stick-on notes, Decorate-It! is a peel-off, stick-on-the-wall decorating kit for kids. The kit (about $50) includes a 15-foot-long Story Border and more than 125 (reusable) whimsical creatures. Six theme kits are available: The Lost West!--featuring space cowboy Buck Houston and his spotted dinosaur-horse; Sea-Nanigans!--starring frolicking sea creatures; Fun For All!--bears at the circus; Voo Zoo!--flying cats and bears; Hares & Bears!--cuddly teddy bears and bunnies adrift on puffy-white clouds; and Prairie Tales!--a desert landscape dotted with cacti, steers driving pink Cadillacs and Hooter Coyote strumming his guitar. The versatile appliques provide unlimited design and story-idea potential and are as changeable as a child’s whim.

Decorate-It! kits are available at the Juvenile Shop, 4402 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 937-0660, and 13356 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 986-6214; and other retail outlets.