Decorating Children’s Bedrooms
Decorating a Child’s Bedroom
Does your teen or younger child’s bedroom need a makeover? Just like adults, kids want a comfortable, functional bedroom that’s a pleasure to retreat to at the end of the day. While many decorating tips are applicable to both the master bedroom and the kid’s room, a few tricks are most useful with the younger set.
Wall Decals
Peel-and-stick decals are a perfect way to decorate the walls in your child’s bedroom, especially if you rent and can’t paint. Use decals as part of an overall scheme — as in this room with a cute woodland motif — or just as a fun extra on plain, white walls. Let your kids pick out the decals and place them in position – offer a helping hand to young kids. As your child grows older, or simply tires of the theme, it’s easy to remove the decals and replace them with something else, or simply leave the walls bare. You can find wall decals in just about any theme imaginable.
Get In the Zone
Once your child is old enough to have regular homework and study time, he or she needs an area designed for focused schoolwork and another area to relax and daydream. You don’t need anything elaborate — a simple desk and adjustable chair is enough for homework time, and a comfortable chair, beanbag or loveseat is perfect for much-needed downtime after a hard day at school.
Use Open Shelves
Young kids and mess often go together, but you can make organization easier by providing plenty of open shelves with bins or baskets to keep toys and games contained. This makes it easy to access belongings, and most importantly, makes it easy to see where each toy goes when playtime is over for the day. Keep things of a nature together in separate bins and work with your child until he knows the system.
Maximize the Space
In a small bedroom, maximize space by pushing the bed against the wall, so that the head of the bed is in a corner. Not only does this open up the floor for playtime, but removing open areas around the sleeping space cuts down on fears of something scary lurking under the bed, just waiting for a chance to grab an unsuspecting child.
Shared, but Not Alike
Don’t automatically assume that a shared bedroom means matching bedding, or even matching furniture. While some children enjoy having a symmetrical room, others prefer to set a more individual style. If that’s the case with your kids, let each pick out their own bedding, bedside lamp and artwork to hang over their side of the room. Keep coherency to the style by choosing matching beds, but painting them different colors, as in the room here.
A Little Separation
If your kids share a room, but don’t always share the same viewpoint, ward off potential squabbles – or cut down on nighttime chatter after lights-out – with a divider between the beds. A colorful curtain on a ceiling-mounted rod works well, as in this bedroom, or set up something more solid by placing a bookcase, dresser or shelving unit between the beds.
Bunk It
One of the most popular solutions for small, shared bedrooms is bunk beds. Most kids love them, although you might need set up a rotating schedule if arguments on who gets to sleep in the coveted top bunk become heated. Make sure your kids are clear on safety rules – no pushing the bottom bunk out of its frame from underneath, no climbing up the side of the bed instead of the ladder and no roughhousing on the top bunk.
Children’s Closet
Every closet needs organization, but in a kid’s closet, you need to bring it down to their level. Provide hanging rods that are low enough so your son or daughter can easily reach the hangers, shelves for larger items and drawers for socks, underwear and accessories. Label each drawer, if necessary, to make it easier for your child to remember what goes where, and provide a small footstool so he can reach items on shelves without a climb.
Follow Their Interests
Most kids have a passion for something: space, insects, the color pink, Hello Kitty or a popular cartoon character. If possible, work your child’s favorite subject into the bedroom’s theme. It doesn’t take much – a few wall decals and a comforter are enough to set a theme and delight your child. When you keep it simple, it’s easy to modify the room’s style as your son or daughter matures.
Have Fun
Childhood is so fleeting – before you know it, your child will be grown and gone. Make the most of those precious childhood years while you still have them, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Have fun decorating your child’s bedroom, and make sure to let them have a say on the colors, theme and furnishings.
