Your child’s bedroom is probably the most difficult room to decorate. They grow up incredibly fast, and on the way change their likes, dislikes and aspirations by the moment. This can make it extremely difficult to buy furniture, paint the walls and find decorations that will not only inspire their imaginations, but grow with them as well.
Still, there are incredibly imaginative ways to turn their bedroom into a paradise that will be loved for years to come. These five ideas will help you to turn their boring bedrooms into a place where their ideas can run wild and their dreams can come true.
1. Choose a Theme
With a fun and thoughtfully themed room, your child can blast off into space every night you tuck them in. Imagine a room where their favourite storybook comes to life; a royal castle kingdom, a pirate adventure, or a tree fort oasis. The theme can be anything from a place to a concept and is a great way to take the design elements of your child’s room from floor to ceiling.
When creating your theme you should keep the floors and walls somewhat neutral to keep the room from looking too busy. You should also avoid matching everything exactly, instead focusing on common elements that can be used throughout. Keep in mind that your child may outgrow their current interests, so try to keep your theme open with change in mind (i.e. for a racecar room, don’t paint the racecar on the wall. Opt for a decal instead). Here are a few theme ideas for both boys and girls, that you will love as much as they will.
Themes for Girls
From pink draped walls to fairies and fantasy, there are so many themes that are perfect for the little Princess in your life. Here are some ideas that are guaranteed to brighten her smile, and bring joy to her space everyday.
–
Polka Dot Party
Bring the fun of polka dot’s to the bed sheets, curtains and floor rugs. Have them run amok on a feature wall or on art pieces above her bed. For a truly magical touch, paint polka dots on the ceiling with glow in the dark paint. In the day they won’t show, but at night your daughter will have a sky full of polka dots looking down at her.
– The Royal Treatment
They say ‘All girls are Princesses’ but with a royal bedchamber she will be reminded of it every morning she opens up her eyes. Think classic monogrammes, pastel pinks or royal purples and lush fabrics. A Princess room can never have enough frilly throw pillows, especially on a canopy bed just for her highness.
– Flutter Fun
Butterflies, dragonflies and fireflies are ideal for the girl who loves the great outdoors. Paint trees as her surroundings with clouds and flying birds overhead. Keep the colour scheme natural for full effect.
Themes for Boys
When he grows up he wants to be an astronaut walking on the moon or on the field playing football with his favourite sports heroes. Choose a theme that will take those ideas and manifest them in his day-to-day life. Who knows? Someday he may just surprise you.
– Nautical Affair
Batten down the hatches, a storm is coming to this boy’s room. His sail is flying strong above the bed as a canopy and the blue painted walls are full of sharks and other mysterious sea creatures. The bed is his pride and joy, a vessel as strong as any. A proud room for your little sailor.
– At the Racetrack
He will shriek with excitement when he sees his racecar bed, street striped wallpaper and hanging checkered flags that will transform him into the Grand Marshall. His favourite number is decalled on the wall, the perfect finishing touch for your racing enthusiast.
– Fearless Explorer
For the boy who loves to explore, a travel and wilderness themed explorer room will provide plenty of adventures. Use dark stained wooden furniture, forest greens and sky blues, and plenty of maps and compasses to help your explorer find his way in the bedroom. Consider a feature wall with a world map mural and decorative touches such as binoculars on the bedside table (they can be used on adventures as well). Clocks showing different time zones across the world will help him as he plans his next international escapade.
2. Encourage Art
Art is one of the best methods for encouraging small minds to think creatively and gain confidence in themselves. It is also a great way to bring fun and exciting elements into a kid’s room and reinvent their bedroom space. Here are some artistic ideas that will have your children begging to go play in their rooms, and beam with pride at their fantastic work.
– Chalkboard Wall
Chalkboard paint can turn a plain wall into a blank canvas for their next masterpiece in an instant (or at least however long it takes the paint to dry). Try your hand at an interactive chalkboard wall with painted outlines of maps, tic-tac-toe boards, and empty picture frames that they can draw on again and again.
– DIY Wall Art
Your children will love seeing their artwork hung on the wall like a Picasso at the museum. Buy some blank canvas board and finger paints so they can make their own modern art piece. You can also hang empty picture frames and glue clothespins onto their back. As your children bring home drawings, add them to their very own gallery space by simply clipping them in.
– Studio Corner
If your child has a large room, section off a corner as an art studio. Add an easel, paint, pencils and lots of butcher paper. Whiteboards are great and less messy than some of the alternatives. They definitely won’t feel limited in the creativity department with their own art studio!
3. Use Cool and Functional Furniture
One of the easiest and most impactful ways to transform a bedroom is through the furniture. Furniture can add to your overall theme, make the space more compact or more open, and keep everything organised.
When choosing furniture, most parents look for something with longevity that their child can grow with for at least a few years. Functionality is also important and integrated storage or multi-purpose furniture is always a popular choice. If you are in the market for furniture that will give your child’s room an instant facelift, here are a few types that will meet all the criteria.
– Cabin Beds
Need a bed, desk, dresser and shelving all in one? Look no further than kids cabin beds. These multi-functional beds fit in incredible amounts of storage, sometimes offer additional furniture elements such as computer desks and have the added bonus of a space-saving footprint. Kids cabin beds are the easiest way to transform your child’s bedroom into a usable and more efficient space.
– Cubicle Shelving
Cube shelving is really in at the moment for good reason. It comes in every size imaginable, from small and compact single pieces to custom created shelving which covers the entire wall. Cube shelving is extremely flexible and can be used to display trinkets, hold removable drawers, or be used as bookshelves. They can make a visual impact as well, especially when done in bold or varied colours.
– Loft Beds
Popular with pre-teens for their roomy personal space, the loft bed is a great choice for smaller rooms. Most loft beds have the bed raised above the floor, accessible by ladder. Underneath is an area of unlimited possibility. A computer desk, bean bag chairs, or even a playhouse can utilise the space. Some loft beds even have slides going from the bed to the floor, a touch a child of any age would love.
4. A Touch of Colour
Without using unique furniture or crazy themes, it is still possible to create a fun space for a child’s bedroom. The simple use of colour is great for parents on a budget, or for those looking to make a big impact in an easy way. Here are a few pattern and colour ideas to instantly reinvent your child’s bedroom.
– Argyle
An argyle paint pattern works great for boys and girls, as well as infant nurseries. This easy DIY project only takes three paint colours and some painting tape to recreate. First, paint your base colour and let it dry. Then tape the wall in diamond pattern, alternating the colour of diamond by vertical row. Let it dry, remove the tape and voila!
– Feature Wall
Painting a feature wall is one of the quickest and most cost effective ways to inject some fun into your child’s room. Choose a bold or bright colour for the most prominent wall, keeping the remainder walls in a lighter or neutral colour.
– Stripes
Large or small, painting vertical or horizontal stripes in a room sets a playful tone. Alternate colours, make them all different, or use simple white in between. Stripes are also gender neutral, making them great for a shared playroom as well.
– Rainbow
High impact, exciting and exuding happiness, a rainbow coloured room will be loved by kids of all ages. If you aren’t ready to commit all the way, a rainbow mural takes little artistic ability and will add a lovely aura to your child’s bedroom.
– Neutral
Neutral may be a shocking choice when we are talking about colour, but it can make the biggest difference of all. Choosing a lighter solid colour such as white, gives the rest of the room’s elements the opportunity to jump out and be the star. A fluorescent orange lamp, hot pink chandelier, or even baby blue furniture will all have a larger impact when they are not competing with the walls.
5. Bring Little Personalities to Life
Every child has a unique personality, that should be nurtured in every way possible. Their bedroom is the perfect place to do this by investing in their interests and giving them the tools to succeed. Unlike the use of an entire theme, you can add small changes to your child’s room that reflect their personalities, without submitting to any big idea as a whole. This idea may appeal to parents who wish to keep more neutral decor throughout their home, or simply aren’t a fan of anything flashy or overdone. Here are some ideas for different interests and personalities that will give your child that little something extra of their own.
– The Reader
Does your child always have their head in a book? Why not create a reading space that any library lover would envy. A reading nook is a simple project and only needs a dedicated space, some shelving for the books and comfortable seating. Consider hanging a play tent from the ceiling to create a reading sanctuary for your child that is also fun.
– The Constructor
For the kid who can’t stop building, from their waffles to their building blocks, create a space where their favorite pastime is always encouraged. All you need is a little ‘liquid nails’, a whole lot of Lego plates and some time to put it all together. Cover an old train table or even the walls with the lego plates and your jr. constructor can build everything their heart desires.
– The Actor
Bringing the theatre to the bedroom of your budding actor or actress is easy and fun for the entire family. All you’ll need is one giant toy chest filled to the brim with dress up clothes, one corner platform to act as the stage and two chairs for mom and dad to watch the show. If you want to go all out, hang some curtains to add some drama to your child’s next bedroom production.
– The Musician
If your child loves to sing, listen to music, or play an instrument, turn a section of their room into a musical oasis. A simple karaoke machine with microphone will be all they need to practise their tunes, with headphones they can plug in when you need it quiet. Add different instruments they can experiment with such as a harmonica, kazoo, xylophone, bongo drum and rainstick.
A child’s room may not be the easiest home decor project, but with all these tips and ideas you should be well on your way to creating a space they will love.