Tips for decorating kid rooms:1) How Time Flies! Children grow up soooo fast. Honestly they are toddlers before you know it and then kids and teens. Clearly taste and functionality will change with time, but decorate for longevity (the best you can anyhow). Stay away from pastels unless you are doing something more vintage. Vintage in general works great...be it pretty quilting patterns or retro furniture finds. Think beyond infants, Tomas the Train & Disney. Save the toy themes for the toys.
2) Budget and a Plan. A child's likes and dislikes can change really fast, especially in the first eight years. Literally their favorite color changes year to year and that's not just being a 'kid' but is connected to their developmental stages. Keep the shell of the room the same such as a bed & dressers. Stay firm with these items and be more flexible every few years with new bedding, paint colors, and updating accessories.
3) Paint/Walls. Personally I don't think paint is so expensive you couldn't change a kids room every few years. However, one way to keep cost down is to select a color that isn't overly trendy. Consider spicing it up with a couple colorful stripes about a quarter of the way down from the ceiling. The stripes then could changed from time to time with little cost & effort (except some painters tape and a couple quarts of paint). Now days there are tons of low cost decals on the market which are also easy to install & remove. For a more dramatic effect, paint a mural which can be easily painted over at a later date.
4) Windows. Choose hard window treatments that can with stand time (e.g., roller shade, plain fabric shade, wood blinds, woven blinds. etc.). Further enhance with curtain panels or a valance. Plain department store curtain panels can easily be embellished with ribbon.
5) Custom Options. If building window seats or a built in desk...plan for future longevity.Those little tykes really don't stay small for long. For younger children supplement with appropriately scaled furniture. Lower tables meant for kids are more comfortable for them plus they are small, inexpensive and don't take up much room anyhow.
6) What do they want? Kids DO have their own ideas. I have two daughters 8 & 10 and I happen to be working with them on their rooms. I listen to them, acknowledge their personalities and try to incorporate elements that represent them. I even compromise on little things like a shade of color and I let them call the shots of Remember - when kids get to be involved in the decision-making, they are more likely to “own” their new décor and keep it clean and tidy!
7) Ideas. Check out my good friend and designer, Anna Stahl, of Nest Interior. She specializes in children rooms. The dinosaurs and flowers are vinyl decals she designed. All three were rooms for small children, but something they could grow into.
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