Decorating Your Child's Bedroom
Kids love having their bedroom decorated, and now that the sun has finally started to shine, it’s a great time to get them out into the sun while you work on their room without being disturbed (too much) - better still get them involved!
Before you get started, it’s best to have a plan in mind. Here are some thoughts for the planning stages.
Plan for the Future
Children grow up fast, and that’s not just a saying. A 4-year-old has very different tastes to a 7-year-old, and again to a 10-year old, yet there are only 3 years between each of them. No one wants to have to decorate ever 2-3 years.
We recommend sticking to fairly neutral designs for the walls, floor and ceiling. Avoid the Frozen-themed Elsa wallpaper, and instead think about a plain, pale blue colour. You can still work in the theme with bedding, lightshades, curtains and other easily replaceable items while maintaining a room that won’t need to be redecorated before its time.
Another thing to consider is whether or not you’ll be selling the property at any point in the future. If it’s a long time in your future then you may end up redecorating before the move anyway. If it might be closer in the future, then you need to make sure the new décor won’t affect your home’s potential price.
Involve your Child
As we mentioned before children love the idea of decorating, espeically a space thats their own. Involving them in the planning gives you a chance to manage their expectations, and helps you work towards a bedroom you know they’ll be happy with. It might even encorange them to get involved in the work and makes the bedroom feel much more like their own if they had a hand in helping to decorate it.
We love mood boards - create an online mood board with the help of Pinterest. This gives you the chance to show the little ones the prospect of a more "grown up" room and they can visual it - all in all it will help your child to "Let it go..."
Set Realistic Expectations
This is for both you and your child - avoid tantrums and tears. Keep them involved, another great way for this is to give them a budget for the trimmings - curtains, bedding, light shades. This will help to keep a close eye on money but also gives your children a chance to learn about expenses.
Prepare for the unexpected - how many times have you stripped a wall only to find it needs replastering? Plan for the odd hiccup, especially for older homes and if you're decorating for the first time.
Fit for Purpose
Remember, children’s bedrooms aren’t just places they go to the land of nod in. They’re places to play, relax and for the older ones - study. Plan your decor appropriately – younger kids will need plenty of storage for toys, games and hobbies, while still retaining space to play.
Multi-purpose furniture is your friend here: beds with room underneath for storage drawers, wardrobes that can also be used as shelves, and of course furniture that’s high off the ground and leaves floor space.
Also remember that as children get older they’ll need places to do homework, and space to host friends for afternoon visits or even sleepovers.
In smaller bedrooms, plan taller, avoid going overboard with furniture and accessories. Storage and play space are a balancing act.
An Excuse to Remove Clutter
Depending on how long your child has had their own room, there’s a possibility that plenty of clutter has built up over the years. Use this time as an excuse to get rid of things when they’re no longer use, and items that often end up in long term storage (i.e. lost under the bed).
If your child is resistant, it might be helpful to encourange them to give their well loved toys to charity and those less fortunate - a great way to get them to "Let it go..." (got it one more time!!)
For great bedroom furniture visit us online or in store for item that will last your little ones for years to come.
After all, there's no place like home...
