Decorating Rooms for Kids

A clean kid's room.

Kids' rooms come in all shapes, sizes, colors and themes. Your kids will have certain likes and dislikes, so you will have a good idea of the kind of decor they would like in their room. When you are decorating rooms for kids, you will want to decide on bedroom furniture, an organization system and a theme. Once your theme has been picked, you can make several choices on window coverings, what to put on the walls, and which comforters and sheets will go on the bed. If your children are old enough, they may even be able to help you decorate their own rooms.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Catalogue with kids' decorations Computer Internet connection Painting supplies Screwdriver and hammer

Decorating Rooms for Kids

1. Decide on bedroom furniture for your child's room. In the picture that accompanies this article, for example, the room has a bunk bed and a futon. There are also several bookshelves for toys and books. This is fairly typical for a kid's room. You will need a bed, an organizational system such as book shelves or toy bins, a desk or a table, a chair, and a beanbag or other comfortable place to sit and hang out. If you have a small room to work with, then you may want to consider a bunk bed with a desk that fits underneath it.

2. Talk to your child, if he is old enough, about what he likes before you decide on a theme or colors for the room. There are almost unlimited numbers of items you can purchase for a child's bedroom that all have the same theme. For example, if your daughter loves princesses, you can find everything from a princess lamp to a princess bedspread to a princess trash can in catalogues, home decor stores or on the Internet. Maybe your child is into trains or loves bright colors. If possible, give them a choice in their room decor.

3. Order and buy furniture and decorations for your child's room. Remember to order or buy many or all of the furniture pieces in Step 1. Make sure everything will match with the colors or theme you and your child decided on.

4. Paint the walls or put up a border. Sometimes it is easier and quicker to decorate walls with a themed border instead of painting them. The important thing is to get the walls decorated however you want, including hanging pictures, before all your furniture arrives. It is much easier to work in an empty room than in a room full of your child's belongings. Many people also order large, wooden letters and spell out their children's names on the wall. This is a very popular way to decorate rooms.

5. Arrange the furniture after it arrives. Add the decorations--lamps, stuffed animals, throw pillows, comforters and sheets, a trash can, throw rugs and maybe even a bean bag. Cover the windows with blinds or a shade, and add curtains or valances. When you are finished, you should have a decorated room for your children where they can have their own space to play, learn and explore.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, many of the furniture pieces you purchase will have to be assembled at home, especially if you order from an online company. Have a small tool kit ready and easily available when you are putting together your child's room.

Resources

• Better Homes and Gardens Ideas for Decorating Rooms for Kids of All Ages