1. Start with a theme
What kid doesn’t have at least one obsession? Take into consideration whether your child loves cartoons, superheroes, princesses, or race cars when creating the child’s room they’ll end up spending most of their free time in. Get creative! Turn their closet into a winter wonderland, or their floor into a race track. Yes, I know kids are fickle and their tastes change over time, but that’s okay. Be ready to redecorate every couple of years (it makes a great birthday gift!), but be sure to take pictures of each stage. It’ll be something your family can look back on as your children grow older.
2. Posters and paintings
No matter what the theme of your kid’s room is, you’ll be able to find hundreds of posters online to fit their style. But don’t just settle for any old poster and hang it haphazardly on the wall. Again, be creative. If your child loves Star Wars, designate one wall to the Rebel Alliance and the other to the Empire, and hang posters accordingly. If they’re really into art, get reprints of famous paintings framed for them to hang. If they like sports, a life-sized Fathead poster on the back of their door will give them something to (literally) look up to. Of course, as they get older, be sure to check out they posters they’ve chosen to hang up on their own.
3. Lighten up
You want your children to be able to see all of these cool decorations, right? But a boring old lamp isn’t going to match the rest of the room, of course. Thankfully, there are a ton of lamps and light fixtures out there that will definitely make your child’s room shine. Whether you want to illuminate the room from overhead or use smaller lamps in the corners to save energy, there’s bound to be a standing or desk lamp that fits your child’s needs. Are lava lamps still “in,” by the way?
4. Make it theirs
The most important thing to think of when decorating your child’s room is: did he have any say in it? Like I said before, kids can be fickle. You might think you’re creating the room of his dreams, but you really never know if he’ll appreciate it or not when it’s finally complete. Because of this, you should actively seek out his input every step of the way. First of all, you’ll know for sure what she wants before you put so much time, effort, and money into decorating. Secondly, she’ll be excited that she was involved in the process, and will be proud to call the room her own. Not only should you involve him during the creation of the room, but after it’s ready to be inhabited as well. Create a space for your child to showcase her trophies and other accomplishments, and hang pictures and projects that she created herself. You could even have chosen to paint one of their walls using chalkboard paint, giving them the ability to redecorate whenever they felt the need. A child’s room is a symbol of their personality; let it show as much as possible. Featured photo credit: little tree in the kid’s room / Jeremy Tarling via farm9.staticflickr.com
