So, you’ve decided to decorate your child's room.
But where, oh where, to begin?
For starters, try the kid — many experts recommend discussing matters with your child when conceptualizing his or her new room.
“Let them be who God created them to be,” said Julia Gill of JMG Designs. “Listen to them and let them have a voice.”
Be forewarned: an open-ended question like "How do you want your room to look?" may not elicit the most helpful responses.
More focused, conversation-inducing questions can give parents and designers a better idea of the child's desires. Beyond color and styling, ask about interests or a cherished possession, suggests Scott Davis of SWhome, a division of Studio West.
The child’s responses may help form the room's theme or focus. A love of boats might yield a nautical theme, for example, or an appreciation for the outdoors could inspire rugged wood detailing.
Even reviewing fabrics can help children identify colors and textures they'd like to incorporate into their room, says Rachelle Collins of SWhome.
Whatever you do, be wary of trends, designers say.
“You need to do really what appeals to you and makes you happy,” Collins says. “Try not to be trendy.”
Trends can change at the blink of an eye, she explains, but changing a room requires a bit more effort.
After speaking with the child, Gill likes to begin decorating by creating a visual focal point for the room. A canvas painted with a large flower or racecar, or artwork painted directly onto the wall can offer visual focus, she says. Use accessories to play off the focal point, she adds.
At-home decorators can even try a little DIY artwork for a statement-making focus, Davis and Collins say.
Find a favorite image, use a projector to project it on the wall, then trace and paint the image onto the wall. Using unique stencils is another other way to have an artistic focal point without art school skills.
Don't forget the kids when searching for artsy accents, says Kelle Barnard of Barnard Interiors.
Pull out the paint brushes and aprons, grab the kids a canvas, and allow them to create the art they'll be seeing every day.
Getting creative with themes
Thinking outside the box when it comes to themes can be challenging. Cars may appear on the wallpaper, bedding, rug, and lamp stand, creating a visually overhwhelming take on a theme.
Less literal thematic interpretations are possible, designers say.
“Instead of thinking ‘tree,’ think, ‘What’s in a tree?’ ” Barnard recommends. Consider objects and activities associated with trees — branches, leaves, even fruit, birds, or climbing — to draw inspiration.
Affix branches to a mirror frame, screw branches into the wall, or stamp leaves on a lampshade to communicate a love of trees without overusing pictures of trees, Barnard suggests.
Gill points to a car-themed room she designed for a boy. The room uses an above-the-bed race car painting as a focal point, and racing-inspired accents like flames and checkerboard flags.
Sewing seat belts on decorative pillows or accessorizing with gas tank lids are other innovative takes on the well-loved car theme, says Gill.
Large mason jars offer a way to emphasize themes inexpensively, Barnard says.
Fill jars with bolts and tools for a workroom-inspired dwelling or T-Rex Pez dispensers for a dinosaur’s lair.
For the ever-popular princess, fairy and diva themes, get creative. Choose a few places to emphasize direct representations of the characters— on bedding, pillows, or artwork, for instance — and add nods to the theme elsewhere. Add a crown decal with the child’s name on the wall, Barnard suggests, or tulle around the bed. Vines, butterfly accessories, tulle clouds, Chinese lanterns, and faux toadstools help make fairy tales come to life in a child’s room.
If you’re going the diva route, don't forget the glitz, says Gill. Feather boas and general bling are great ways to reinforce diva decor, she adds. Further create a custom look (minus the custom price-tag) by adding trims, buttons or beading to cornice boards, bedding, pillows, or upholstery.
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