How do you decorate when your child’s taste seems to change with the wind? While we unfortunately can’t help you get them to give up their love of Dora the Explorer, we do have some tips on creating a bedroom that will age with your child!
Avoid Themes: While your child might love Thomas the Tank right now, he might not be quite as enthusiastic of a fan in a few years. Instead of decorating with a specific character in mind, choose a few colors, textures, or prints from the desired trend to convey your child’s passions in a less permanent way. For example, instead of a themed wall mural, bold stripes in a primary color could provide the perfect background for themed prints and bedding, yet still be neutral enough to carry over into a teen’s room with different accessories and styling. When choosing paint for a child’s room, we recommend a washable finish – like a pearl or eggshell – that will hold up to any necessary wipe-downs but won’t show flaws like semi-gloss or high-gloss finishes will.
Invest In Items That Will Survive The Test Of Time: If chosen wisely, your child’s furniture can carry them through several room transformations. Invest in pieces that can age with your child. We recommend multifunctional furniture – cribs that convert into toddler beds or changing tables that evolve into dressers. Bookcases and storage units are also timeless features that can be used in the rooms of children young and old. If your child simply must have something themed on a large-scale, check out this furniture line from Nickelodeon Rooms. Featuring beds, dressers, mirrors, and desks, all the furniture in this line comes with interchangeable panels that can age with your child. Options range from fun characters and funky patterns to plain white.
Avoid Permanent Features: Another great way to play to your child’s interests while still avoiding permanently altering your space, is with the use of removable wall art. Easily taken on and off as your child’s taste change, vinyl decals are available in variety of styles.
Choose Easy To Alter Add-Ons: One thing that will surely change over the years is your child’s style. Take your kid’s bedroom easily from toddler to teen with easy add-ons. For example, festive and kid -friendly drawer pulls can easily doll up a young child’s space. These same drawer pulls can just as easily be replaced with modern, more stylish alternatives when your child is ready for an upgrade. Create the perfect drawing area for you little one today by painting a square of chalkboard or dry erase paint on the wall and framing it in a bright, bold frame (all the better to keep the crafting to the designated area!). That same creation station can easily be converted into your teen’s to-do list or football practice calendar area with a different, more grown-up frame.