Designing and decorating a child's room can be tricky business. It's not always clear who wants what - you or your child - and what makes practical, fiscal sense to buy and use. Another hurdle is that kids' tastes change daily, so you'll have to keep up if you want to make them happy. Hopefully, these tips will ease some of those frustrations!
1. It's Not Your Room!
In the rush and euphoria of trying to make the best room for their kids, parents quite often end up making the best room for themselves.
Before you get carried away, make sure to sit down with your child and listen to how he or she wants the room to look! And - this is the important part - actually incorporate their ideas into the design. Not only will you create a room that makes them happy, but seeing their own ideas transformed into reality will also no doubt give them a sense of accomplishment!
2. Beware of Fads
That Shrek wallpaper or a Hanna Montana bed spread may appeal to your child now, but will they still think it is hot stuff six months or a year? Most likely, they won't.
While keeping in mind what your kids tells you, stay away from pop culture icons and characters that tend to ebb and flow. Thankfully, they're not that hard to spot. All you have to do is think of the difference between The Power Rangers and Donald Duck. In addition, if you’ve ever heard your kids, or their friends, refer to something as "cool", it's most likely a fad. Don't use it as a key design element!
Stay away from movie merchandise, too. It's good for about two weeks before the movie opens, and a week after.
3. Removable Design Elements
If you want to make your child happy without having to rip down your walls every month, try adding some removable design elements to their room: posters are a great example.
They won't bust your wallet, they're great at covering up blank wall space, and they can go in the trash - and be replaced by new posters - as frequently as need be. Plus, if they're staples (such as sports teams or superheroes), you can even rotate them to keep a room always looking fresh.
So, remember: always incorporate your child's ideas, stay away from fickle fads, and be on a constant lookout for temporary, cheap ways to keep a room from becoming boring!
