Don't settle for the usual baby and kids room decor. Create something unique!
A child's room is a space where their personality and interests can really shine. While the color scheme in a child's room can often be designed to blend with the overall feeling of the home, this is not a requirement for these happy spaces. If your taste runs toward neutral earth tones, it is almost guaranteed that your son will want spaceman blue while your daughter prefers ladybug red. So remember--no decorating police will show up at your door if you stray from your neutrals for these rooms.
You can find ideas for themes and colors that are fresh and long-lasting for your little one's private space from many sources. Here are some of my favorites.
Art
Art can make a room and art can start a room as well. Start with a favorite picture, colorful poster, or a whimsical watercolor. You don't have to stick to childish scenes just because it's going into a child's room. If a piece of art doesn't fit into your formal living room, you might decide to use it as the starting point for your child's room. Even prints of classic paintings by Monet or Degas or even Andy Warhol could be an introduction to fine art for a child.
Your Child’s Collections
Any child will love being in his room if the space reflects his special interests and loves. Dolls, airplanes, ballet shoes, and pirates make great themes for a child. Build on an existing collection by translating the motifs into other room elements--wall decor fabrics, and window treatments, for example. Show off an airplane collection on display shelves, then take the theme a step further with cloud-painted walls, an airplane border or sheets, and lamps with a propeller motif. (You might have to draw the line at live frogs or tarantulas!) Be sure to have lots of shelves and wall space available to collect through the years.
Child-Themed Nursery Rhyme Prints
Nursery rhymes are a popular theme for children's rooms. Boys and girls alike can relate to them in the early years. Whether you have some charming nursery rhyme prints from your own childhood or find new ones in a child’s book, frames can make them the start of décor for your child. Remember that the images should be fun and happy—no wicked witches or ugly queens here. Base the room's color scheme on hues taken from the art and you'll be on your way toward a lovely room.
Childhood Memories
Choosing the colors for your child's room from your own history will give lots to talk about. You'll be able to share your childhood with your little one and the memories will be right in front of him. You may have a set of vintage prints from a child's classic book or a collection of cherished toys and games. If you kept some of your own childhood clothes, you may be able to use the fabrics to create a very special quilt, bedskirt, or matting for pictures. Or display treasured items like these in shadowboxes. When decorating around vintage art or fabrics, it’s best to use soft, rather than vibrant, colors. Be sure to make space for your child's own toys and pictures so the room becomes his own.
Your Travels
Design a room with treasures from your own travels as the foundation. I love to pick up reminders from trips I’ve taken. It might be a poster from a museum that I loved or figurine from some tiny town. You may have fallen in love with the colors of Provence or Tuscany or the feeling of the southwest, relaxed casual warmth of Hawaii, or traditions of New England. These memories can easily be preserved in the room of your child. Colors in Tuscan-inspired rooms would be muted and washed, while Provence uses bold primary colors which are wonderful for children. Be sure to leave plenty of room for your child’s own additions.
A Special Piece of Furniture
Do you have a treasured toddler bed from your grandmother or an armoire from your own room from childhood? Often these pieces can be the starting point for decorating a new child’s room. Using a special piece of older furniture is a wise choice, since it has already proved its utility over many years. Merge it into its new home by placing it in a room with fresh colors and patterns. You may even want to paint the old piece (if it is not a valuable antique) to fit into a newer, bright décor. But you’ll always have the memories of the older piece to hand down to the next generation.
Do something unique and have fun!