Children's rooms are a very special place in the home and should reflect the interests of the occupant and blend with the rest of the decor. You don't have to settle for the traditional decor schemes. Read here for some sources of inspiration for themes for kids' rooms.
1. Treasures and Collections
Your child will love being in a room that's a reflection of their likes and interests. While you can't bring in live tarantulas and frogs -- pirates, fairies, dolls, and airplane themes are good possibilities. Let your child display her collections as a focal point for the room. Be sure to leave space so your child can add to a collection over time. Take a cue from these items for the room's color scheme, bedding, artwork, and patterns as well.2. Start with Art
Just as a child learns to appreciate music by early exposure, he can learn to recognize and love fine art by having it around him. You may have set aside a wonderful watercolor or oil painting that didn't fit into your decor. If you still love it, however, it could be used a focal point of the new child's room. Beautiful waterlilies by Monet will be serene and peaceful, while dramatic prints of Warhol's work could be a dramatic source of colors.3. Reminisce
Swatches from clothes or household items from your own childhood can serve as a wonderful source of color and theme for your child's room. These colorful fabrics sewn into a quilt, used as a swag over a window, or fitted into frames will be a reminder to you of your happy youth and be a source of conversation with your little one. If the fabrics are muted or dull, they might work well in a country or cottage style room. Colorful, bold fabric tones work well in more whimsical rooms.4. Travel Memories
It's always fun to bring back souvenirs from trips and sometimes these can fit well into a child's room. Hawaiian momentoes work for a beach-themed room, New England ship posters or pictures of old dolls fit into a classic theme. Use color schemes from travels as well. Tuscan muted tones of gold and ochre with iron or painted furniture will create a serene space while bold, sunny colors of Provence are cheery for any age child.5. Nursery Rhyme Prints
You can pick up vintage nursery prints online, at flea markets, or you might have some from your own childhood room. You could even remove some pictures from a colorful child's book. Mat and frame them to coordinate and you'll have the centerpiece of a room any child would love. Be sure to have lots of books around so your child can read (or listen to) the story of the prints on the walls. Nursery rhymes appeal to both boys and girls so these prints also work well in a shared room.6. Furniture Hand-Me-Downs
Most everyone has a piece of furniture from a past home. It's a fun idea to bring the bed from your growing-up years into your child's new room. An old chest from your grandmother can be painted to look fresh, but will still evoke the memories from the past. Just as you cherish the old pieces, so will your child as he grows up. If you keep the piece as original, one option is to choose a color scheme that links to the past. If you update it, you may want to select more contemporary colors.
