Many parents create a nursery to welcome their newborn, but then, over time, the crib gives way to a bed, and the room fills slowly with toys, books, collections, discarded clothing and all the paraphernalia of childhood. Any sense of style or the child’s personality is hidden beneath the chaos of a disaster area in the making.
Make "go to your room" a pleasure, not a punishment.Decorating a child’s room can be child’s play. Just as you carefully consider the look of your kitchen, living room and master bedroom, you can give a child’s room a style all its own. The best children’s rooms are successful because parents think about what furnishings and accessories are appropriate, both now and later. Short and long-term needs, such as a place to do homework, entertain friends and cuddle up to read, all need to be addressed in addition to the important wishes of your child.
Whether your child is a toddler just exiting her crib or a teenager who has definite ideas about what he wants in his room, your primary objective is to satisfy his needs and make the bedroom a special place to be. Caution: This approach makes “go to your room!” a pleasure, not a punishment.
The evolution of a child’s room from infancy to teen years can be broken down into three periods (if you’re fortunate enough to correctly anticipate the staying power of each design). From birth to around age 2 or 3, the nursery theme can remain basically unchanged with the exception of a bed replacing the crib. By age 4, your child can express his or her preferences - a room designed around a favorite book or television character or something the child enjoys, such as cars, sports, dolls, animals or trains. Depending upon how long the theme holds your child’s interest, this room can last into adolescence, when your child will want a more “grown-up” room. Then, the emphasis will be on furnishings that are more conducive to “hanging out” - a comfortable chair or recliner for listening to music, a bed loaded with lots of pillows for lolling around while talking on the telephone, a computer desk, entertainment center and more.
Ideally, the room you create for an infant should last 10 years with minor adjustments. You can worry about that teen haven later on.
When choosing furnishings, consider your child's changing storage needs.Start with basics. Decide what furnishings are needed now and down the road. Your toddler might not need a desk right now, but your 8-year-old is likely to use a computer for homework. And someday you might want your child to have a television in the bedroom. Is the bedroom very small? Is it large enough to accommodate a seating area? What about storage? Is there a large closet or just a small compartment for clothing? If you choose a twin bed, you might want to include a trundle unit for sleepovers. Try to think about every conceivable need your child will have at least through adolescence.
Adjustable shelving and modular storage allow you to adapt the height to your child’s reach and the types of things that are displayed. Divide closet space in half by adding a rod at your child’s level. You can hang seasonal or little-used clothing and outerwear on the upper rod.
Choose well-made furniture. A sturdy bed will last throughout childhood and might even follow your child into his or her first home after college. Many manufacturers offer furniture designed specifically for a child’s room, with bunk, loft and trundle beds complemented by a wide range of storage and display pieces as well as computer desks and entertainment centers. The furniture will become the foundation for the room’s decor, adapting to changing themes with new accessories, bedding, wallpaper and paint treatments and fabrics.
Create an environment that is both comfortable and easy to clean. If you’re going to include an art center, make sure the floor is protected from spills. One idea is to cover the carpet with a painted floor canvas - with its polyurethane finish, it’s easily mopped.
Sooner or later, your child will want to hang things on the wall, from posters to mementos. So go ahead and create a display area, whether a large bulletin board or a neutral wallpaper that won’t compete with your child’s questionable taste in art!
