Designing Fun Kids' Rooms
89Getting Started...
Making a fun and unique children's room doesn't have to be all that hard or complicated. Coming up with a good theme can most often be solved the easiest by taking a few cues from the resident. What does your child like?
Is there a color that's a favorite? An animal? A place? Kids get into all sorts of stuff, and a lot of times, that's the best way to pick how to get started. The trick is to keep the theme flexible and suggested in the larger colors and decor, and let a few specific items bring the theme into focus. This keeps the theme changeable over time, which is a good thing considering children's tastes change as they grow up.
This is also when you can think about traditional boy-girl gender roles and whether you care if the design reinforces those or not on your child. Some little kids are very strongly identified with old-fashioned boy or girl games and some are very blended. With a medieval-theme, you might have a knight or you might have a princess, or you might have a little dragon or fairy of your own. Talking with your child and having them participate in the designing of their own room can make for an environment that satisfies and pleases both parent and child.
If you already have a specific design for your child's room in mind, you might want to go to Creating Fun Kids' Rooms, which talks about bringing your designs to life.
Some Bedroom Ideas
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeBooks for Advice and Ideas about Children's Rooms
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Easy Home Improvements: Your Child's Bedroom
Price: $0.01
List Price: $12.95 |
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Super Suite: The Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Guide for Girls
Price: $1.95
List Price: $17.95 |
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Bedrooms for Cool Kids
Price: $12.92
List Price: $19.95 |
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Go to Your Room! (For the Mac): Making a Comfy Bedroom, Complete with Furniture, in Google SketchUp (ModelMetricks Basics Series, Book 4)
Price: $16.95
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Go to Your Room! (For the PC): Making a Comfy Bedroom, Complete with Furniture, in Google Sketchup (ModelMetricks Basics Series, Book 4)
Price: $16.95
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Bedding Sets To Support the Theme and Look
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Pottery Barn Kids unisex infant bedding set
Current Bid: $40.00
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ZEBRA PRINT PINK BLACK TWIN 4pc GIRLS KIDS BEDDING SET
Current Bid: $69.99
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NEW! Authentic Kids TRAIN Twin Bedding 5 Piece Set
Current Bid: $179.99
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Woolrich Kids 12 pc Bear Campground Full Bedding Set
Current Bid: $248.00
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Pottery Barn Kids Complete Bedding Set +
Current Bid: $125.00
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Set of 3 Owl Kids Art Prints Matches Brooke Bedding
Current Bid: $15.00
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Suggestions for Themes
Here are some ideas for design themes. The trick is to make sure both adult and child are happy with the decision. If you discuss the situation sensibly with your children and let them participate in the design and decisions, you'll find they can let go of the really wild fantasy bedroom scenarios and help come up with something fun and useful for day-to-day!
Nature - How about a jungle bedroom? Or maybe the desert, the woods or under-the-sea?
Space - sun, moon, stars, planets - this is for the kid who wants glowing planets and stars on the ceiling.
Animals - Pick just one animal or do a whole zoo's worth!
A color or color spectrum can make a nice room theme that doesn't get locked into one age range or interest.
Movie or tv show - a character, a movie or a series might be how you want to do your room.
Sports - this is a very popular one, where the room is done in a team's colors, styled around a favorite player, or which favors your child's favorite sport overall.
History/Culture - native american village, spanish hacienda
Real or Fantasy Location - country farm, pirate ship, race track
Fabric Accents and Design
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeSites with Great Ideas
- Creating a Fun Valance
Instructions for making an easy valance for your windows. - FamilyFun: Decorating kid rooms will be a snap with these fun ideas including tips for painting, ste
Great kid rooms decorating and organizing ideas including tips for painting, - Bedrooms for Cool Kids Stuff Interior Design Ideas Book
Parent-helpful products and toys to stimulate imaginative play! - Kids' Rooms
Make a dream room a reality with kid-friendly ideas for decorating rooms for babies, kids, and teens. - Cool Accents for Kids' Rooms
Cool Kids Furniture
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Crane Adorable 1 Gallon Cool Mist Humidifier, Elephant Shape
Price: $29.95
List Price: $39.99 |
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Stork Craft Hoop Glider and Ottoman Cushion in Cherry Wood and Beige Corduroy
Price: $139.00
List Price: $199.00 |
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Stork Craft Tuscany Glider and Ottoman in Espresso/Beige
Price: $187.00
List Price: $299.00 |
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Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe 100% Cotton Flannel Small, Pink Gingham
Price: $8.05
List Price: $9.99 |
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KidKraft Two Step Stool - White
Price: $28.99
List Price: $45.90 |
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South Shore Furniture, Cakao Collection, Twin Mates Bed 39", Chocolate
Price: $139.99
List Price: $149.99 |
Tricks & Tips For Fun Rooms
Wallpaper - it's often better on the budget and eyeballs if fancy wallpaper is limited to just one wall in the room. A little bit can make a bold and beautiful statement. Plus, save scraps or get just a bit more than you need, and you can cut out design elements from the paper to use as art or for decorating furniture to match!
Accent Trim - LIttle bits of trim or any architectural details can become really fun when painted with fun and funky colors. Doors, window frames, small ceiling and wall angles all can really pop with just a touch of bright color.
Stencils - this is a great way to take bits of patterns from sheets and bedding and enlarge them for painting on walls. You can do floor or ceiling borders, use them to help make a mural or scatter designs across a wall.
Window Shades - a bunch of fancy markers can make a plain shade turn into a matching accent. Your stencils and walpaper bits work well here too.
Bulletin/Cork Boards - making a dedicated space for posters and pictures can save on having to spackle and repaint years down the road. (my folks thought up this trick with me as I was a very poster-y child)
Murals and Wall Art
- Wall Murals - Tips & Techniques to Make Your Mural Project As Easy as 1-2-3
The best online resource for do it yourself wall murals, providing how-to instructions, theme-based ideas & inspiration, and reviews of mural products. - FamilyFun: Kids'-Room Murals - and More Family Fun
Easy decorating tips for using murals to decorate kids' bedrooms. - Murals in Children's Rooms
With a little insight you can create imaginative murals or accents in your child's room to make all their dreams come true. - Creative for Kids
- Children's Rooms with Murals...
Creative Kids Rooms Painted by Art Effects - DIY Wall Murals for Decorating Kids Rooms from Create-a-Toon
decorate kids rooms with DIY mural kits - Wall Murals - WallNutz.com
Wall murals for decorating kids rooms.
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The idea on keeping the theme flexible and yet within the range of what the child likes is good. Good stuff you have here. I'm into home improvement myself.
I know some parents who are willing try out these tips. Thanks for these. Good hub you have here. I'm into home improvement myself.
My mom did a great work for me when I was little.Unfortunately after 10 years I grew out of jungle theme.
Ooooh!! I love this hub!! I've done some very interesting rooms for my kids. I tend to redo them about once a year. These are just beautiful!!!!
Thank you for the ideas!!!!
Love the pictures! Thank you.
Nice hub. Lots of very helpful ideas. Love the picture idea for twins!
So many ideas, I am quite lost. Every one has enough to pick up something, what suits her/him. Very nice!
i really enjoy your design i love the dark blue colors, i have a son myself and know that he would love that.
Neat hub! I am looking to decorate my 2 year old son's room with a car theme. he is the giggest car fan in the world!
Sure I do:) But fresh ideas from the outside are always welcome :)
As a kid, I got to have a lot of say about what I wanted to have my bedroom look like. Collaborate with your kids on a room design!
NIce ideas. Thanks Relache :)
Great hub. Our kids are teenagers no. \But if I'd have known how to decorate a room with some of the scenes on this hub I'd have done a better job. I'm sure.
hi its very butefull
As we just decided to decorate our teens room her younger sister is now asking if we can do the same for her so this hub has been a great resource as we really were a bit stuck for ideas, so many thanks for relieving our headache!
The mural with the safari scene is really nice. It just pops through at you in the middle of the wall.
I find that going to the library is a great place when you need to find pictures of things.
Where can I get a idea for a map or island? For the boat I am looking on ways to "dress" a twin bed. I can't afford a custom bed.
What you are describing sounds good for a start. But it will get easier if you pick a specific boat style, and a particular map or island to depict and then go forward from there.













Just About It says:
6 weeks ago
Awesome ideas for a kids room. I am looking forward to doing my son's room when he can tell me what he wants. I love this stuff.