Many people jump into decorating their children’s rooms with gusto. They’ve known for a long time what they want the theme to be, and by golly, they make it happen. Other times, though, they have no idea where to start. This article aims to offer a few starting points and also gives insight into current trends.
Start Simply
If you’re having a hard time deciding on themes, colors, patterns, all that, take a minute, and relax. After you have caught a breather, take a look at crib bedding (if you’re decorating for a nursery, then fitted sheets. You’d look at toddler or young child bedding otherwise). Found something you like? Probably. And…you’re done!
Well, not quite. But by starting with bedding, you can easily come up with a theme. Beginning with bedding makes sense especially with nurseries because cribs are the focal point of many a room. So, whatever it is that strikes your fancy—an elephant print, something plaid or metallic, or a pattern with cool shapes—you can use it to govern your other choices.
Still feel stuck, or don’t want to start with bedding? Go gray for a little while. That is, get a gray rocking chair, and paint the walls gray. This buys you time and lets you make progress on the nursery/child’s room. A gray chair is stain-friendly, and gray walls are great slates for future splashes of color.
Look at Trends
Another way to get ideas is to examine current trends. Even if you decide not to go with one, they’re fun to look at. Some include:
- Bold watercolor accents
- Earthy, green tones
- Floral mobiles
- DIY projects
- Rose gold
- Cacti
Others are:
- Open layouts/open floor plans
- White or pastel colors
- Asymmetrical or oversized cribs
- Vibrant color accents
In other words, pretty much everything seems “in.” You probably don’t need to worry about your child’s nursery or bedroom appearing out of sync with the times. Pretty much anything goes.
Consider Values You Want to Impart
If you still feel undecided, think about the values you want to pass on to your child. For instance, what about a love of travel? Of adventure? How about generosity or open-mindedness? Perhaps you want to convey a joy of reading.
Eugene Chrinian, CEO of Ashley Furniture HomeStores in New York and New Jersey, has a blog post about encouraging generosity in children. It points out that reading fiction can improve a child’s empathy. So perhaps a theme based on a book or character could be fruitful, and you can fill up your child’s bookshelves with lots of great reading material. Dr. Seuss and Beatrix Potter are two possibilities, and you can frame book covers and favorite pages from books.
A travel-related theme could be immensely fun. You might choose to focus on a particular city or region, or on a travel-related activity (ex: safari, airplanes, boating). Paris, sun-drenched islands, flamingos, or Victorian England are possible options.
Do-It-Yourself
While it’s unrealistic for your entire nursery or child’s bedroom to be do-it-yourself, there are a few fun projects you can do, and they go a long way toward adding warmth and accent to the room. Ideas include:
- Pennants
- Mobiles
- Storage/shoe racks
- Light fixtures (try yarn!)
- Drawer pulls
- Rugs
- Crib skirts
- Papier mache alphabet wall
- Shelves, cribs, and other furniture made from pallets
- Animal lamps
If your child is old enough, he or she can do a few projects too.
Check Out Furniture Stores
Of course, there is no shame in heading to a few close furniture stores, checking out their bedroom selections, and buying a matching set of everything. Places such as Ashley offer beds, bunk beds, nightstands, dressers, rugs, wall decor, and lighting items. Talk about a big timesaver (and stress saver). You’ll likely have to shop at specific stores for cribs, but you can find pretty much everything else at a general furniture store.
Fun bonus: You can buy some nice grown-up things for yourself too.
Focus Your Mind Elsewhere
Speaking of grownup things…why not give your bedroom some love if you can’t decide on what to do for your child’s room? Your room may not necessarily need a theme, but a makeover doesn’t take much and can do wonders for your mood and mindset. No wall repainting required (unless you want to).
Change up your bedspread, artwork, rugs, and lighting accessories. Declutter and clean. Go with different colors, and your bedroom probably looks as good as new. As you can see, it’s possible to have a terrific-looking bedroom without a “true” theme. All you need is a good color or several, and dollops of patience and persistence.
Decorating a nursery or toddler’s room should be fun. If you’re stressing over themes and accents and colors, it definitely won’t hurt to focus on your own room for a while. With your mind on break, you’re bound to come up with fantastic ideas.
