Can I share a pet peeve with you? Super trendy, super stylish children’s rooms. Are you scratching your head? Please let me explain. Some parents get so caught up in creating a cutting-edge, trend-conscious interior that slots in with their tastes and sense of style that they forget the phrase “children’s bedroom” actually contains the word “child.” Rose and I have often discussed this issue – she hates it as much as I do. Super trendy, super stylish… super boring. If I see another colourless, bland, or black and white nursery or child’s bedroom on Pinterest I’m going to slap somebody.
Visual learning is a fundamental facet of a child’s development. To a kid, the world is a fascinating place – so many things to discover and explore. Therefore, it is vital to offer your kids as many opportunities as possible to learn from the environment around them. Why then create these serious, grown-up rooms that lack cheer, playfulness and the general fun that we generally identify with children?!
It is totally possible to create a beautiful room you AND your child will love. Today we are focusing on little girls’ bedrooms. Here are a few handy tips and a handful of gorgeous girls’ room interiors to inspire you…
Do colour:
Did you know that, other than instinctive emotions, colour is one of the first external factors a child will react to? Colour plays a considerable role in engaging a child, assisting to both inspire them and pique their curiosity. Then why on earth would we give a child a room devoid of colour? Now I’m not saying your child’s room should like a clown that ate a rainbow but pick an exciting colour scheme that your little girl will love. And by the way – who said girls’ bedrooms should be pink?! Introducing tasteful amounts of colour is not difficult even if you refrain from painting the walls. In fact, white or neutral walls add a sense of open and uncluttered freshness and makes it very easy to transition your little girl’s room into a more grown-up teen room – it’s the blank canvas concept. The colour can be all in the accessories – quirky cushions, cheery bedding, bright rugs, and painted furniture (why no try the ombre effect).
Do pattern:
It is said that in kid-friendly spaces, there’s no such thing as pattern overload – and I fully agree. Combine stripes and polka dots, florals and prints. Somehow, pattern-on-pattern madness, that would have hurt your eyes in any other room of your house, does not look out of place in a child’s bedroom. My favourite pattern combo for little girls would have to be happy polka dots and pretty florals – cute and feminine! The use of pattern does not have to be restricted to your fabrics – consider an interesting wallpaper, either for a blank wall or a piece of furniture like the front of a chest of drawers or the inside of a bookcase.
Do DIY:
There are SO many awesome and easy Do-It-Yourself projects on the web – anything from how to make your own bunting to a step-by-step tutorial on how to transform an old TV cabinet into a child’s play kitchen. If you have ten thumbs and DIY is not your bag, at least allow your child to partake in the creation of her room. Have a “decorate my room day” – crafting projects like making paper chains, fabric garlands, or just painting fun artworks is not only easy and entertaining but will add that personal touch to your child’s bedroom… not to mention a sense of accomplishment! Also, think about painting a wall in chalkboard paint – that way your little girl can continuously change an aspect of her room while having a ton of fun!
Do theme:
Themes can be scary… one can so easily cross the tasteful line and stumble head-first into corny and kitsch. However, choosing a theme can also make the process of decorating your child’s bedroom easier. The most important thing to remember is: don’t overdo it! Sticking a pink princess on every surface is definitely overkill. One can create a perfect princess room without actually using any princess imagery – think child-sized French furniture pieces, a glitzy chandelier, a billowy canopy bed, and velvety pink fabrics. Sounds classy right? We have created such a little girl’s room for one of our clients in the past – princess room without the cheese. Another thing to consider is staying away from stereotypes. Ask your child what theme she wants for her bedroom – the answer might surprise you… I knew a little girl who wanted a racing car room – and her parents pulled it off perfectly without compromising on the room’ s femininity.
Do play:
This must be the most important thing to remember when decorating your child’s bedroom… just play. Developing your child’s imagination is important, so use your own imagination when you set up her room. Create a space your kid actually wants to spend time in, a space where she can play and discover… not some starchy stiff room. Make your child’s room as interactive and tactile as possible. Create an area for her play-kitchen and her dollhouse (or whatever interests she might have), add a reading nook, build a tree house bed or tent fort – remember your child’s room should be her sanctuary, the place she feels most safe. Set out to design a room your child will have fun in… and please have fun while doing it!
The Design Tabloid 
[…] colour, playfulness, and general cheer. We also shared some gorgeous images of inspirational little girls’ bedrooms and a handful of handy tips and […]
[…] back to wallpaper! As we’ve said in past posts on kids’ bedrooms (read them here & here) it is very important to gift your child with a unique space that will encourage imagination and […]