Kid’s room décor is a tricky thing to get right. Children change their minds so often and grow up so quickly that decorating their room according to their favourite theme or of-the-moment tv show really isn’t a cost-effective or long-lasting décor decision. When it comes to kids’ room décor it pays to take the extra time to plan and research colours, trends, furniture and designs before moving ahead with a makeover or renovation. Not only will this save you money now, but it will save you money in the future and ensure your kid’s room will look swish for years to come.
We enlisted interior designers Fiona Shakespeare, of Shakespeare Design, Lydia Maskiell of Lydia Maskiell Interiors, and Krystal Sagona of Interior Flow to give us their expert tips and advice on kids’ room décor.
What colours should I use in kid’s rooms?
Picking the perfect paint and accent colours for your children’s rooms is incredibly important. The colours you use can increase the longevity of the room’s style, and play a part in helping your child sleep, stay calm or be creative.
“My favourite colour for kid’s rooms right now is Dulux Salt Blue, a gender neutral colour. It’s great for cutting through all the pink that girls seem to accumulate, and softens boys or gender neutral rooms when paired with strong colours such as navy or orange,” says interior designer Lydia Maskiell. “I would avoid colours such as bright greens and reds, as these are can stimulate children’s impulsivity, and you may find that it’s hard for them to relax or sleep in rooms that have too much of these colours going on.”
Designer Fiona Shakespeare suggests neutral colours for longevity. “Keep paint colours versatile and neutral so they last from toddler to teen, but neutral doesn’t have to mean boring,” says Fiona. “Certain warm greys, turquoise greys, off-whites and aqua blues go well with most other colours, can be gender neutral and always look smart.”
What Flooring should I use in kid’s rooms?
When it comes to flooring in kid’s rooms, it’s best to think about exactly how you want the space to function. Will there be lots of studying? Lots of playing with toys on the floor? Are you looking to reduce noise pollution in your home? Once you know exactly how you want the rom to function, you can make a flooring choice.
According to Lydia, rugs are the key to success. “I’m a huge fan of carpet in bedrooms. Kids love to play and be cushioned by soft carpet rather than hard surfaces such as timber,” says Lydia. “If carpet isn’t an option, then definitely introduce a plush, soft rug, the bigger the better. Even if you do have carpet, rugs are great to zone spaces within a child’s bedroom, such as a playful car rug in the centre of the room to signify your child’s play space. I wouldn’t be scared to layer a rug over carpet. Irrespective of floor coverings, a rug is a must.”
“All kids love their own rug in their room,” says Fiona. “It has to be soft; this is the top priority for kids because they plan to lie on it!”
Krystal suggests using acrylic carpet or floorboards for children with allergies. “Good quality acrylic carpets are just as soft and luxurious as wool if you use the right suppliers, and are easier to clean in kid’s rooms”
What furniture do you need in kid’s rooms?
These days your child’s room is usually multifunctional. It needs to be a space for sleep, study, play and personality. When choosing furniture for kid’s rooms, be sure to keep that multifunctional purpose in mind, and go with furniture and a layout that will cater to all your child’s needs. Some basics to start with are a bed, storage, and a desk with a chair.
“Scandanavian-style furniture (found at Ikea and other affordable furniture retailers) tends to come in blonde timber or white, and in simple shapes that suit kids’ bedrooms,” says Fiona. “Kids’ rooms need good storage options for books, toys and extra clothes, and a desk for homework that can double as a dressing table as they get older.” Fiona also says that those who have the luxury of space in their kid’s room keep storage to the outer edges of the room, so that children have a clearly identifiable place in which to play.
“Consider joinery pieces that serve as storage tubs, but convert to bench seating on top,” says Lydia. “It will serve two purposes and save space.”
“A low-level bed to prevent heads being bumped if they roll out is a must,” says Krystal. “Build in custom storage on wheels below the bed for easy pull out toy storage.”
What are the best décor ideas for kids’ rooms?
When it comes to décor, less is more. Rather than going overboard with your child’s requested theme, incorporate it into a larger, more neutral scheme that allows for your child to grow, and change it as they get older.
“I wouldn’t suggest on “theming” a bedroom, but more incorporating elements that are going to be visually appealing for the child,” says Lydia. “Such as trying a fun dinosaur cushion or dinosaur shaped night light rather than going full dinosaur with decals, quilts and prints. I think a few subtle references to their interests are far more effective than a full blown dinosaur themed room.”
“Kids love to display their treasures and knick-knacks, whether on a bedside table or a special shelf. It helps them develop their sense of personal pride and personalise their room by showing off the things that are important to them,” says Fiona. “A good bedside lamp is a must, to encourage reading in bed and in case they need to get up during the night.”
Fiona’s favourite way to really make kids room décor pop is to incorporate wallpaper or wall decals.
“The wall is such a big surface area that when decorated, it adds instant wow factor,” says Fiona. “Decals are available on line and can be changed easily as the child grows older, while larger framed prints of ocean waves or tropical water are also popular with teenage boys and girls and affordable when purchased on line.”
For something different and unique, Krystal suggests using magnetic stripping.
“Magnetic strips from Ikea (used for spice and knife storage) can double up as toy car storage. Kids also love to see their achievements and artwork, so try installing an attractive acoustic pin board to the wall,” says Krystal.”
What sort of window furnishings should you include in a kids’ room décor?
When it comes to window furnishing, it can be a hard choose between something pretty, and something that’s practical, hardwearing and easy to clean. Look for window furnishings that serve as many of those purposes as possible to get maximum bang for your buck.
Krystal says good quality blinds in the room will keep the temperature even, the sun light and heat out, a suggestion that Lydia also agrees with. “I treat roman blinds as a soft piece of art, because you can get so many amazing fabrics now,” says Lydia. “I’m also loving the softness of floor to ceiling sheers, spanning them the full length of the wall, especially in nurseries as it’s a great way to soften a space and won’t date as the child gets older.”
What sort of lighting works well in kid’s rooms?
Lighting is important and can add that finishing ‘something’ to a space. Whether you choose a pendant, floor lamp or fairy lights, pick something that suits your child’s personality and needs.
“Feature pendants, whether large with a soft texture or bold and coloured, are great for giving a soft, more ambient light in the room when children start winding down, and can zone a play area or reading nook within the room,” says Lydia.
“Fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and draped in suspended loops as an alternative for night lights create a magical feeling,” says Krystal.
How do you decide how to decorate a kid’s room?
When it comes to deciding on kids’ room décor, it’s important to consider the overall style and architectural cues of your home, so the room feels cohesive with the rest of the house.
“I always consider the style of the home and how a children’s room can be a part of the overall home aesthetic,” says Lydia. “For instance, if you’re decorating a children’s room within a federation style home, I wouldn’t go ultra-modern as it would feel too disconnected from the home itself.
Lydia suggests aiming for a balance of old and new pieces, and aesthetics.
“Pair vintage or antique pieces with modern hardware or accessories as a way to connect back to the era of the home, or perhaps using wallpaper that was inherently on trend in the federation period but with a modern, timeless pattern through it,” suggests Lydia. “This would be my first step in ascertaining a direction for a kids’ room.”
You might also like:
Decorating tips for teen bedrooms
Dream up a new room for your child
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