Decorating a Child’s Room — for Now and Later

This year it’s trains and next year it will be dinosaurs. The year after he’ll love gaming, and then it’s all about sports, girls and studying. It’s clear that growing up challenges even the most well-planned room decorations. However, with smart furniture choices and a willingness to update accessories, you can create a kid’s room that works now and years into the future.

Choosing Furniture

Once the early years of babyhood and toddlerhood are safely in the rearview mirror, it’s time to get serious about purchasing well-made furniture that can adapt to changing taste and maturity. Full-over-full bunk beds are a fun option for younger years but easily fit older kids once they grow — while also providing you with extra sleeping arrangements when you host overnight guests. If bunk beds are a bit too juvenile, try a lounger bed or captain’s bed. It’s a great choice for smaller spaces and budgets when buying additional storage furniture isn’t an option.

When it comes to storage, you can never have too much. Find a matching dresser with plenty of deep drawers capable of holding sweatshirts and sweaters, shirts, pants, pajamas and underwear. Don’t forget to leave space for uniforms and special event apparel. Choose a nightstand that’s electronics-ready and keep phones and devices out of sight. Don’t forget a desk, hutch and mirror — there are plenty of affordable, wood furniture options that coordinate perfectly.

Adding a Personal Touch

You may be buying furniture to last for years to come, but accessories allow you to customize the look of your child’s room. Bedding is a great way to highlight a special interest or hobby, and it’s easy and inexpensive to change once the fad passes. You can also purchase poster-size frames in standard sizing and replace the contents with prints and themes that reflect your child’s interest.

Curtains and lighting are simpler ways to easily turn a child’s room into one that belongs to an adolescent, and finally, a teenager. Paint is another easy way to make a noticeable adjustment. The bright colors of your child’s early years might slowly turn into more neutral, or adult-like, shades.

Final Tips

If you’re starting from scratch, focus on your needs first. Measure your room carefully before you buy, and note the locations of the entry, closet and windows. Establish a budget, and don’t forget to include bedding, paint, lighting and an area rug. Storage is a top priority, but so is finding a comfortable mattress — you’ll need two if you’re planning bunk beds.

If you’re interested in once-and-done decorating, choose wood furniture that is also suitable for an older teen or adult. If you prefer to update every few years, try a fun option like a basketball loft bed. But if you’re worried about making an expensive decision, consult a professional. Professional input from Just Cabinets can clarify your choices and make the process enjoyable rather than daunting. 

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How to Match Your Paint and Furniture

If you’ve ever spent hours staring at paint chips and trying to imagine how they’ll look on the walls of your home, you know how difficult finding the right colors can be. The best interior home colors aren’t necessarily what are in the latest magazines and websites, but rather what looks right with your furnishings. That Chinese red dining room might look wonderful online, but try it with your green Persian carpet and it’s back to the drawing board.

Choosing a Neutral

Neutrals are having a huge moment in interior design. Whites, creams, grays, browns, camels — they’re everywhere, they go with everything, and they’re gorgeous. Choosing a neutral is a lot harder than it looks, however. If you’ve already tried to find the perfect true gray paint, you know how challenging it can be to find a shade that doesn’t have undertones of another color such as green.

Invest in a fan deck from your favorite paint supplier before you begin. Your first step will be to determine whether you prefer warm tones such as beige and tan, or cool tones such as gray and pure white. Don’t buy gallons of paint before you test them on the wall. Buy a quart instead, and test a patch. You’ll be able to evaluate how it looks in different lights and with your trim, as well as your furniture.

Incorporating Bold Colors

There will always be a place for bold colors in home design. After all, is there anything more stunning than a navy blue lacquered wall with bright white trim and polished nickel or brass fixtures? Bold isn’t for the faint of heart, but when done properly, it can achieve an unforgettable look.

Again, testing is absolutely essential. Deep navy looks beautiful with bright white, paler blues and purple. Red paint complements richly hued furnishings, such as mahogany. Perhaps the most important tip for bold paint is to prep your walls carefully. It’s tempting to think that dark paint hides, but the opposite is true — dark paint magnifies prep mistakes. So does gloss, so test carefully and choose wisely.

Mixing Furnishings and Paint

Begin by matching the colors in your rug or floor to your proposed wall color. These elements will give your room the structure it needs. If you’re planning to paint each room a different color, coordinate carefully. If possible, choose one or two colors you plan to carry through each room. For example, you might decide that taupe and a creamy white are your colors. If you use the same tones throughout your home, you’ll amp up its look considerably and ensure everything is consistent.

If You Need Help

Feeling frustrated? Just Cabinets, Furniture & More can help. Our trained interior designers are available every day at no cost to you! Visit a showroom for more information.

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