Inspiring Kid's Decor In 7 Steps

Planning on decorating your little one's room? Here's how...

Mar 28, 2023

Hi friends! The other day I stumbled upon these cute photos from a rug brand that I love, Lorena Canals, and I thought to myself, “What lovely rooms!” So I decided to create a post on how to decorate a kid's room because so many struggle with it and for good reason, it can be challenging since kid’s have a lot of needs and STUFF.

Also, if you like reading my posts here, stick around to the end of this article for a little change in how my Substack will run soon. You need to know!

Are you planning on decorating your little one's room? If so, here are 7 tips to help you get started.

1/Start with the basics

The paint, curtains, art and rugs are some of the most important elements of any room, but especially so in kid's rooms where toys and crayons might wreck or stain furniture and carpets over time. Choose neutral colors that will work well with all kinds of accessories, from toys to posters to bedding sets. If you're looking for something more colorful, consider adding some artwork or wall decals for an accent piece that will stand out without overwhelming everything else in the room.

2/Then… Go beyond basics!

The perfect kid's room is one that inspires creativity and imagination so it’s time to get creative! There are so many ways you can incorporate crafty and or cute elements into your child's bedroom — whether it's an entire room dedicated to arts and crafts or just a few carefully selected pieces that fit into your existing decor scheme.

Consider adding things like bulletin boards (great for displaying kids' work), pinboards, art walls, a creative corner with a desk and art supplies, art that the child makes to display on a specific shelf, poufs to lounge on, cozy pillows and blankets, baskets on the floor for toys… But there is a limit or else the room can quickly become too packed with stuff and overwhelm already overstimulated kids.

It’s best to say, “Ok, on this pinboard or on this shelf, we will put all of your favorite art pieces from school” or “On this shelf we’ll put all of your favorite action figures that you’d like to display'“, then to have all of these little things displayed (or thrown!) all over the room or placed on every single shelf and surface. Give the room some breathing space on bookshelves and in closets, not every nook needs to be occupied. By keeping some space free, children are encouraged to create more crafts to display or rotate their displays. It’s hard to do that when a room looks like an episode from Hoarders. :)

3/Choose the right lighting

Lighting is so important in any room really because it sets the mood and atmosphere. The best way to make sure that your child’s bedroom has the right lighting is to invest in a dimmer switch for your ceiling lights. This will allow you to adjust the brightness of their room depending on what time of day it is and what they're doing at any given moment. Plus, it will save you money on your energy bills!

Another tip is that lighting needs to fit the scenario. Near the bed, you need a light. On a desk, you need a light, etc.

If you’re child is too young for a bedside table or desk (i.e. baby or toddler) then you may not know where to put lighting. In this case, my design rule of thumb - a room needs 4 sources of light near each corner of the room to illuminate that section and one in the center (pendant or ceiling light) to illuminate the center of the space. Then when all lights are on, the entire space have an even distribution of light.

4/Have plenty of storage space

Kids tend to accumulate lots of toys and books over time, so it's important that they have enough space to store them all properly. Ideally, there should be enough storage space so that everything can be placed inside without having too much clutter around — or worse yet, strewn about on the floor! You could use large open shelving units for this purpose, which can also serve as display units if you place some decorative items on top (like books or stuffed animals). Alternatively, consider buying a dresser with drawers for clothes, bins to place on bookcases, and a desk that has drawers (vs. just a work surface). A night table with storage is also helpful.

5/Work from a color palette not a theme

A color palette is a great way to help your child express their personality and interests, while also helping them feel like they belong in their room because they love the colors there. Choose a color scheme and decorate around it. I don’t suggest working with a theme though - for instance, to match their favorite character or story line, because kids are interested in so many different characters in the course of a few months, it’s not worth it financially to invest in large decor items (wallpaper, furniture, rugs) with a character on it that they’ll love today and be bored with next month. Add in their favorite characters through toys, books, stuffed animals, framed prints, their pajamas, and their bedding. Foundational pieces (furniture, wallpaper, drapes, rugs) are better left out of theme-decor.

6/Find a point of inspiration

You’ll need jumping off point to design around. Perhaps it is a wonderful wallpaper pattern, a large framed print, or a fantastic rug. Then, build around it. I like to put together mood boards, or pinboards on Pinterest. Something as simple as this example above is an excellent point to begin from.

7/Think about functionality

In my son’s room, I thought about how he uses the space when I updated his room in 2021 from a kindergarten kid space to a primary school child. I had to buy a desk and chair, storage, and a bedside table and lamp along with a small bookcase for additional books he’ll have from school. I had to imagine how he’d be using each area - bedside - what does he need there? Desk - what is needed? Clothes storage - how should that be organized so he can easily dress and undress and know where to put everything? Toy storage - what does he play with a lot, some time, rarely? How could I store it accordingly? And most importantly, how could I reduce visual clutter so he isn’t laying in his bed looking at all of his favorite toys when I’m desperately trying to get him to fall asleep and not think about playing!? Another thought I had was imagining other children visiting him - where would they play, and is there enough space for 2-3 boys to play there? Go through all of the activities that your child will do in the space and plan out little nooks accordingly for each activity.

And because I’m so happy that I was able to use these wonderful photos from Lorena Canals, I have to add that if you need lovely things for kid’s rooms, especially washable rugs that you can literally throw in the daily wash, they have the best on the market. This is not sponsored, not gifted, I’m just happy to be able to use a few images from their website and want to show my appreciation in return. Plus, I have two of their rugs and love them so I know what I’m talkin’ ‘bout. :)

In closing, remember this when decorating any room in your home:

Home is where the fun is. 💛

Inspiring Kid's Decor In 7 Steps

Planning on decorating your little one's room? Here's how...

So tell me, what are some of YOUR tips for decorating a kid’s room - what suggestions can you add that can inspire reader’s here today?

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