This guest post comes at a great time, as I’m
currently decorating the nursery for our second child. (See the latest installment on how it’s going.) Lisa Jolan writes about many different topics,
from home interior to sports, and keeps a blog on home interior tips. Here she doles out her best tips for
decorating a child’s bedroom in a lasting, cost-effective way that won’t leave
you replacing expensive furniture every few years. I used some of these
strategies while decorating Nathan’s nursery and updating it recently for
toddlerhood. They really work, so enjoy!
When it comes time to decorate a bedroom for a child, there are all sorts of ideas and techniques to build upon. It’s especially helpful to employ decorating strategies that make it easier to make changes to the room as he or she gets older. Here are some great ways to decorate from birth to the teenage years without completely overhauling the bedroom for each age transition.
Buy furniture to last from infancy to adulthood
The easiest stages to decorate for are infancy and the toddler stage. The furniture needed for a comfortable and cozy room doesn't take up much space. The essentials are a crib, dresser and changing station. A chair for comfortable nursing or bottle feeding can be included. Aside from the crib, changing table and nursing chair, furniture is best chosen with thoughts of the future.
Dressers and beds to last
Instead of buying a gimmicky infant dresser with cute, tiny drawers and baby-related decorations, a dresser made out of real wood looks great in a bedroom for any age and has the potential to last a lifetime. The same idea applies to replacing the crib when baby outgrows it. When it comes time to replace the crib with a bed, there is no need to buy a tiny toddler bed or a bed shaped like a cartoon character or vehicles. While a child will enjoy these items for a short time, it’s expensive to replace them frequently.
However, a twin bed will service a child from the toddler stage and on. A bed with a sturdy wooden or metal frame will stand up to all sorts of abuse a kid can dish out, and twin mattresses are fairly inexpensive to replace as the years go by. (Spending a little more on your toddler’s first mattress will ensure a longer life – you may not need to replace it until he or she goes off to college!)
The same goes for pillows. Pillows are used for pillow fights, lounging on the floor and propping up in bed while reading. This can break them down fairly quickly, which makes them less useful for sleep. While more expensive than other mattress and pillow types, those made out of latex or memory foam can last for 10 to 20 years without degrading. This means that a child can enjoy proper spinal support and ideal sleeping conditions from the moment they leave the crib until the moment they leave home without parents ever having to buy another mattress.
Source: Memory Foam Express
Ideal walls for all ages without a hassle
When it comes to the walls, many enjoy putting up murals or decals for the baby to enjoy and to give the room character. The problem with painting the images directly on the wall or applying wallpaper is that they can be extremely difficult to remove when it's time to decorate for the early childhood and preteen stage.
Self-adhesive decals are possibly the hardest to remove. Murals often need sanding and two primer coats to before the walls are ready for fresh paint. Wallpaper and self-adhesive decals have to be removed with harmful chemical peelers that can leave residue that may have long-lasting effects. These are not the best substances to be using in a kid's room.
Instead, applying wall decorations that affix with non-stick technologies is a better choice after painting with non-toxic indoor paint. Decals can be removed and reapplied a number of times without losing their cling, and they make it easy to transition walls as children get older. The decals can have an even longer life when applied to a painted surface with a semi-gloss or glossy finish. It's best to use a semi-gloss or glossy finish in a child's room, anyway, because they’re easy to wash and colors stay brighter longer time.
Making a child's room comfortable and productive as the years go by
As children get older, their needs change. There comes a time when a child no longer wants or needs a toy box in the bedroom. Instead of buying an obvious toy box when he or she is young, buy a chest that can be used for other storage later on. Again, wood is a nice, long-lasting choice.
At some point, a child's art station will be replaced with a desk. A larger desk will allow for crafting and drawing and for homework and other studies when they’re older.
When it comes time to decorate a bedroom for a child, there are all sorts of ideas and techniques to build upon. It’s especially helpful to employ decorating strategies that make it easier to make changes to the room as he or she gets older. Here are some great ways to decorate from birth to the teenage years without completely overhauling the bedroom for each age transition.
Buy furniture to last from infancy to adulthood
The easiest stages to decorate for are infancy and the toddler stage. The furniture needed for a comfortable and cozy room doesn't take up much space. The essentials are a crib, dresser and changing station. A chair for comfortable nursing or bottle feeding can be included. Aside from the crib, changing table and nursing chair, furniture is best chosen with thoughts of the future.
Dressers and beds to last
Instead of buying a gimmicky infant dresser with cute, tiny drawers and baby-related decorations, a dresser made out of real wood looks great in a bedroom for any age and has the potential to last a lifetime. The same idea applies to replacing the crib when baby outgrows it. When it comes time to replace the crib with a bed, there is no need to buy a tiny toddler bed or a bed shaped like a cartoon character or vehicles. While a child will enjoy these items for a short time, it’s expensive to replace them frequently.
Source: babyecotrends
However, a twin bed will service a child from the toddler stage and on. A bed with a sturdy wooden or metal frame will stand up to all sorts of abuse a kid can dish out, and twin mattresses are fairly inexpensive to replace as the years go by. (Spending a little more on your toddler’s first mattress will ensure a longer life – you may not need to replace it until he or she goes off to college!)
The same goes for pillows. Pillows are used for pillow fights, lounging on the floor and propping up in bed while reading. This can break them down fairly quickly, which makes them less useful for sleep. While more expensive than other mattress and pillow types, those made out of latex or memory foam can last for 10 to 20 years without degrading. This means that a child can enjoy proper spinal support and ideal sleeping conditions from the moment they leave the crib until the moment they leave home without parents ever having to buy another mattress.
Ideal walls for all ages without a hassle
When it comes to the walls, many enjoy putting up murals or decals for the baby to enjoy and to give the room character. The problem with painting the images directly on the wall or applying wallpaper is that they can be extremely difficult to remove when it's time to decorate for the early childhood and preteen stage.
Self-adhesive decals are possibly the hardest to remove. Murals often need sanding and two primer coats to before the walls are ready for fresh paint. Wallpaper and self-adhesive decals have to be removed with harmful chemical peelers that can leave residue that may have long-lasting effects. These are not the best substances to be using in a kid's room.
Instead, applying wall decorations that affix with non-stick technologies is a better choice after painting with non-toxic indoor paint. Decals can be removed and reapplied a number of times without losing their cling, and they make it easy to transition walls as children get older. The decals can have an even longer life when applied to a painted surface with a semi-gloss or glossy finish. It's best to use a semi-gloss or glossy finish in a child's room, anyway, because they’re easy to wash and colors stay brighter longer time.
As a
child gets older, decals can be removed without trouble and replaced with more
grown-up changes, such as art or new paint.
Source: decals
Making a child's room comfortable and productive as the years go by
As children get older, their needs change. There comes a time when a child no longer wants or needs a toy box in the bedroom. Instead of buying an obvious toy box when he or she is young, buy a chest that can be used for other storage later on. Again, wood is a nice, long-lasting choice.
At some point, a child's art station will be replaced with a desk. A larger desk will allow for crafting and drawing and for homework and other studies when they’re older.
And if
you purchased a well-made twin bed, new, more sophisticated bedding is easy and
affordable as a child gets older.
Source: mercantila
About the
author:
Lisa Jolan writes about
many different topics, from home interior to sports, and keeps a blog on home interior tips. You can
follow Lisa on Twitter at @lisajolan.
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ReplyDeleteIts good to hear that, wooden cabinets last for life time, provided it is protected from termite infestation.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that if one's furniture is being eaten by termites that they have much bigger problems on their hands! :)
DeleteI think personally that you want your child's room to be colorful and playful. You want a room that encourages your child to play and to feel good.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and beautiful!
ReplyDelete