Start with a great children's fabric
Whatever your child is into, you’ll be able to find a kid’s fabric to suit. This is the best place to start so you can build your scheme around it and pick out accent colours for walls and accessories.
Traditional schemes include animals (from dainty woodland creatures to great, stomping dinosaurs), swashbuckling pirates and graceful ballerinas. But you’ll find a children’s fabric to suit any taste. If your child loves horses, try an equestrian print fabric, or if reading’s more their thing, choose a Roald Dahl fabric depicting their favourite character.
Try stars, stripes and checks
If you’d prefer a look that’ll last, there are lots of fabrics that would suit a child’s room, from toddler to teen.
For boys, you could try a stripe or check for the main fabric and use a themed children’s fabric for accessories, such as cushions or bedding, that are easy to update. Most girls, young and old, love a pastel scheme in dainty florals or try a boho-chic style with a mix of floral ditsy prints in brighter tones.
For a unisex scheme, stars are ideal and multi-coloured prints look great paired with plain, bold colours.
Keep walls plain and simple
For a scheme that’ll last, pick out an accent colour from your children’s curtain fabric and keep walls plain. A feature wall is a great idea for a look that’s fun without being overwhelming. Washable paint is the most practical choice so you can wipe down dirty fingerprints and try painting an area with coloured blackboard paint so they can get creative on the walls.
Choose flooring that's warm but practical
In a child’s bedroom, flooring needs to be warm underfoot, but should also be practical. For a coordinated look, go neutral or pick out a colour from your children’s curtain fabric for the flooring.
If you have wooden floorboards, try softening the look with a cosy rug. Carpet is great for warmth but try to find one that has a short pile and is easy to clean. For a contemporary style, try a vinyl flooring. There are lots of funky patterns and colours available now which are soft to play on and ultra-durable too.
Think safety first
Safety should be the number one consideration when planning any decorating scheme, but especially in a child’s bedroom. Make sure you use child-friendly paints that don’t contain nasty toxins, add window and cupboard locks where necessary and check all furniture for sharp edges, loose screws and anything else that could cause injury or be a choking hazard. If you’re using blinds at the window, there is legislation to govern the safety of cords and these should be strictly followed.
