Rooms
On A Budget
So
you want to decorate your child’s room, but you aren’t Martha
Stewart, an interior decorator isn’t in the budget and ordering
an entire room out of Pottery Barn Kids isn’t feasible either.
There are plenty of unique and inexpensive ways to create
a fantasy room for your child, and the first step in your
planning is to pick a theme.
Theme
While determining the theme seems like the easy part, it is
worth taking some time to think about. Selecting characters like Power Rangers are fine, but consider that three months
from now your child may demand Scooby Doo and you’ll have
an ongoing battle about how you just redecorated. Three
months is forever to a young child!
Think
about using color palettes as a theme, rather than specific
characters. “Primary colors” can be a theme, with wall
hangings, curtains and comforters to match. Or try a
topic that can grow with your child. For examples, a
room done in a “Jungle” theme can work all the way from a
nursery into a room for a 9-year-old child.
Walls
Once your theme is chosen, it’s time to start decorating.
The four walls of the bedroom are empty canvases for your
creativity. Some simple but impressive decorating
techniques can turn plain walls into works of art.
A
solid color of paint can go a long way in changing a blah
white room into a cheery environment. Remember that
small hands leave prints and these will be much easier to
clean off if you use a semi-gloss paint rather than flat.
Once you’ve painted, add inexpensive wall hangings.
Find posters from children’s museums, libraries and bookstores
then mount the posters onto foam board with re-positionable
adhesive spray. Both foam board and spray can be found
at any craft supply store or order online at www.joann.com.
Be
brave with paint! Try doing some faux finishing on your
walls. It’s easy to paint a base color, then dampen
a natural sponge, dip into the second color of paint and dab lightly
on the walls. And hey, if you don’t like it, just
paint over the top!
Our Colorwash
kits make it simple to finish walls like a pro and take the
same amount of time as painting a room in a solid color. All you
need is one kit for a standard size room if you already have white
or off-white walls.
Magnetic paint is a fun way to add a special touch to a child's room where their artwork or special pictures and notes can be displayed. It can be painted on top of the background paint, or covered with the same color as the background to blend in. Then find (or make) cute magnets that match the rest of the room decor. Magnetic paint can be found at craft supply stores and most large home improvement stores in the paint aisle.
In
addition to painting, wood accents can add a nice touch to
a wall. For example, wainscoting or plate rails are
easy to install. Paint the wood white or match other
trim in the room, then nail into place with carpenter’s nails.
Plate rails are also functional; they make a wonderful display
area for pictures or to store children’s books.
Or consider hanging a magnetic strip around the room instead of a plate rail; this will make a fabulous "art gallery" for all those special pieces your child brings home from school.
Furniture
Children's furniture is the most expensive part of the decor, and it can be easier on your pocketbook if you plan ahead. For example, bunkbeds are a great option for people who are short on space and need children to share rooms. But consider that many kids outgrow twin sized beds by their teen years, so maybe a full or even queen sized bed is a better buy if you are able to accomodate it in the space.
Storage is also a concern, and there are some space saving options here as well. Trundle drawers that slide under beds are a fantastic way to store clothing or other treasures. Look for flatter, plastic storage bins that slide under beds as well for items that don't need to be accessed on a daily basis.
Don’t
overlook garage sales in your search for furniture.
Often you can spot a real find in an old chest of
drawers. Paint the chest with a high gloss paint and
replace the hardware with some cute handles found at your
local hardware store.
Also,
look for dual function in furniture pieces. Instead
of a changing table, find a dresser that is about waist high.
Buy a changing pad to sit on top (less than $20) and fill
the top drawers with your diapering necessities. Keep
the pad from slipping by placing a small bath mat with rubber
backing facing down between the pad and dresser. The
dresser will convert to a functional chest of drawers once
your child is out of diapers.
Window
Treatments
Now window treatments are a place where you can really save
money by doing the work yourself. Here are some options:
Secure attractive curtain rods and holders to the wall, then drape loosely with sheer fabric. The fabric can be secured with a coordinating color of ribbon or simply wrapped several times around the curtain rod to prevent slipping. Sheer fabrics are available in many colors and even prints, so watch for sales at your local fabric store.
Another
inexpensive way to make curtains is to use twin sheets for the
fabric, since sheets often go on sale. (This method is also
helpful if you can’t find any curtains to match a store
bought comforter.) You do need an iron and sewing machine,
but only need to know how to sew in a straight line. Just
cut the sheet in half horizontally and hem raw edges of each piece.
Fold over the tops (side you just hemmed) by 4”, then iron
to form crease. Sew a seam 1” from top all the way
across. Then sew a second seam 5/8” from the bottom
of the folded section. Repeat process for second piece of
fabric. Slip a curtain rod through the pockets you’ve
created and bunch the fabric together so that both pieces fit
on one rod. Tie the fabric in the middle with a bow made
from 1” or larger ribbon.
Article
copyright 2008, WallNutz LLC. All rights reserved.
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