Kids’ rooms are not just bedrooms. They are a place for inspiration, joy, memories and most of all, an outside expression of your child’s personality. A kids’ room without any colour or decoration looks empty and sad and will certainly not become a happy place for your child. However, decorating a kids’ room can be quite expensive sometimes, and some projects take a lot of time to be completed.
This is why we’ve gathered these 8 amazing decorating ideas for children’s rooms that are easy to do and will not empty your pockets.
One – Blackboard paint on the walls
Chalkboard paint is a fantastic creation that allows you to make any wall a surface that can be used for drawing with chalk. So there are no questions why this has become a trendy way of sprucing up a kids’ bedroom while creating a usable space where they can freely express their creativity. It can be applied to several different surfaces, such as drywall, metal, wood, concrete, glass, and more.
However, there are some things that you should consider before you begin this project:
- Choose the wall carefully.
We don’t recommend that you paint a whole wall like this. The whole idea is that your kids will be able to draw on it, so there is no point in going all the way up or choosing a wall that is very hard to reach. Select an area that is easy to access and not very close to the bed or other furniture.
- Keep in mind that chalk is dusty.
This is the main reason why we mentioned that the wall should be ideally placed away from the bed and the other bedroom furniture. Chalk can be very messy, especially if you have a creative kid that will use it regularly. We recommend that you place some sort of mat under the area so that it would be easy to clean and the dust will not penetrate the floor crevices.
- Make sure the wall is smooth.
Chalkboard paint is great at catching every small crevice and bump, so you have to be very careful when applying it. You need a nice flat surface so that the paint can work as it should.
- When you decide to paint over it, clean it well.
A good thing about chalkboard paint is that it’s so easy to paint over. You only have to make sure that it’s properly cleaned from all the dust and residue. After that, you can sand it, apply the needed primer and paint with whatever you want.
With all of those things in mind, you can now start creating your chalkboard wall. Here is what you will need for the process:
- Chalkboard paint with the colour of your choice.
- A tray and a comfortable paint roller.
- Painter’s tape.
- An old cloth.
- Some regular chalk.
The process itself is painless.
- Clear up the area around the wall and place a cloth at the base to not mess up the floors by accident.
- Prepare the wall you chose by cleaning it thoroughly and making sure there are no bumps, crevices, grime and dirt.
- Block off the baseboards by taping the cloth to them with the painter’s tape. Make sure it’s all even and tightly placed.
- Use the tape again to separate the area you will be painting from the rest of the wall and the ceiling.
- Apply the chalkboard paint to the wall. You will probably need around 2 to 3 layers of paint to create a nice thick coat that will not wear off quickly. There must be at least 12 hours between each application of the paint.
- Once you are satisfied with the results, prepare to prime the wall with regular chalk, not with a wall primer. Depending on the size of the wall, you will probably need from 2,3 to 5,6 pieces of chalk. This is required because if the wall is not primed, it will not be easy to clean from the drawings and you will see ghosts of them regularly. Basically, you just have to cover the entire area with a thick layer of chalk. When you are done, just wipe it off with a dry towel or a cloth.
- Congrats! You can now enjoy your kid’s artistic creations without worrying about ruined walls and repair costs.
Two – Frame their paintings
Children that are creative and love to share their passion with the world should always be encouraged to do so. And what better way to do that than putting their amazing artwork in frames worthy of it? Seeing their creations displayed like in a gallery will surely inspire your little ones to keep track of their progress. What you win is a fresh-looking decoration that can be placed in their room, as well as in other parts of your home.
Here are some general tips to make the process fun for the whole family.
- Make it a group project. Since it’s a project that involves your kids, the logical and kind thing to do is to let them help. Choose the frames together, how and where the drawing will be placed.
- Go around the thrift shops. Frames can be quite expensive, so it’s a good idea to check what the second-hand shops have to offer. Bring your kids with you so that they have a saying in what frames their drawings.
- Dedicate an entire wall to leave room for future projects. Start from the top part and slowly go down when the number of artwork pieces increases.
- If it fits, don’t be afraid to place the framed drawings next to other paintings in your house. You can choose a similar frame to the one you already have and incorporate them together. Your child will be extremely proud to have his work next to a real painting.
- If the whole energy of the room is quite colourful and fun, you can use neon frames for the paintings, especially if they are monochromatic. Will add some pop of colour and would fit in a lot better with the rest of the room.
Three – Stickers
Stickers are a cheap and very customisable way of decorating any room, especially a kids’ room. In no time and without any damage to your walls or furniture, you can turn your little one’s room into the inside of a pirate ship or a forest filled with all kinds of animals. The options are endless.
You can go with a big sticker that would be the main attraction of the room, creating a whole painting on the wall, or you can place a lot of smaller stickers everywhere to create a certain ambience that would suit your kid’s interests.
And stickers don’t come only as prints for decoration. There are also fascinating chalkboard decals (if you don’t feel like painting a whole wall), interactive dry-erase maps and growth charts. Another amazing thing about stickers is that they are easily removed so that once your daughter or son decides they no longer want their room to be decorated in such a way, you can just remove it and upgrade the room with something they like.
Four – A picture wall
A picture wall is perfect if you want to have an artistic area. Instead of the paintings, you can just print out some pictures they like or buy prints from the store. Once you have everything you need, you can start the picture wall.
Here is what you need to do:
Tools for the project
- Twine
- Nails
- Hammer
- Scissors
- Clothespins
- Prepare your area of choice.
Decide the place you want to hang the pictures or the prints. Have them ready beforehand and see how you’re going to place them exactly. If you have a mixture of vertical and horizontal prints, it’s better to put the horizontal ones below and the others above. Make sure that the wall you chose is clean. Once you know where all the pictures will be, measure the space between the nails to make sure they are spaced properly.
- Tie the twine.
Depending on the size of your project, choose how long will the twine be. Keep in mind that you will have to tie it around the nails so that it will be a bit shorter in the end. Look the twine two times through the knots and then tighten it well. Trim off any excess material.
- Decorate or paint the clothespins
This is where your kid can join in. We recommend that you buy wooden clothespins because they are a lot easier to paint on and look quite right when placed on twine. Give your kid the freedom to do what they want with them but still guide him so that it would look good at the end.
- Clip them to the twine and hang the pictures
And you’re done! You have a lovely picture display, and it was done in no time. You can do the same in other parts of the house, for example, a picture wall with family photos.
Five – Hanging lights
String lights can create a breathtaking atmosphere in any room. They are often associated with a cosy and welcoming ambience which is exactly what you would want for your kid’s room right? Hanging lights come in all shapes, sizes, colours, length, either with a cold or warm glow and most importantly, they are safe for children!
Depending on the child’s room, there are two main ways to incorporate string lights into the decor.
- Around the sleeping area.
Place them on the wall over the bed or around the frame. We recommend choosing a warm light for this area as it creates a more relaxed atmosphere and it can be used as a reading light, as well. You can also add pictures to the string lights, to make it more interesting. If the bed has a canopy, you can make the whole area even more dreamy by hanging the lights along all the way to the bottom. Try to match the shape with the decor of the rest of the room – you can go with globe or star-shaped, vintage, normal string lights, whatever you want.
- In a relax/ reading zone.
Same as the sleeping area, lights around a study or relaxing zone will certainly make it look more special and dreamy. Place it above a desk or over the bookcase. The options are endless. String lights also make amazing frames for art, so if you have a picture wall, for example, you can frame the whole area with lights, and it will add even more personality to the piece.
Six – An accent wall
An accent wall can be one that is a different colour than the rest of the room. It can be just in a single colour or with incorporated shapes. It’s recommended that this wall is the same colour but just 2 or 3 shades darker than the others. You might also go with a lighter wall in a darker room, but it’s generally a bit risky. For children’s rooms, we recommend doing a simple half accent wall – separated in the middle diagonally. Here is how you can do it:
- Tape off the line that will separate the part you will paint from the rest of the wall. You can do a single line or incorporate some shapes.
- Make sure the tape is tightly adhered to the wall, with no air bubbles that will let the paint go underneath.
- Place an old but clean cloth or a plastic sheet on the floor.
- Start by painting the edges of the area you’ve chosen, preferably with an angle brush, as it makes the lines a lot clearer and sharper.
- When you’re done with the edges, just paint the rest with a roller.
- Leave it to dry and if you’re okay with the colour, just leave it like that. If you want to go darker, do another coat of paint.
Seven – Decorations with washi tape
Washi tape is the king of DIY kids projects. It’s extremely easy to work with, and it’s even easier to remove once your kid has decided they don’t like it anymore. It doesn’t damage the wall and the ways you can incorporate it in your children’s room are just endless. Similar to stickers, it’s a decoration that can be easily changed in time as your kids are growing up and their taste shifts to different directions. Washi tape can be placed on almost every surface and used in many different ways, for example, picture frames, bed decor, animals and other shapes on the walls, etc. You can buy a bunch of rolls, with different colours and just let your kid loose to do what they like. And when they outgrow it, you only have to peel it off and it’s gone for good.
Eight – Dollhouse from an old bookcase
Dollhouses are exceptional for kids with wild imaginations and there are many options on the market. However, many of them can be quite expensive and they are not very customisable. Thankfully, if you’re up for the challenge, there is a way to make a special dollhouse while spending almost no money at all.
- Take a look around your house and see if there is an old bookcase that you don’t use that much or that can be easily replaced with something else. It would be best if it’s not taller than your child.
- If you don’t have one, just browse through some thrift stores or check with your family and friends.
- Once you have the bookcase, it’s recommended that you disinfect it. Place the furniture outside, preferably on a sunny day, put a little bowl of baking soda on each shelf and leave them there for a few hours. After the time has passed, wipe the entire bookcase with a cleaning solution made from equal parts white vinegar, water and just a bit of dish soap. Leave to sundry and you’re ready.
- Bring your kid with you and start transforming this old piece of furniture into their dream dollhouse.
- Repaint it to suit the design of the dollhouse. If you have a boy that wants a spaceship dollhouse, you can do a dark blue and paint little stars. Whatever your little one desires.
- Once you have the base, it’s up to your kids to decide what to put inside.
Conclusion
There are many ways to turn your kid’s room into a paradise they would never want to leave, even if you don’t have the budget for it. The most important thing is to follow their interests and keep them involved in the project. This way you will spend some incredible time together and they will have a unique room that they love.
My name is Eva Bowker and I’m home improvement coordinator at Fantastic Handyman Australia. My passion is to help people build the home of their dreams by sharing home renovation and interior design tips with them. I love to think out of the box in order to create lovely spaces.270
