Choosing a Children’s Room Theme

When it comes to letting the imagination run wild, few rooms in the house embrace this better than children’s rooms. All the exuberance of childhood can spill into the room, and really make the most of a theme. After all, a child’s room isn’t just a place for slumber; it’s also the place they play, get creative, work on homework, and spend time with friends when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Such a versatile room has a lot to live up to. Where do you even start? Never fear. We’ve got great tips to help you make the most of designing your child’s room, whether they’re on the way to adolescence or just on the way!

A Theme Too Far

The first question to ask is how far into the theme you are willing to go. Of course, having a single dolphin lamp does not an ocean theme make, but it’s important to decide if you plan to go all out, from furniture and décor to bedding and wallpaper. Some things to consider when you’re deciding how much you want to a commit to a theme include your budget, the theme’s longevity, and growing pains.

The more devoted you are to theme, the more you will need to invest. If you refuse let a single pillow or fixture in the room go un-themed, you will pay more than if you’re willing to let the fan blades stay white, for example. Know how much you’re willing to spend on a room that will most likely be overhauled in two to four years, and design to that total. Some large pieces, like bedding and walls, will have a bigger impact than others. Invest in these items if your budget calls for limiting the theme to the heavy hitters in the room.

The hottest movie that Junior can’t get enough of is almost certainly not the video that was on repeat last year. Keep that in mind when choosing a theme. Maybe today he wants to be a superhero, but in eight months, he could just as sincerely want to be a cowboy or an astronaut. Even if your child isn’t the fickle type (we applaud you, if that’s the case), what is popular today may be considerably outdated in a few years. That’s not a very budget-savvy theme, unless you plan to be doing all this again next year. Choose a theme that has some longevity, and you’ll be far more satisfied in the long run.

Growing pains don’t only include the fickle nature of youth and pop culture. Bear in mind that your bundle of joy will not be this small for long. Whether that means going from toddler to third grader or fourth grader to freshman, remember your child will seem to age much faster than you could ever anticipate. A ten-year-old, pretty princess is only five years from earning her learner’s permit. The less literal (or age-specific) the theme, the longer it will last. If your heart (or theirs) is set on a theme that may not age well, incorporate the theme into the smaller (cheaper) elements of the room, and leave the furniture and walls neutral. You may not mind swapping out a bedding in a year, but rolling white paint over a mural that took you three months to paint by hand will not seem appealing in that time.

All About Age

The age of your child will have a large impact on their involvement, and the direction you take with the theme. The younger your child, the more you can direct the show. The control freaks in all of us will have a harder time designing a room when the nine-year-old gets a say, but this process can be far more of a bonding experience with your child. No matter the age of the child in question, there are some key directions you can head based solely on age.

If you are designing a nursery, this is a great opportunity to bring your history – or even your own childhood – into the room. Whether it’s photos of grandparents on the dresser or your age-worn teddy bear on the shelf overlooking the crib, embrace the chance to infuse into the room your unique stories that ultimately brought about the little bundle of joy cooing under the mobile.

The older the child, the more involvement they will have. Find ways to embrace the theme they have their hearts set on, while sticking to those three key points from the first section: budget, longevity, and growing pains. Your role is to brainstorm how to refine their big ideas into a manageable remodel. This can still be fun, and gives you a chance to acknowledge your child’s imagination and personality, making their grand vision a reality.

Where It Counts

Even if you have all the budget in the world to theme your child’s room, it’s important to find the nuanced balance between stimulating and overwhelming. Make sure the theme is present, but doesn’t look like you brought the jungle or wild west into every square inch of the room.

One way to make sure the theme doesn’t cross the line is to only theme one wall, instead of all four. This goes for color, wallpaper, and murals. If one wall has an ocean scene, it creates a focal point for the room. If all four walls are ocean-themed, your child may start to feel like they’re living in a fish tank. If you must do a mural, consider concepts that can stretch across multiple themes to prevent those dreaded growing pains. This usually means a basic landscape mural, which can lend itself to princesses, gardens, farm animals, and maybe even a jungle.

Balancing neutral elements is also important. In many cases, this can be done with the furniture that has a larger footprint, like the bed, dressers, or toy boxes. This is especially important if theme is a color, versus a literal theme. Just because she likes purple doesn’t mean she wants to live inside an eggplant with purple sheets, walls, floors, knickknacks and furniture. Bring the theme in through lamps, quilts, and toys, but not every visible item in the room.

Color in the Lines

Colors can be a great way of theming your child’s room in a way that incorporates their personality while setting the room up for longevity. The key is to not go overboard on a color that seems fun by day but makes it impossible to relax at night. Also, don’t discount neutrals; they can add a new dimension to the look.

Pink and red can be incredibly overwhelming if done wrong. Incorporating neutral elements into the room is key for these colors. Find throw rugs, blankets, pillows, and even toys in warm, welcoming colors that play well with the main shade. Dark reds are more inviting than fire engines hues, and don’t underestimate the power of a pastel pink to make a girl feel pretty without being made into a princess.

Orange and yellow are great, gender-neutral options that age well. These colors are just as exciting to a five-year-old as a fifteen-year-old, perfect for those kids who choose to theme their room when they’re on the cusp of adolescence. Black, white, and grey are perfect tones to compliment these shades in the details, whether the overall look is bold and bright or a softer hue.

Looking for a way to bring softer tones into the room without defaulting to pastels? Rich, soft colors like seafoam green and gold can make a nursery a sleepy haven for your little one without making the room look like a pack of sidewalk chalk exploded all over the walls.

Can’t pick just one? Trying color families, which let you infuse many similar colors into a single room. This is best done with patterns like stripes, which can hold many shades together in a cohesive way. Color blocking is also a great option for those who are looking for a big impact with a little budget. Coloring the big ticket items like the bed spread, rug, and shelving can make a white room pop with the bright hues of lime green or pink.

Black and white are two colors to avoid as the main shade, though. Black will make the room look smaller (and it isn’t very uplifting), and white will show all messes in full force. The younger your child, the worse that choice will be.

Whatever theme you and your little one settle on, just be sure the child is allowed to be part of the process. It will give them a sense of ownership and offers a great opportunity to show them how to apply those magnificent imaginations we know they all have. At GCD, we welcome this chance to interact with your child and make your house a home. We encourage you to have fun with this process – it is a kid’s room, after all!