Kids' Rooms That Shine

Room for Color

Decorating a child's room gives you the perfect opportunity to use bright, cheery colors and a dose of creativity.

Whether you're showering a girl’s room with pretty pastels or tackling a boy's room with durable accessories, you're sure to pick up tips from these spaces to bring into your home.

Stimulating Color

You can't miss when you put primary colors into play. These hues have staying power, and accessories can be updated as your child gets older. Use white accents to keep the room from looking too busy.

Here bright yellow walls wrap the room in sunshine, and bold red-and-white buffalo check comforters are paired with softer chambray bed skirts and pillow shams. Simple panels in a white-based windowpane check add pattern but not more color.

Decorative accents don't need to be pricey. Inexpensive bold prints in ready-made frames make quite a statement when grouped together. The frames vary in color, but all the mats are a bright yellow to give them a unified look.

Think Function, Too

When planning your child's room, think decorative and functional. A table and chairs serve as a play station now and as a homework spot later. A big blackboard ensures hours of fun for all ages.

With a can of black chalkboard paint, you can easily create interesting shape directly on the wall. A hand-painted border makes it more like a piece of art. This one picks up the colors in the rest of the room. It's a color palette you can live with for years to come.

Girlie Flair

In this room, a spring green bedside lamp covered with dragonflies inspired the color palette. Dragonflies are even hand-painted on the walls.

Designer Janie Molster chose bed linens, window treatments, and pillows that coordinate with the painted furniture.

TIP: Use a bold floral print to set the stage in a girl's room and tie all the decorative elements -- wall color, furniture, and accessories -- together.

Sweet Treatments

Perky Roman shades hang pretty in both the bedroom and the adjoining bath. When lowered, they block out most of the sun for naptime. Hand-painted dragonflies, inspired by the bedside lamp, float on the walls.

Hopping With Color

A bunny theme suitable for a young child is evident in this room, but it's not overdone. The color scheme is purple, green, and blue with orange accents. The orange is a little unexpected, but it gives the room a welcome touch of whimsy.

Savvy Tips

Designer Janie Molster shares her tips for decorating kids' rooms.

• Don't put too much emphasis on a theme, especially if it's very childish.

• You don't need to buy a matching suite of furniture. A mix of pieces makes for a more interesting room.

• You want the room to be good-looking but also practical. Use a low-loop pile carpet so that children can set up their games. Choose bedding and accessory fabrics such as chenille or denim that wear well.

• Kids' rooms are great places to use color. Go a little over the top, especially if the rooms are separated from the main living areas.

-- From Southern LivingEasy Home Decorating

More Design Inspiration
• 8 Great Kids' Rooms
• Kids in the Garden
• Cool Kids' Rooms

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