Five tips for decorating your child’s bedroom

Budding scientists will love this fun dino-themed wallpaper. Arthouse Dino Doodles Multi Wallpaper, �12.99, Arthouse (Image: Jon Day Photography)

With the ever tempremental weather there’s a high chance children will be stuck indoors over the school holidays, so now is the perfect time to jazz up your child’s bedroom. Prevent them crying boredom by transforming it into the perfect place for them and their imagination to run riot. Here are five tips for creating fun rooms for little people who have big ideas.

Colouring in

Bold and bright colours are perfect for children’s rooms. Whilst calming neutrals might appeal to those of us who seek tranquillity from our personal space, a child’s bedroom is a place to let colour – and their imaginations – run free.

Use colour to display your child's personality. Blue Children's Room, Farrow & Ball (Image: Jon Day Photography)

As parents know, children can go through crazes for a particular colour, so don’t go overboard and kit out everything in the same shade lest you have to refit the room in six months time when hot pink falls out of favour. In order to side step winding up with a room in wall-to-wall tangerine orange or lime green, allow your child to pick an accent wall to daub in their most favourite colour, or even paint the ceiling. Painting the bed frame is a fun way to inject some colourful personality into a bedroom too.

Softly softly

Soft furnishings are the easiest way to switch up a child’s bedroom. The shops are bursting with cute cushions in fun shapes and colours that would look lovely on a bed or can be used to create a comfortable reading nook. Neatly swerve garish cartoon character bedspreads by proffering stylish duvet covers spangled with stars, sailing boats or sweet animal prints. A fabric-covered headboard is an on-trend way to transform a child’s bed and bring bright patterns to a room. You could even DIY one yourself with some fun fabric, a bit of padding and a hot glue gun.

Soft furnishings are an easy way to add colour and whimsy to their room. Cushions, � from �39, Nubie. (Image: Archant)

Starring role

Period features such as fireplaces and wooden floors are often the pride and joy of a homeowner, but if they’re part of a child’s bedroom they may require some extra consideration. Wooden floors look beautiful, but can be hard on little knees and are easily scratched by boisterous playtimes.

Colourful rugs and mats bring personality to a room, whilst creating a softer play area and protecting floors from scrapes and various little accidents. A period fireplace can easily be converted into a fun feature toy box or filled with fairy lights for a whimsical look. Framing a fun print or an illustration from your child’s favourite book to hang over the fireplace is another way to let their personalities shine through in their space.

Bunk and loft beds are a playful way to maximise space. Raffia Play & Toy Storage Baskets, �29.50, Sisters Guild (Image: Jon Day Photography)

Writing on the walls

Nowhere is zany wallpaper more appropriate than in a childhood bedroom. Vintage inspired illustrated papers can lend a whimsical charm. If your child has a passion for palaeontology, indulge them with a fun dinosaur-themed accent wall.

Wall stickers are an easy way to bring instant fun to a wall, and you can turn it into a game by asking your child to customise the placement. If you have a budding artist in the house, why not give them full creative licence? Chalkboard paint is easily available and can be used to create a mess-free canvas for them and a useful spot for homework and chores reminders for you.

Splash out on a fun theme bed and make childhood dreams come true. Tipee cabin bed, �395, cuckooland.com (Image: Archant)

Bunk down

Remember your childhood dreams of drifting off in your very own treehouse / teepee / fort? Nowadays there are some seriously fun options for children’s beds on the market, from wigwams to camper vans, all guaranteed to make bedtime a treat rather than a chore. Short on space? It’s a common complaint in north London, where house prices can easily outpace a growing family.

Luckily, there are plenty of stylish furniture options that can help you pack a lot in to a child’s room without compromising on style.

Bunk beds are a stalwart source of fun for little ones, and they can be easily adapted to create a play area, desk space or chill out zone underneath should your children outgrow sharing a room. Similarly, a loft bed allows you to maximise the space for activities.