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Do-It-Yourself Kid’s Rooms
by Becca Williams, creator of WallNutz Paint By Number Mural Kits
www.wallnutz.com
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 a character like Pokemon is just 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.
Or add even more zip by painting a mural on the wall. You don’t have to be Michaelangelo to do this—look for paint-by-number kits like the ones offered by WallNutz with great scenes of a cow jumping over the moon, picket fence flower gardens or cars, trucks, trains and airplanes.
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!
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.
Furniture
Planning furniture for a nursery can be a challenge for many new parents on a budget, but get creative and your investment will last you and your child forever.
Let’s start with the crib. You can buy cribs that range in price anywhere from $100 into the thousands of dollars. This may truly be the most expensive, but worthwhile place to put your money when decorating. Ask yourself if multiple children will be using the crib, because it may be worth spending a few hundred dollars to purchase a sturdy version. Some cribs also offer convertible features, where they will turn into a toddler bed, then a daybed or even a queen sized headboard and footboard. Generations offers this style of crib for around $600. When you consider the cost of replacing furniture several times throughout the growth of your child, this type of investment makes a lot of sense. Not to mention that Generation furniture is beautiful and may someday make a cherished family heirloom to hand down to your grandchildren.
Don’t overlook garage sales in your search for furniture. Often you can spot a real find in an old, beat up 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. Or better yet, order the adorable knobs that are offered by Tot Dots with animal faces smiling happily back at you!
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:
Take a metal curtain rod and place adhesive backed Velcro all along the length of the rod. Take opposing side of the Velcro and stick varying lengths of ¼” to ½” wide ribbon vertically and touching side to side, along the adhesive. You can use the same color of ribbon or alternate colors. The ribbons will flutter in the wind when the window is open to entertain your child.
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.
© 2001, WallNutz LLC. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.
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