Recently a friend asked my advice on how to decorate around the Hello Kitty bedding her daughter was dying for. Anyone who has gone through this phase with kids knows how challenging this can be. You want to let them express who they are at this age but you also don’t want to break the bank for a room you know will only last a few years at best.
I remember as a young girl being crazy for Holly Hobby. Anyone out there with me on this one? Do you remember Holly Hobby? Here is a little refresher.
I guess since I remember having Holly Hobby bedding so distinctly as a girl, it speaks to the fact young kids need this time to embrace what it is they really. really. want.
Girls are not the only ones in this department. There are plenty of juvenile boy sets out there with crazy colors and designs, and the most hideous looking one is the one they will for sure gravitate toward. Perhaps something like this.
How then do you let them have this time without spending a fortune decorating a room around a cartoon character or theme they will think is childish in just a few short years (if your lucky)?
My advice to my friend is the same as what I will share with you.
Rule #1: Don’t buy all of the accessories. It may be tempting to buy the matching rug, pictures, lamp shade, and storage pieces…but resist. These are the things you will someday put on a garage sale marked for $1.00. Make the bedding purchase, which usually comes as a full set, and call it quits for the character. All of the extras are a waste of money and will make the look of the room come out too “over the top”.
Rule #2: Don’t pull the brightest, craziest color out of the bedding and paint the room in that. It may be tempting to buy a can of paint in the brightest color to make things “match” but this choice won’t serve you well in the future. Try to find the most neutral color in the bedding and make it the dominant color of the room. For instance, in the Hello Kitty bedding, the stark white or a pale shade of the turquoise would be a better choice. In the boy’s bedding pictured above, paint the room in a soft gray blue to give it a neutral backdrop.
Rule #4: Do add art using creative sources. One of my favorite things to do in kids rooms is to find a calendar with the character or theme. I then disassemble the calendar and head to the local craft store in search of ready-made frames with matting included in standard sizes. I trim the calendar down to fit the frame. Put them on the wall, and two years from now when they are on to something else, you are only out $10 and have standard frames to put new pictures in. Sometimes you can even find images of the characters you can print right off of the internet. Remember, this is a short-term decor choice, quality on art prints can be compromised.
Rule #5: Keep furniture pieces, lamps, curtains, and rugs neutral. Believe me, you will be so happy when your child wants to go in a different direction that you aren’t hauling the whole room out to the garage. Keep these items in either a warm or cool tone depending on what the bedding prevalently has in it. In both these sets I would have stayed cool, blues and grays. Gray accessories in either of these rooms could carry them well into their teens. Invest in a quality lamp…shades are an easy switch later if needed. Think long term for furniture pieces. Remember, they are only little for a short time and furniture that only holds tiny little clothes won’t work for very long. Nice curtains are expensive and time-consuming to replace. Invest in a good neutral curtain, roman shade, or plantation shutter that will stay on the window for years to come.
I hope these tips help you if you are embarking on fixing up a room for a little one who is sure he/she will love this like. forever. mom.
Nancy
