Decorating Gallery: Kid Rooms

A Boy's Life 

A collection of 1940s calendar prints (of boys and dogs) from online auctions inspired the look of this boy's room. The warm, faded hues of the prints were the timeless colors used to create this rich room makeover for a young boy.

• Vintage collectibles are arranged on a shelf attached over the window cornice.
• The inspiration art prints hold the color and style cues for the room.
• Drawers in the base of the bed store games, toys, and puzzles.
• Built-ins with storage make the most of the small 9 x 10-foot space.

A Sporting Life

A boy's passion for athletics fueled this room's decorating scheme. A floor-to-ceiling wall system, which doubles as an oversize headboard, gives him a prominent place to display his sporting memorabilia. A professional cabinetmaker crafted the shelving unit from melamine and covered it in plastic laminate.

• The room's gray, sage, and silver palette allows the vibrant colors of the collectibles to shine.
• The system is installed directly on the wall and illuminated by cable-hung halogen lighting.
• The shelf unit sits atop the separate base unit, creating a seamless integration with the bed.
• Wavy horizontal aluminum shelves provide fun resting places for memorabilia.

 

Antiques for Kids

 An airy iron bed, an antique, was stripped and varnished to prevent rusting. Its simple look, as well as the companion white wood furniture pieces, keeps the attention on the bed covering and the decoratively painted wall stripes.

• White Roman shades with valances are a "barely there" look.
• A pretty metal chandelier was painted white to coordinate.
• Wall stripes were painted on with a dry brush technique.
• Soft area rugs are comfy underfoot, covering a more durable sisal rug.

Back-to-School Playroom

Soft seating, cozy rugs, and ample storage make this a playroom as popular with kids as it is with Mom. Chalkboard paint runs around the perimeter of the room above the chair rail, offering an opportunity for kids to actually write on the walls to their heart's content!

• Plenty of hooks and pegs let kids hang toys and projects as needed.
• Framing prints from a book is a great idea for budget artwork.
• A child-sized armoire keeps kid clutter behind closed doors.
• Personalized bins hold craft supplies and dress-up paraphernalia.

 

Boys and Cars

This is a boys' room filled with classic cars and trucks. The duvet covers inspired the room's theme that includes touches of chrome and black.

• Simple bunk beds balance colorful accessories.
• Black, blue, and red create a long-lasting color scheme.
• A custom-made highway rug creates needed "driving" space.
• Road signs, maps, and vintage toy cars and trucks add to the theme.

 

Bubblegum Beauty

With a pint-size chair and a low work surface, this colorful desk is made to fit its 4-year-old owner. The modular unit includes plenty of storage space. A personalized bulletin board of corkboard and a pink feather boa border is a fun spot to display art projects.

• The color choices and finger-hole drawer pulls continue the cottage look.
• The pink walls are spiced up with circles painted randomly around the room.
• The white desk matches the room's woodwork.
• Extra cubes can be added to the desk to make it taller as the child grows.

 

Down on the Farm

A primary color scheme brightens this boy's bedroom, which was inspired by his beloved toy tractor collection. The bedding is tied into the farm theme with simple seamstress work: Overlapping green hills are stitched onto red pillow shams.

• Underbed baskets help keep the room clean and organized.
• The table and chairs can be repainted to match another color scheme down the road.
• Farm-theme accents, including cuddly stuffed sheep, round out the room's design.
• The bunk beds, which save floor space for play, double as a jungle gym.

 

Kid's Closet

Win the daily battle for order in your child's room by outfitting a closet with brightly colored crates, totable bins, roll-in shelving, and reachable baskets that make putting away toys child's play. Use the inside of closet doors to display special keepsakes where pint-size hands can reach them.

• A plate holder on the inside closet door transforms nicely into a handy hat rack.
• Store art supplies in baskets with handles that can be toted to a desk or table.
• A paper towel holder hung on the back wall keeps art paper neatly stored.
• Magnetic and cork memo boards let kids pin up their newest works of art.

 

Kid's Room with Class

A large canopy bed dominates this little girl's room. It's a plush spot to sleep, read, or hang out with friends. Coral walls and a gingham bed skirt add color and enhance the warm tones of the heart-of-pine floors.

• Red ball ornaments strung at different heights from the canopy bed are whimsical decorations year-round.
• Dollhouses are the stuff of girls' dreams and this two-story yellow home is pretty enough to display.
• A striped area rug gives the kids a comfy spot to play on the floor.
• A wing chair is a sophisticated reading spot. The slipcover allows for easy cleaning.

 

Ocean View

 Submerged in an ocean of painted sea creatures, this submarine-inspired playroom is the perfect underwater hideaway. To make the most of the awkward space and to capitalize on the boys' love of the ocean, a professional painter created magnificent murals. The boys can gaze out the "windows" at a giant octopus.

• Large beanbags provide a comfortable spot for reading or working on arts and crafts.
• Keeping the room spare with just a few versatile pieces leaves more room for play.
• A drawing board lets the boys map their next ocean adventure.
• Cork floor tiles were chosen for their softness and warmth.

Pink Punch

Why stick with one set of bedding? Versatile white furniture can play second fiddle to any number of solids and patterns on the bed. Although once perfect for a baby nursery, the sweet pink walls get an instant facelift with hot pink and bold orange.

• A floral border was stenciled on the wall at a break in paint color.
• Large floor pillows invite friends to get comfy.
• Mod florals, beaded pillows, and polka-dot sheers will appeal to teens.

 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

A transportation-theme room is perfect for little boy who loves things that go "vroom." Vintage posters, replicas of antique toys, and other accents support the room's theme. The striped Roman shades set the red, navy, white, and green color scheme. A new window seat and built-in cabinetry provide storage and a classic touch.

• A chenille area rug provides a comfy spot to play on the hardwood floors.
• The highest shelves store fragile accessories out of reach.
• A reading area includes a cozy place to sit, a side table, and a container for books.
• A band of stripes around the walls adds energy and playfulness.

 

Red Revisited

A plain-color wall is a great backdrop for a child's room. Here, a stars-and-stripes theme predominates, yet it could have easily been black racing stripes or yellow stars. Allow for a child's creativity by providing blackboards, personalized pillows, and tackboards.

• Blackboard paint turns a plain nightstand into a drawing area.
• Handy clipboards keep colored paper handy for artistic kids.
• Make personalized pillows with a computer and iron-on transfer paper.
• Oversize paper clips decorate a lampshade with family photos.

 

Red, White, and Bold for Kids

A timeless red, white, and blue color scheme gives this boy's room staying power. Beaded-board wainscoting, classic Roman shades, and crisp stripes on the walls also contribute to the room's longevity.

• Painted fire-engine red, the bunk beds double as a playground.
• Old magazine advertisements for cars stand out against the deep blue walls.
• Quilts with a patchwork design lend a vintage style.
• For variety, different-color knit comforters dress the foot of each bed.

Rugby Style

Start with a great color on the walls, add lots of textures in furnishings, then drop in cool materials and accessories for a room that will keep a young boy happy through his teen years. Rugby-shirt stripes and madras were the inspiration for this colorful space.

• A kitchen rack hangs over the headboard to hold caps and treasures.
• Under-bed storage is maximized with sturdy metal trunks.
• The metal tray-style nightstand is light enough to move around.
• An ordinary bed got a makeover with fleece blankets and pillows.

 

School Spirit

A class banner, a flag, and some snappy locker-look storage make a schoolhouse theme sing in this kids' playroom. Instead of desks and homework, lucky tots in this room get to flop into comfy chairs or have a blast playing on the hopscotch rug. Soaring in place of a window valance, felt pennants add a personal touch to the room.

• A chalkboard paint border gives kids permission to draw on the walls.
• Make sure the rug has a skid-proof rubber backing to hold steady for lots of hopping.
• Include each child's graduation year on flags throughout the room.
• Give your kids a lesson in organization by providing bins and lockers to store toys in.

 

Seeing Spots

It's okay to saturate a tween's room with color. In this energetic space, peel-and-stick dots dress up the walls now, but can be removed if the occupant's taste changes. A large desk unit provides storage, and a toy box converted into a bench is a place to sit and read.

• Hatboxes add to the polka-dot theme and provide hidden storage.
• An assortment of cork coasters are glued together to make a pinboard.
• Wicker baskets and a cabinet with doors keep messes hidden.
• Sprinkle your child's name around the room for a personal touch.

 

Sunny Side Up

Embrace the bolder side of a classic pink-and-yellow palette with a vibrant nursery that's as fun as it is sweet. The crib, outfitted with floral fabrics, gets a starring role in the center of the room. A wide band of pink paint echoes the window treatments' two-tone design. It also adds a bit of fun and visual interest.

• Set on locking casters, the changing table can easily move to a new location.
• Baskets, bins, and open shelves keep diapers and other items easily accessible.
• The chenille rug and chandelier show the room's softer side.
• Ribbons tied around curtain rings soften the drapery panels and sweeten the room.

 

Take Flight

This high-flying bedroom is a lively place for a young boy to spread his wings. A boy-friendly blue color palette is accented with red and white. The walls feature amazingly detailed drawings of painted clouds and biplanes, which are repeated in the bedding.

• The blue furnishings disappear against the blue walls.
• A white shelf next to the bed is the perfect spot to store bedtime stories.
• The balls on each of the bed's four corners are accented in red.
• Each painted cloud and biplane is a little bit different.

 

Toile for Kids

Duvets and pillows made from a bright toile and coordinating plaid bring the deep wall color to the beds. The prints also tone down the dazzling effect of white matelasse coverlets and furnishings. An oversize green check and medium stripe coordinate the shams and bed skirt.

• Plates bring in more color and stand in for artwork.
• Stripes, checks, and plaids coordinate well with most prints.
• Repeat colors and fabrics at least three places in a room.
• Personalize lampshades with painted stripes or fabric.

 

Tractor Tales

This big-boy room is acres of fun. The farm-theme bedroom is also functional -- a play space and bedroom that can grow with its occupant. A window seat is a place to rest or play, and oodles of built-in shelves with cubbies stretch to the ceiling. An unfinished table and chairs were painted to match the room’s bright decor.

• Plastic tubs and large baskets provide plenty of storage space for toys.
• A simple red valance breaks up the expansive white built-ins.
• Built-ins display a tractor collection but can later hold trophies or other treasures.
• Promote reading by storing favorite books at your child's eye level.