I recently received a query from a stay at home mum with two children who was hoping to create fun designated space that her kids could call their own. The great thing about decorating a space for children is you can be as wild, colourful and fun as you like. Think of it as an indoor playground. The beauty about it is that it saves the rest of your home from the clutter and mess children can create. What’s more important, children can get involved in the early stages of the decorating process. Not only will they bring many fascinating ideas to the table it will make the decorating project even more worthwhile.

 

The first thing I suggest is to select a theme. Ask your kids what they would like to see in their playroom. Give them a couple of options so they don’t suggest something out of the ordinary. Some standard themes you could suggest are nature, the ocean, outer space, animals, castles, sports or fairytales. This will help you decide on colour schemes. It’s always a good idea to allocate a wall for the little artists. Paint three of the walls in your chosen colour scheme and then allow your children to colour in some stencils if you decide on a specific theme. Make an outline of a tree or sun or even their favourite animal and let them colour in. Giving your children a specific area where they can express their creativity might prevent them from displaying their creative flair all over the walls in the hallway. Stencils are a fantastic way to decorate a playroom so make sure to check out your local DIY store or online where you will find a wide range of creative stencils. Make sure to paint the stencils at an appropriate eye level so your children can interact with them.

 

The walls in a playroom should be easy to clean and durable so I would strongly recommend using the Easyclean Emulsion from Crown Paints. This is washable matt paint where stains and marks can be easily wiped away.

 

Yellow is a great colour to use in a playroom as it is gender neutral and is a bright and cheerful colour. Happy Daze is vibrant yellow from the Crown collection that will bring a lifting energy to your playroom. If you prefer a shade that is a little more subtle then I would suggest looking at Gentle Yellow or Sunrise, both from the Crown collection.

 

Green and Aqua shades area fresh uplifting shades to use in a playroom and when combined with grey can give a space a real modern twist. Apple Tree, Lunch Date or Aqua Light are all great shades to try. If you want to give your playroom a little modern twist, why not paint one wall in a variation of grey and green stripes.

 

Once you have all the painting complete, you can move on to choosing the furniture for your playroom. You will want to choose furniture that is both safe and durable. Bean bags are an excellent alternative to sofas and chairs. They are safe fun and easy to repair. These can be picked up easily in many department store at an affordable price.

 

Soft, cushioned blocks and climbers are other great furniture options for a playroom. They are specifically designed for children, and work well for creating an indoor playground. A toy chest or storage bin is a must-have piece of furniture for a playroom. This will give your kids a place to store their toys and other personal belongings. These are useful for keeping all the children’s essentials together and is also a great way to teach your children that toys need to be put away after play. Look for plastic, kid-friendly tables and chairs as they usually have rounded corners and are safe for children.

 

If you do decide to put large pieces of furniture or storage shelves in the room make sure they are fitted securely to avoid any accidents. Put a dress up box in the room where you can keep old shoes, clothes, hats, and costumes so the kids can keep themselves busy all day.

 

The finishing touches you choose for your child’s playroom should match the overall colour scheme of the room. Look at the most basic primary colours such as red, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple. Alphabet and number wall art stickers are a great way to finish off the space. Another way to get their little minds flowing is simply with paper. Buy a large paper scroll which is inexpensive and available in craft or art-supply stores. The kids can go wild painting, drawing with markers and crayons on a seemingly endless roll of paper.

 

Just remember when you are thinking about playroom decorating and design ideas, try to be as imaginative as your children. You want your children to have a space that promotes fun and creativity. Allowing your children to participate in the decorating and design of their playroom is a great way to start and will be so rewarding when you see the finished project.

 

Happy decorating!

 

Neville