Environment has an inordinate effect on the development of children. There is much data to suggest the design of a child’s room (the only place they are often left alone and to their own devices) can benefit their growth and development in their early years and enhance their self-image in later ones.Several factors should be considered when designing (or redesigning) your child’s room to give them the best environment they can grow themselves in.

Start Small with Smaller Kids

If you have young children, keep in mind they need plenty of space to play and will be more focused on their toys and games than the décor of the room. Avoid expensive furniture for young children that is size specific or age-specific as these probably won’t get as much use as you expect. (The floor will probably get more). As children get older they will develop the need and taste for other furniture. If you’re hungry for a personalized touch to your young child’s room, specialized storage can be a fun DIY project and emphasis on storage within the room (with a bit of discipline) can encourage your son or daughter to develop the right habits for keeping clean and organized.

Think About the Lifespan of the Design

Remodeling a child’s bedroom can be a pain but in reality it should be done in small ways at least a few times to avoid having them wake up in a time warp a few short years in the future. If you don’t want to redo the room that often in the future, that’s fine; but be honest with yourself and plan accordingly.

You don’t want your child bringing over friends only to be emotionally hurt by the quotes, paint, or wall art meant for younger children. Instead, choose a more muted color palette that can adapt with your child’s age. Sophisticated color palettes and prints are a good way to inject the right amount of creative energy into a design without making them too age-specific. This can also give a more mature atmosphere for them to grow in that their friends will envy.

Choose Fun Furniture

One feature that doesn’t require a complete overhaul to your child’s room is furniture. You’ll have to replace at least some of it as they grow so use it as an opportunity to celebrate the age they will use it. One interesting idea is letting your children personalize furniture with you, painting patterns and designs on bed frames and other smaller furniture that will need to go eventually.

Older children need places to relax, be creative, and host their friends. Put some creativity into the thought behind the desks you get for them and give them comfy places to lounge other than the bed. Bean bags are a fun choice that many children love. An important tip for more expensive furniture you intend to keep is that it should be flexible and fit easily with other décor. Wood pieces for desks and benches are very good choices of furniture that can adapt with changing décor.

Decoration

Decoration is the easiest update for your child’s bedroom and can compensate for the lesser changes in furniture and paint. When choosing what to decorate the room with, make sure it can foster your child’s developing interest. For example, if your son likes Star Wars then you can play around with or hang some elements from those movies. And if your daughter seems to be developing a strong interest in animals and wildlife, you can bet that other nature subjects are on the way and select natural colors and themes to encourage the interest.

Decoration shouldn’t have to be expensive to look good. This is also the perfect chance to involve your child in the selection of elements and involve them in small creative projects to add décor. Posters of art or their favorite movies are inexpensive and so is slipping them into a nice frame that can be taken down and replaced with other interests as your child’s interest change and grow.