6 Tips for Decorating a Nursery or Child’s Bedroom

A tried and tested approach is to use a more neutral colour on the walls - one that ties in with the rest of your home - and choose a bolder colour for furniture or furnishings such as a raucous rug, bold blind or colourful pair of curtains. Not only will this really make the bold colours ‘pop’ but they can be changed easily as your child’s taste evolves.

Another reason to keep the walls neutral is that children’s toys are so full of colour that bright coloured walls and equally bright toys may be too great an assault on the senses. And in using the term ‘neutral’ we’re not restricting ourselves to off-whites and light greys; dark neutrals such as navy, charcoal or deep green can work brilliantly. These colours can create a cocooning environment and brightly coloured toys look great against them too.

But what to do if they opt for black, orange and lime green? The answer is to edit their choice! So give them a paint chart of colours you like and use bolder colours as accents, as described above.

Recently, one of our team asked her six year old twins what colour they wanted their bedroom painted. Their answers were red and green! She decided to stick with a soft grey on the walls, painted their wardrobe in a red from her favourite paint supplier’s colour chart and introduced green in the form of plants. Everyone was happy and one of her sons, who’s a budding botanist, is doing a great job watering the plants!

Using a gloss paint will give a ceiling a jewel-like quality and reflect light around the room. If your child’s bedroom has a relatively low ceiling, gloss paint is a particularly good idea.

Painted stripes or other shapes that start on the wall and extend onto the ceiling are a playful touch and provide the opportunity to use bold colours that can easily be changed. You may only need one or two tester pots to create a striking look.

And what about wallpapering the ceiling? Admittedly a more expensive option but there are some fabulous wallpapers and murals available - plus it’s far easier to update a ceiling than four walls

If you have a central pendant or other ceiling lights, make sure they’re on a dimmer switch for maximum flexibility. If you have downlights, try to avoid placing beds under them. Ensure you have plenty of sockets for night lights, reading lights, desk lights and table lamps. As your child grows, the position of furniture in the room may well change so the more sockets you have, the better.

Finally, don’t forget purely decorative lights. Children’s bedrooms are the best place to have fun with your lighting. So what about a plug-in LED ‘neon’ sign, oversize pendant, or a fibre-optic constellation of stars on the ceiling? Perfect for your child to gaze up at as they’re drifting off to sleep.

So, much better to opt for a chest of drawers with plenty of storage and a changing mat on top than a dedicated changing table that will have run its course before you know it. A wardrobe with built-in shelves will house toy boxes for a number of years and clothes later on. Peg rails are a great addition to children’s bedrooms, enabling clutter to be cleared off the floor whilst ensuring belongings remain visible and within easy reach.

Invest in things you need that will last. A good cot that can be turned into a children’s bed when they’re a little older is a good starting point. As are highly quality blackout blinds or curtains. No matter the age of your child, a good night’s sleep is important. The Stitched team are pros at blackout and would be thrilled to help you achieve that perfect blackout solution.

Need more inspiration?