As a professional interior designer, and one who specializes in kid’s bedroom design (it is the most rewarding and fun!), I think that one of the most important elements in the initial design of a little boy’s bedroom, is to include your son in the process as much as possible. When they are a little older, it’s great to sit and have a quick discussion on what they envision their new bedroom will look like.
Although the details covered in this process are largely dependent on your child’s age, by the age of three, most children will already have formed some preferences as to what colors they like best, and some will have a specific theme in mind. Another way to start is by having them look at some of the photos of the kid’s bedding that is available online, and have them point out several styles that appeal to them right away.
Many little boys do seem to like bright and bold primary colors and Disney action figures, but there are those that dream of pirates, dinosaurs, construction themes, cars, trains, planes, or western themes. Children’s bedding can be purchased by ‘bed in a bag sets’, where everything is included. These sets are often very economically priced, and a good option when you consider that they may have another bedroom design change in several years.
A useful tip, and one that I highly recommend, is to purchase the bedding prior to painting the room. It works best to bring the quilt or comforter, shams, etc. into the paint store with you to ensure you get the perfect “match” on color or tone. For instance, if there is a grey-blue color in the bedding set, you may want to tone the paint color down a few shades for the walls.
I always bring the paint samples home prior to purchasing the paint, just to see how the actual lighting in the room, effects the color. I take about 10 paint samples and tape them to the wall, leaving them there for a day or so, as to avoid making a decision too quickly. Day and evening light can have an impact on your color choice.
Artwork is fun to incorporate into a child’s room as well. There is lots of artwork available for little boy’s rooms that can be purchased online. Another option, is to simply find a photo resource website, save and print the image, and purchase simple frames to put them in. I did this for my own children, and was very happy with the outcome. Again, here is another fun way to include your child in the design process.
If they are looking for cowboys, horses, trains or cars, simply type this in, and there are hundreds of options to choose from. Vector images are great for cartoon type characters. If you are handy with Adobe Photoshop or a similar program, you can change colors in the images, add text (such as their name or inspiring quote), or put a collage together using several photos. I usually purchase the frames from Ikea, and sometimes paint the frames to match a color in the bedding or image.
