Inexpensive Chidren's Bedroom Ideas

A big financial challenge when raising children is keeping up with their interests and, dare I say it, 'fads'. It's not unreasonable to expect a child to go through their interests quite quickly, as they change from being little children to almost-adults in a few short years. There's a lot of pressure from their peers, too, so subjects that were once everything to them can suddenly seem babyish and uncool. So how do you create a bedroom that will stand the test of time without needing completely revamping every time they go through a new phase? Having raised a couple of teenagers now, I've put together some inexpensive children's bedroom ideas to keep things current without breaking the budget or creating a lot of work for yourself. 

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Firstly, be very careful about giving children totally free rein to choose their own decor. This can be particularly tempting when you move to a new place and you want your kids to feel at home and settled but, although it's a nice idea, in theory, they tend to make bad, faddy choices that could end up being a feature for a very long time. There are other ways to give them ownership of their own space, without being saddled with a bright red carpet or black walls that might prove to be an issue, not only when they grow out of them, but also if you need to switch the rooms around for any reason. I'll admit the bright red carpet was me when I was about 10 or 11 and it stayed like that until I left home aged 18. I was not popular. 

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A better way to help a child feel comfortable in their own space is to let them choose key aspects that can be changed easily and are relatively cheap, such as curtains or bedding. That way, they can embrace whatever makes them happy at the time, without being stuck with it when they are older and want to impress their friends. It's also easy to move soft furnishings with them in the event of a room change around. Keep flooring as neutral as you can, with a plain or lightly patterned carpet or wood coloured flooring, if possible. Wood or, synthetic wood, flooring is a great choice for stain resistance and neutral colourways, but you will have to seriously consider potential noise amplification before investing. It's much easier to lay than carpet, so might be a good option if you are unsure how long you will need it for and you can always add in a large rug to muffle the sound a bit. 

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For walls, I recommend a light-ish, washable paint. Going darker will hide more marks, but will make the room seem small and unwelcoming and, of course, the darker you go, the longer it will take and more expensive it will be to go over it when it needs updating. Washable paint costs a bit more, but allows for a lighter, more airy result and, if you are investing time and effort into decorating, this is a great way to make sure it lasts. Sticky fingers are everywhere, until the age of about 30, so you won't regret it. There are lots of inexpensive ways to give a room a lift and add in a personal touch, without the permanence of wall paint. These allow your young person to express themselves and probably make mistakes along the way without it being a total disaster. Personally, I'm a big fan of wall decals, which are just big stickers, but they are really easy to put up or take down and come in a plethora of styles and designs. 

Photo by Sven Brandsma on Unsplash

Wall art is a great way to allow your child to express themselves and their personality. Anyone who is my age remembers posters as being something you cut out of a magazine featuring your favourite celebrity until you had so many different versions sellotaped to the walls, it was basically wallpaper. These days, however, wall art is a lot more sophisticated and can feature anything from animals to classic movies, really pulling together a room design by building in key colourways to make everything fit together. As well as posters, you could also consider canvases, or even tapestries, depending on the style you're aiming for. With one or two key purchases like this, you can transform a wall easily and, when a change is needed, the art can be repurposed elsewhere. 

 Photo by Fine Art America

With these simple design ideas, you can start with a neutral base and build on it to create the room of your child's dreams, giving them complete ownership of the final look of the room, without having to compromise on the more permanent aspects. This gives you flexibility with your room configurations, should you need it at a later date and your child flexibility with their ever-changing tastes and interests. There are lots of other details you can add in to correspond with their age and requirements as well,  such as bean bags, fairy lights, cushions or even a bed canopy. It's not that hard to find removable items to personalise a room and make it really special and it's a great opportunity for your child to flex their creativity and learn more about their own tastes and preferences. With a little planning and a few design ideas, you could create a perfect little haven that grows with your child.