You don’t have to include all of her interests, but you can try to base the room off of her general likes and dislikes. For instance, if she likes animals, instead of painting a jungle mural on the wall, you can look for bedding and photos that have pictures of wildlife and animals on them. If she enjoys cartoons, you can hang up framed pictures of her favorite characters on the wall. Then, use the color of her favorite character for the accent colors in the room. For a princess-themed bedroom, incorporate “royal” elements, like crowns, floral prints, and a few sparkly and shiny fixtures to make the room seem more magical.
Try to stay away from dark, vibrant colors that she might not like in a few years, like pink, purple, navy blue, red, or even black. It’s difficult to coordinate other colors with these shades.
Keep in mind that it’s a lot more difficult to remove wallpaper than it is to simply repaint a wall. Make sure you pick a design that can grow with her interests and taste.
For instance, if she likes pink, you can make your color scheme white, pink, and gold for a classic girly look. If she enjoys nature and animals, go for a tan, green, and yellow color scheme to incorporate outdoor scenes.
For instance, if you want to buy a princess bed, consider getting a classic four-post bed and hanging a removable canopy on top of it. Then, if she loses interest in princesses, she can take the canopy off of the bed for a more mature look. In a jungle-themed room, you might opt for a simple iron bed frame, and then wrap fake vines and plants around the bed posts and headboard. It’s easy to remove the vines and re-purpose them for another project if she wants to change the style of the room in the future. Wooden and iron frames are always popular choices for children’s beds because they’re sturdy and stylish.
For example, if the room has a rustic theme with floral accents, it might be better to choose a vintage-looking dresser and nightstand, rather than modern variations. If you’re going for a simple, modern look, you might opt for white modular furniture that’s easy to mix and match. Be sure to anchor any tall or heavy pieces of furniture to the wall to keep them from falling over.
It may be helpful to label the bins to make sure she knows what goes where. Once the room is finished, show her where everything goes in its new spot.
Placing the bed in a corner is a popular option because it takes up a small amount of space and leaves plenty of room in the middle of the floor.
For large, heavy furniture, like bookshelves and dressers, anchor the pieces to the wall using a furniture anchoring kit to prevent them from tipping over.
You can even refinish an older desk for an easy and inexpensive study or craft table for her room.
For example, if the room is princess themed, you can choose a duvet that has a castle on it with ruffle pillows. For a dinosaur theme, you might choose a duvet that has a cartoon dinosaur print on it and solid-colored pillows in green, yellow, and light blue to match the room’s color scheme.
It’s easy to replace rugs as they get worn. Don’t worry about the design being too bold or colorful since it’s on the floor and can provide contrast for the room. For instance, if you’re decorating a princess-themed room, you might look for a rug that has Cinderella’s castle on it.
Make sure you have a nearby outlet before you decide where to place the lamp. If the lamp ends up being far away from the bed, consider getting a remote-control switch so she can turn off the lamp from bed without having to get up. For example, in a carnival-themed room, you might add a lampshade that has vertical red and white stripes to mimic a circus tent. In a cartoon-themed room, you might choose a simple, modern base for the lamp and add a lampshade in a solid, bright accent color, like pink, purple, green, blue, or red.
For blinds, make sure the cords are tucked out of reach, especially if the girl is younger. They can be a choking hazard if left dangling. When it comes to picking curtains, opt for 1-2 of your accent colors in a solid color or simple print, like stripes or small polka dots.
For instance, if you’re doing a fairy theme, you can hang up a print of Tinkerbell above the bed. Then, position other faerie-themed pictures throughout the room. For a jungle theme, try framing animal pictures from National Geographic and hanging 4-6 of them in a grid on the wall for a fun art installation.
For smaller mementos, like pins, medals, notes, or tickets, organize a shadow box and place it on a shelf or hang it on the wall where she can see it. If she has a favorite item, like a stuffed animal or a figurine given to her by a loved one, put it somewhere easily accessible but safe, like on the top of the dresser, nightstand, or bookshelf.
String lights are also popular in rooms for teens, too, so you may be able to keep them hung up as she grows.
