Fun Kids Room Decorating Ideas Start With These Design Tips!

Kid's room decorating ideas, kid's room layout and bedroom colors for kids should be driven by one guiding theme: Fun.

Friends and clients ask me all the time, what exactly makes for a great kid's room? And, more specifically, what are some really great kid's room decorating ideas?

My answer is always: go for the FUN and the ideas will come!

Organize your kid's room decorating ideas around the following four elements and you'll add function and style to the equation and end up with winning kids' rooms.

COLOR: Choosing bedroom colors for kids is easy. Let them pick. Expect their choices to be brighter, sharper, wilder than yours would be.

My daughter chose bright orange and yellow for her bed room colors and it was an intuitively smart choice for a smaller north facing bedroom with minimal natural light from one small window. The warm colors brightened the space and, while they did pull the walls and ceiling in, they gave the room a secure, cozy feeling that made the space feel welcoming. Leave it to kids!

You can select three or four additional hues related to your kid's original paint selections to add interest and complexity. Use them as accent paint colors and when choosing accessories.

Don't forget to include the ceiling as another surface to bring to life with color.

STORAGE: Funny thing about storage. No matter how much you have, you always fill it up. kid's room storage can be tricky. kid's have so much stuff!!

How about toy boxes that double as toys. Do you have a young knight who could use a castle with battlements he can hide behind? He can drop the drawbridge door to load his playthings, making clean up fun. Fun! There's that word again.

A Doll House toy box is another fun idea. Make a simple gabled roof with 1/4" plywood and paint siding, doors and windows with shutters on the sides. Do you have a pirate, soccer player, farmer or ballet dancer? You get the picture.

Plastic pull-out containers that fit under beds or at the bottom of closets can be found at any store that sells household goods. They're great for smaller kid's rooms. Bookshelves that are end-table height (22-26 inches or 56-66 cm) double as play surfaces and provide storage at a height kids can really use. I found awesome tiered hanging baskets for clothing and miscellaneous stuff at Ikea.

SPACE and SCALE: The best kids' room decorating ideas celebrate space.

A giant empty space in the middle of a Living room would signal that something is missing from the composition. In a kid's room it's a gift. I try to not clutter up a kid's room so much that there's no room to roll around on the floor with the puppy, or build a LEGO city or make a feast out of modeling clay. Make sure there's space to play.

And, no matter how spacious your child's room, they'll feel more comfortable and confident if you bring the scale down to their perspective and needs. I talked about end-table height bookshelves that they can access easily. If your kid's room has a high ceiling, consider painting it a darker color to make it feel closer. You can install a "picture rail" trim down two feet from a high ceiling to create a feeling of a child scaled room. Hang pictures and other art lower than you would in other rooms. After all, it is their room.

CREATIVITY: Imagination is more important than knowledge, a wise man once said. So give your kids ample opportunity to create.

I like sliding doors with blackboard material and chalk so kids can draw to their hearts' content--and, then start over the next day.

Modular furniture can keep a room flexible to accommodate different activities...and, the kids can move it around to create their own layouts. Bulletin boards, mop boards, space for posters and personal artwork... it's all good.

No matter how large or how small the space, the best kid's room decorating idea that I leave with you is to make your child's room conducive to creativity. Creativity can be messy though, so consider linoleum tiles that are easily wiped down. Also washable and paintable wallpapers and sharper, saturated colors that don't easily show dirt and wear.

I hope these ideas inspire you...that they stimulate your creativity to come up with your own kid's room decorating ideas.

Living Room Furniture Ideas For a Small Room

Maximize Your Living Room Space
Having a small living room doesn't mean that you can't have a beautiful living room. The trick is in knowing what styles of furniture to choose. Everyone knows that the furniture makes the room, but this is even more true when you have a small room. Too much furniture, or furniture that is too large will make the room seem even smaller.

One of the easiest ways to make a small room seem larger is to use furniture that is visually lightweight. Visually lightweight doesn't refer to furniture that is actually lightweight, it means furniture that looks light and airy. Instead of boxed style pieces of furniture, choose furnishings that have legs.

Make Your Small Space Look Larger
Furniture that is open allows the view to extend through the room making it seem larger than it is. Accent chairs with legs and glass top tables are both excellent ways to open up a small living room. You can also use mirrors on the walls to create a look of more space. The trick it to choose items that allow as much light to pass through the room as possible.

The colors you choose has a big effect on how large the room looks. Colors can even make a large room look much smaller than it is. A neutral palette of taupe and beige. or pastel colors will add a airy feel to any small space. Lighter colors just naturally make things appear to be larger. Carry the colors throughout the entire room so that the eye can roam freely.

Try to avoid upholstery with stripes, plaids and large prints. If you really want a design in the upholstery, choose pieces that are textured. Textured upholstery will give you the look of a design without making the room look cramped. If you really want prints, choose small designs in pastel or neutral colors that will extend the flow of the room.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when decorating a small room is not taking advantage of the vertical space. When your floor space is limited, find creative ways to use the vertical space. Instead of a short, wide book shelf, choose one that is narrow and taller. And, accent the room with tall floor lamps that will help to draw the eye upward.

Choose Size Appropriate Furniture
When shopping for furniture, choose pieces that are size appropriate. If space is limited, it's very important to measure everything. A piece of furniture that looks small in a large showroom, might not be so small when you get it home. Since the sofa is generally the most used piece of furniture in the living room, choose it first. Then, choose coordinating pieces that will fit well with the sofa.

Avoid Clutter
Clutter can quickly make a small room feel more like a closet. Choose your decorating accessories carefully. A small room isn't the ideal place to display a favorite collection. Instead, choose a few focal pieces that match the decor and keep shelves and tables as clear as possible. Vases and statues crowded together will make your space look a lot smaller than it is.

5 Popular Living Room Design Ideas

Decorating a living room shouldn't be too extravagant and expensive. If you are in a tight budget, you can always do it yourself instead of hiring an interior designer; but if you can afford to hire a good designer, then why not. You can plan ahead and check for designs on the internet or magazines to visualize the effect on your actual living room.

Below are some of the popular living room design ideas that you may find on the internet and in various home design magazines:

1. Classic-Modern design is one of the most common living room design ideas. Homes that have Classic-Modern style design enjoy mostly the relaxing feel and texture of the living space. If you have a very geometric or sharp edged space, toning and softening it with textures is the way to do it.

2. Hawaiian-inspired design is not so difficult to achieve. Always remember the key elements: hand-made native ornaments and accessories, woven furniture, bamboo and of course the signature bold floral prints. If you love the Hawaiian sun, sea and flora, you can incorporate these aspects when planning for your living room design.

3. Modern Zen design is made to relax and bring comfort into your living space. This living room design idea is quite popular nowadays especially for folks who wanted to have balance and comfort in their home. Having a focal point in your living room and accents to balance the style are the key ingredients. Incorporate a natural feel by opening up the room and letting in some natural light completes the Zen feel.

4. Tropical Style brings in the outdoor color pallets. The lush greens and yellows of natural flora are just two of most common colors you can find in a tropical living room design idea. Choose colors that are found naturally like the color of trees, plants, flowers and fruits. Think of a tropical forest or a market full of tropical fruits to inspire your design.

5. Victorian Style living rooms are plush and classy. You would normally find Victorian Style living rooms in Victorian style homes and hotels. The key here is classic sophisticated style with a splash of color and texture. Victorian style living rooms speak of opulence.

Whatever living room design idea you have in mind, make sure that it will fit your needs and lifestyle. Make sure to consult from a designer who knows how to handle a tight budget and complies with what you want. And always remember to choose the design that you will enjoy for a long time.