At Home Living: Decorating a child's room through the years

Involving your child from an early age when decorating his or her room is important for a number of reasons, according to a former northeast Kansas interior designer.

With more 37 years of experience in the interior design business, Jolayne Hawver, of Ozawkie, said she enjoyed consulting and decorating childrens rooms.

I used certain games that would show me what their color preferences were, she said. That would give me some insight into what they preferred. I was letting the child be the client. I had a lot of really good results that way.

Hawver said a child cant obviously have input into how his or her nursery is going to be decorated, but starting as early as possible to involve your child in the decorating decision-making as they get older can pay off in many ways.

If theyre part of the process and their preferences and personality are put in that room, they are going to respond to that room better, she said. They will tend to keep it cleaner longer and do better in school. They just seem to grow more.

Theres no one right answer in decorating a childs room, Hawver said, as their tastes are going to change as they grow up, especially in the teen years.

However, for the preschool years, Hawver suggests using shelves with containers that store toys within reach.

You want them to be able to access them easily and put them away easily, she said. Having fewer toys is better. A few well-chosen toys is the best way to go. Their room stays uncluttered and they have room to play.

Other budget-friendly storage solutions that can grow with your child, Hawver said, are wicker baskets, plastic containers and buckets. She said these containers will eventually wear out but they can be used to store different things as your child gets older.

Another way to decorate on a budget is using chalkboard paint to allow your child to draw with chalk on his or her wall. As your child begins to draw or paint, taking their art and putting it in inexpensive frames allows you to change out their art as they get older.

Originally posted here:
At Home Living: Decorating a child's room through the years