Water cooler: Decorating your child’s room

With Spokane County’s two largest school districts beginning classes in fall with virtual learning, now is a great opportunity to refresh your child’s space at home. Since they will have no choice but to spend a lot of time at home, at least in the beginning of the school year, it’s important for kids to have a space to call their own that they can enjoy and escape to.

Here are a few ideas for redecorating your child’s room and creating a space for learning, whether it fits in their room or has to be in another part of the home.

First you’ll want to start with an overall theme. It doesn’t have to be specific, but if there is an overarching concept for the design of the room, it will be easier to make decisions about details later on.

Do you have a kid who loves being in the outdoors? Maybe you’ll choose nature as a theme, and this can guide ideas further down the line such as choosing green and sky blue as colors, using leaf patterns for wall decor, and furnishing the room with plants. What about a kid who loves sports? You can incorporate the colors of their favorite sports teams, use locker room-inspired storage and use sport’s equipment as decor. Does your child love the arts? Find colors and ideas inspired by their favorite works or forms of art, like paintings, films, plays, books, video games, dances or pieces of music.

Paint is one of the best ways to incorporate a lot of design on a small budget. Not only can this add big splashes of color but it can add large-scale graphics. For example, with a little taping and measuring, you could use paint to create a striped or polka-dot wall or you could dedicate an area to creating a mural such as a rainbow, a tree with handprint leaves, your child’s favorite landscape or animals, giant flowers, a big sun or moon, or abstract shapes. Murals are a fantastic way to create an air of imagination in the room. If you’re worried about not being handy enough with paint, or you’d like a design solution that takes less effort, wall decals are a great alternative.

That said, paint is also one of the more permanent fixtures of a room. Kids can be known to get bored easily and jump from interest to interest, so instead of leaning on wall color as the major design aspect you could stick with a neutral wall and depend on fixtures for pops of color. This will likely have a higher cost, but if you’re worried about your child changing their mind it does provide design flexibility. A gray wall can pair well with a sporty combination of blue and orange. Choose white walls and accents paired with hot pinks, yellows and blues for a mod, pop-art inspired design. A warm gray can look great with a blend of brown and green decor for a rustic cabin-esque design. To completely change it up, switch out bedding, lighting, wall decor, etc., and you’ll have a completely new room without as much labor.

Before creating a study space, hone in on your child’s learning style.

Do you have a more active child? They may benefit from a busier space. This might mean their study space is in an active part of the house instead of their bedroom so they won’t feel as isolated. Or if they prefer to be in their room, furnish the space with a small basketball hoop or other hands-on activity that can provide small breaks and keep them physically and mentally engaged. For fidgety kids, consider an exercise ball instead of a chair, or adorning their desk space with a stress toy or fidget spinner.

If your child enjoys solitude for learning, create a special place that is quiet and offers some privacy. This could be in a quiet corner of the house or a special spot in their room that feels tucked away. A canopy or small tent can create a cozy space for imagination to flourish. A desk with a privacy screen can make a simple table feel more like an intentional and special space.

Whatever study space best fits their personality, make sure it has sufficient lighting. An overhead room light will do the job, but a desk lamp adds better light, creates more focus and adds a design element.

Overall, the important thing to remember when creating a space for your child that feels like their own domain and serves their learning style best, is to let their passions and personality serve as your guide.