There are lots of ways to decorate a child’s room without sticking to the traditional “pink for girls” and “blue for boys” color scheme. Gender neutral rooms are increasing in popularity since a lot of people nowadays simply aren’t excited by the norm. Choosing a color scheme and decorating elements that will suit either gender is more flexible, and also increases individuality. So if you’re expecting a baby but you chose to resist finding out the gender, or if you just want to be unique and creative in terms of your children’s bedroom decorating style, here are some decorating tips that can guide you.
1. Choose a gender-neutral color scheme.
Sure, the first thing to do to break away from the norm is to pick colors either than pastel pink and powder blue. Yellow and green are common substitutes for pink and blue, but there are a lot of other color possibilities to choose from. Try pastels like butter yellows, sage greens, lavenders and corals and pair them with neutrals. Or bold colored hues like reds, oranges, navy blues and lime greens. The key is to choose one or two non-gender specific colors that will occupy the main elements of the room, then decorate around it as time goes on.
Or better yet, go neutral all the way – anyway, you’re going for a gender-neutral room. Neutrals are an easy fix, yet sophisticated looking. Plus, it would be easier to update as your kid gets older. Gray is becoming an increasingly popular option for a gender-neutral kid’s room, since it is very versatile. It is also easily blends with a lot of other colors you would like to use as an accent. As you put colorful toys, the room won’t look to strong or too cluttered with a neat and neutral backdrop.
2. Add punches of colors.
Colors have an effect on a person’s mood, so choosing cheerful colors can help brighten up your child’s mood. Incorporating different colors would also enhance their imagination and thinking. So, go for happy colors in your décor like pillows, window treatments, rugs, or bed frames and beddings. A mix of yellow, bright orange and citrus green always work to bring a refreshing and fun vibe to a kid’s room. Just keep the walls neutral so everything is under control. If you prefer a more simple style, keep your walls and furniture fairly unadorned, and splash some fun with an extra-colorful rug.
3. Create a spot to play.
If your child’s room was once a nursery, you most probably have added hanging toys on top of the crib so your baby can reach and play. Once your kid has grown into a toddler or a young child, they need a spot to play, daydream, color and do some crafts. Create a play center in his or her own bedroom, unless you want your living room and other parts of your house to turn into a play zone. What are you going to put in it will depend on your budget and size of the room, as well as the preference of your child. However, putting up a rug and a small table with mini chairs would be enough to become a play area or craft center. Then, as your child grows older, the play area can be swapped out with a desk to serve as a study area.
4. Pick a theme.
One of the many joys of childhood is having a free-flowing imagination. Help your child wander and enjoy by decorating his or her room with a favorite theme. It doesn’t always have to be cars or flowers. Be playful with ideas. You may set up your child’s bed like a campfire tent and put a beige rug on the floor to make it look like sand. Make a tropical insect theme with butterfly murals on the wall and cute lady bug pillows. Use your child’s favorite cartoon or movie characters and buy their merchandise like beddings or posters to decorate. Or embrace alphabets and numbers in your decoration to help your toddlers learn as well. A theme doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just a few elements, beddings and accessories will work, and your child’s imagination will fill out the rest.
5. Use an animal theme.
Speaking of themes, animal theme works for both boys and girls. Animal décor is a fun trend that has always been an option for decorating a children’s room because it is gender-neutral (plus, they’re cute and adorable). Focus on a single theme, like farm animals, underwater animals or simple rubber duckies. Or perhaps you may feature one type of animal throughout the room, like giraffes, bears, elephants and pandas. The color and habitat of the animals would serve as an inspiration for your color palette, for instance, browns for a giraffe.
6. Create a bold focal point.
Like the other areas of the house, the nursery or your kid’s room is one of those areas that can make use of a focal point. And in any bedroom, the bed (or the crib) is where the eyes wander first, so why not place an accent wall behind it? Consider making a playful approach by picking a boldly-colored wallpaper or design that will surely grab attention. If your child is old enough to choose, ask him or her about their preferences. Patterns like stripes, chevron and polka dots are one of those more common but effective patterns. But remember to restrict it to only one wall so as not to overwhelm the eyes.
7. Incorporate your interior décor style.
Gender-neutral bedrooms are usually a little more sophisticated than gender-themed rooms. If you’re more specific about maintaining the overall look of your home, ditch those bright colors and busy patterns and go for more versatile shades and pieces that suit the rest of your home better. Anyway, your you will also spend time on your kid’s room too, especially during tutoring sessions, bedtime storytelling, and other parenting stuff, so you must also be happy to spend time in it. Pick a white bed, pastel accessories, soft linens for curtains, and neutral walls for a kid’s room that will match the style of the house.
8. Adorn the walls with decals.
Decorate the walls of your child’s room by using wall decals. Using stick-on decorations would be the perfect way to appeal to both genders and their interests. You may choose from a variety of choices in scenes, patterns and themes, which would give personality to the room. Vinyl decals are great for decorating walls because they stay in place, but you can reposition them over and over without damaging your walls. It’s an easy and fuss-free way to decorate at a small price.
However, if you have artistic talent in painting, level it up. You can hand-paint a mural or simply stencil a pattern to the wall using paint. This way, you can lend your own touch to your kid’s room.
9. Throw in some shapes.
Do you prefer a more modern and minimalistic nursery or kid’s room? Use geometric shapes. Have a bold geometric accent wall, a geometric light fixture or geometric patterned rug. These types of shapes are easy to DIY and combine with other patterns. Once you have thrown in enough shapes, keep the rest plain and solidly painted to avoid visual clutter.
10. Bring in some wood.
Using wood elements is a perfect way to keep a room gender neutral and create a warm atmosphere. Keep the natural wood tones of your bed frames and furniture choices like drawers, dressers, and desks. You may also transform one wall as an accent wall using wood, by installing wood panels. This will suit the kid’s taste even until he or she grows up.
11. Include a subdued pattern.
To make an impact and add interest without being too strong, introduce subtle patterns on the wall. Incorporate eye-catching patterns like stars or birds, but only in subtle shades of your main wall color. This way, the accent looks quieter and more peaceful, but still attractive. It adds a chic effect to the room that is gender-neutral, plus it’s more restful to the eyes.
12. Bring color or pattern to the ceiling
Adding a dash of color through paint or a pattern through a wallpaper to the ceiling is an unexpected twist to a child’s bedroom. It’s a great accent if you really want to level up your designing game. A white or neutral-colored wall perfectly pairs with patterned wallpaper. You may complement your existing wall color with a complementary color on the ceiling if you want a bold impact. Or perhaps you can create a unique, hand-painted art on the ceiling, like a starry night sky or a sky of clouds to have something your child can admire and stare at while lying in his or her bed.