Continued...
Let’s address the second scenario... Adam is a three to seven year old boy who wants green walls, red furniture, and blue rugs with his trucks on parade.   First, we need to find a color palette that reflects some of his preferences but also flows from the main living areas (we’ll assume this is in the same home as Amy’s and that we have a sage green/terra cotta/plum color scheme).  The carpet throughout is light sage green.  

My first idea is to use a border or wallpaper that has a truck pattern (there are lots of these to choose from) in a rich green, with rusty/brick, blues and plum.  This flows well from the main areas and allow the hues and shades of color that Adam wants in his room.

Let’s wallpaper the entire room with a plaid that correlates with a truck border below the chair-rail, and we’ll install the border at the chair-rail height (approximately 36 inches from the floor).  For the sake of budget, let’s paint above the chair-rail a warm beige/cream color.  We could make Adam a headboard from plywood cut in the shape of a Stop sign and painted rusty/brick red tones with white lettering to blend with the room.  (Could also be a Yield sign or Railroad crossing sign -- either would be easy and cute in the room.)

We are going to use a ready made bedding ensemble in solid dark green with the other colors introduced in shams, bed skirts, pillows, etc., mixing the green, dark blue, brick, plum, and beige.  (Maybe we could make an accent pillow to resemble a Yield or Railroad sign.)  The window treatment can be made from a matching sheet to the bedding ensemble.  Lots of simple sewing ideas are available or simply use a ready made window treatment.  I suggest that a tab valance with contrasting buttons would look good.

Let’s find some poster art that has trucks on it and frame it as inexpensively as possible.  Paint the frames, dark green, dark blue, brick, and plum, and create a grouping with the framed art above the chair-rail in an open wall area of the room.  Display some of Adam’s trucks on some shelves or the dresser, etc.  For lighting, we'll fill a glass lamp jar with match cars and use some light fixtures that resemble Stop lights and Railroad Crossings (they are available -- you just have to look -- or use other lighting sources as needed).  We’ll add a dash of greenery and Adam’s room is done!! Let’s see if we have all eight decorating components addressed in Adam’s room.

1. Flooring - sage green carpet

2. Walls - beige paint, with plaid wallpaper and truck border at chair-rail height

3. Furniture - Headboard built to resemble Stop sign painted brick red, dresser, bookshelf, night-stands, etc.

4. Window Treatments/Bedding ensembles/Accent Pillows - Dark green bedding ensemble with accent pillows, shams, bedskirt in dark blue, brick red and plum; tab window valance in dark green with contrast beige buttons

5. Lighting - practical and decorative; idea- use a lamp base filled with match cars and others as needed

6. Artwork - Poster art of trucks, in painted frames

7. Accessories - Adams trucks and treasures (maybe some other items found to work with theme)

8. Floral/Greenery - greenery added as needed on shelf, dresser or tree in void corner

All eight decorating components of Adam's room have been addressed, his room is very cute and economically decorated.  We have provided Adam the trucks he wanted, and the colors of green, blue, red (brick/burgundy tones) he requested in his room, just in different locations.  The colors all flow and work well with the main color scheme of the home and reflect a sense of style.  Obviously, there are hundreds of options and directions we could have taken, but Adam’s desire for trucks and certain colors gave us the inspiration for decorating the room this way.  Use your imagination when decorating a child’s room and have fun!!

Okay -- it’s time for Anna’s room.  She’s our teenager who wants a waterbed with a black leather frame, black bedspread and her posters everywhere.  Let’s assume Anna is Amy and Adam’s big sister and the main color scheme of their home is the same sage green/terra cotta/plum.  The wall to wall carpeting is the same light sage green throughout the home.  I would be inclined to let Anna have the black bedspread and posters she wants in her room.  If we were in the market for a new bed, I’d give her the waterbed, too!

Let’s very simply paint Anna’s walls a light to mid-sage green and with a feather duster, dabble some terra cotta and purple paint on her walls.   This is very easy, and Anna can do this herself to create her own masterpiece.  I would use a ready-made black bedding ensemble with black shams and bedskirt.  I would throw big chunky accent pillows on the bed in purples, sage greens and terra cotta/rust colors.  The window treatment will be a simple purple scarf swag fastened to the corners and draped with lengths of braided rope trim in sage green, terra cotta and black.  Anna's desk chair seat will be covered in the same purple material we are using for the swag.

We will frame Anna’s posters as inexpensively as possible in black and hang wherever she wants them.  The furniture could be whatever she already has along with the waterbed and black leather/vinyl headboard.  A couple of beanbag chairs in purple could be added for hanging out, a small black table between them for glasses, books, etc.  I would add a wild floral arrangement in purples, terra cotta, etc. or maybe painted bamboo sticks in a vase for added interest and color.  You can see, we are letting Anna have the color black and posters she wants in her room, but are bridging her room with the overall color scheme of the home.   Let’s check for the eight steps to a beautiful room/home.

1. Flooring - light sage green carpet

2. Walls - painted light sage green with dabbled terra cotta and purple paint

3. Furniture - waterbed with black leather/vinyl headboard, dresser, desk etc.

4. Window treatments/Bedding ensemble/Accent pillows - Black ready-made bedding ensemble with accent pillows in purple, terra cotta, sage green, mixed with black and white stripe and polka dot

5. Lighting - practical and decorative

6. Artwork - Anna’s posters framed in black

7. Accessories - Anna’s treasures or possibly some items that work with the theme of posters (for example: movie posters will provide lots of opportunities for theme accessories etc.)

8. Floral/Greenery - floral arrangement and greenery as needed to fill void spaces

Hopefully you are beginning to understand how to compromise your children’s decorating request with your overall color scheme, personal taste and budget.  It’s not always easy, nor do we always provide them with every request, but it is certainly possible to decorate their rooms in colors and themes that reflect their personality and interest in a manner appropriate for your home.  Use your imagination in the children’s rooms.  Look for a theme or interest that provides the inspiration for the room and do your best to bridge the colors you have chosen to decorate the rest of your home into their rooms.

In my opinion children’s rooms are the most fun and easiest rooms in the house to decorate.  I sure hope this article has encouraged you to face any obstacles you might perceive in decorating these rooms.  If all else fails -- remember -- "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."  A perfect example of this are my two sons.  Both of them are color blind so the bright, primary colors are the ones that are the clearest and seen the best.  I have always tried to decorate their rooms with the colors they liked and could see well, regardless of my homes color scheme.  I suppose the bottom line and the reason for sharing this story is to simply say, "Don’t worry too much about your children’s rooms.  Do the best you can with the resources available and remember, life goes on."

Be sure to check out the latest adventure story "Jordan’s New Room." Jordan is my precious little neighbor who got a new room this summer. I’ll share what her Mom and I did to redecorate her room for less than $200.00. Seeing Jordan’s eyes light up when we were done was a thrill!!!

Happy Decorating,