Decorating a childs room seems so easy. Choose a paint colour, a couple of pieces of furniture, some linen and perhaps a rug. But paint shades are notoriously fickle and buying things on an impulse can ruin the desired result.
Without paying for a decorator to get involved, consider these cost-effective tips.
1. Youll eventually get sick of a theme or overly bright colours. Neutrals last longer, are less trend-driven and can be brightened with colourful, clever pieces, like these funky cushions from Scoops Design at Handmade Emporium.
2. Hang stuff. Buy frames from IKEA and fill them with unique artwork that can be bought online for about $20 to make a funky montage. (Try Coloured Pears at Handmade Emporium) They can easily be changed when those freakishly professional paintings come home from kinder.
3. Paint samples must be painted on the walls and watched for a week or so. Many colours change dramatically in some lights. Even so, a wall can always be re-painted, so consider carefully whether you really need that fabulous wallpaper.
4. IKEA might be great for some things, but what will happen to the plastic table and chairs when the kids have ruined them and you cant pass them on? Invest in timber furniture that can always be re-painted.
5. Consider retro. You can still pick up cool ˜50s bedside tables from garage sales that can be painted in bright colours.
6. You can always change the baby mobiles to funky light fittings as the kids get older, but my 14 year old daughter still loves the Babar prints and bunting I put in her room as a baby. Choose wisely and you may never need to change a thing!
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Guest Post written by Karina Reyne, co-partner of Handmade Emporium, the hip new handmade marketplace. Check out the best of handmade at Handmade Emporium