Dream room: Decorating a child’s bedroom

Furniture and fabric get a simple computer makeover

By Heather Camlot

A child’s bedroom is more than just a place to sleep — it’s a place to play, to study, to read, to dream. It’s the one room in the house that you want your child to truly enjoy. But redecorating for every new passion, from Barbie to Justin Timberlake, can get expensive — unless you do it yourself.

Refreshing furniture, redoing borders and updating fabrics is easy and economical. All you need are a scanner, computer, Clip Art or photography, high-quality printer and specialty paper.

Furniture

Selecting the right piece

“People spend a lot of money on juvenile furniture, which kids grow out of too quickly,” says Sarah Richardson, host and co-producer of HGTV Canada’s Design Inc.

Newer furniture has cleaner, straighter lines; you might not find it conducive to arts and crafts. “When working with any sort of artistic or craft element, older pieces lend themselves better. They look more authentic,” Richardson says. Luckily, you don’t always have to buy new furniture. Check out flea markets and Goodwill or estate auctions for low-cost items.

Embellishing furnishings

To decorate a piece of furniture, scan a photo or an object that matches your room’s theme, such as a close-up of a flower or your daughter’s doll. Or, search for fun Clip Art shapes or characters through Word. Adjust the image to the desired size and print it on sticker paper. Richardson advises cutting close to the paper to eliminate any background. Then peel and stick the image on shelves or drawer fronts. You can also apply the image to walls or picture frames to follow through on the theme.

Richardson says you do not have to treat the furniture before you apply these decorations. But to preserve the stickers and avoid peeling, she suggests applying a protective coating, such as a water-based urethane over each one.

Walls

Sticking to basics

Projects to embellish walls can be as endless as your imagination. Richardson has used the computer to create inspirational words on a wall, but you can also try a favourite poem or the letters of the alphabet. To create a free-form border of flowers or shapes, design the images on your computer, print them out onto sticker paper, and space them out around the room.

Produce a patchwork of letters or words on one wall, using the wall colour as background, and colour-coordinate or contrast each letter.

Puzzling look

To add some artwork, Richardson suggests finding a fabulous photograph that works with your theme and dividing it into nine quadrants, each 8½” × 11”.

In Word, divide an image into nine equal pieces that you can print out separately. Print each one on photographic paper of the same size; then frame them. The “puzzle,” as Richardson calls it, could cover an entire wall depending on how near or far you hang each picture. As your child grows, replace the images with new favourites to maintain the look.

Fabric

Buying pre-designed fabrics can get pricey. Design your own with Clip Art, or scan your child’s drawings or their favourite objects. Print the image onto T-shirt transfer paper, cut it out, place it face down on pre-washed lightweight cotton muslin, iron, and peel off the paper when cool. You can use this technique on any number of surfaces, but Richardson suggests sticking with pillows and accent items that can be replaced more easily and at a lower cost.

Let the kids in on the fun, too. Children can help decorate their own room by choosing images and assisting in the application. “Keep in mind it’s a kid’s room, it should be fun, and it doesn’t have to be perfect,” adds Richardson. It’s their own place to play and dream.