How often do you/will you redo your lo's room?

[SunshineJ]

The earlier thread asking if you allow your children to draw on the walls had a few replies about not wanting to repaint the room before they were teens, etc. If you own your home or are in a rental where you can paint as you wish, how often do you re-do your child's room? Or how often do you plan to? Not just new bedding and posters, but complete colors and themes?

[snoopy5386]

I just painted my DD's "new room" (not that she'll sleep in there yet!). I would hope it will last until she is old enough to help me repaint it if she wants it changed. It is a girly blue-ish purple. I'm sure she would have loved a pink room at 3, but not so much at 13. I had my room painted maybe 3 times as a kid? And one of those times was because we moved.

[34me]

I need to prefice this with I have no sence of style or color. With this said, I don't want to get rid of things like linen, curtains, etc if they are still good. My kids are 10,13 and 15 and the only reason that their rooms have been redone is because we had a fire.

[NicaG]

You mean I have to redo their rooms? I'll probably reevaluate ds's room when he starts kindergarten, probably change dd's around a little when she's an older toddler. I'm hoping to keep the same color schemes for a while (ds's room is light gray with blue rug, with blue, red, and bright green accents; dd's room is pale blue with pink and lavender accents). My mom never "updated" or even decorated my room when I was a kid, we were in rentals until I was in high school.

[Kirsten]

Complete colors and themes? Maybe twice in their childhood? (1-18 years old)

Of course I chose the nursery theme, so that first one was before they had a say.

At first twin bed age, I let them each choose two pastel paint colors (any they wanted) and we had the ceiling and top foot of wall painted one of the colors they picked, and the rest of the wall the other with a white painted molding between. Dd1 picked lavender and yellow and dd2 picked pink and green. Then I brought home a nice Pottery Barn Kids comforter that went with. They can have whatever "fun/kiddie" sheets they like. Posters are chosen completely by them. So that paint selection was first redo.

They are still in those same bedrooms at ages 13, 9 and 6. They've actually recently been asking to repaint - and get new beds! The beds are not changing, but I am considering letting the teenager pick paint colors and a new comforter this summer. Dd2 may get a rearrangement of her furniture and maybe a new comforter.

So I guess I vote two redos - one at first bed and one at 13 in my family apparently. If my kids had cheap comforters, I'd be ok with changing those every few years - but ours were expensive and still look new and aren't babyish. Dd2's is flowers and dd3's is the alphabet - fine for 9 and 6 year olds.

I never did character comforters - too expensive to change with how quickly they change their interests in them. I'm happy to buy Dora sheets or horse sheets or whatever, and Kim Possible poster or what have you - easy and cheap to change.

[greenmansions]

Our kids will have a slight change sometime by about age 7 - with a new rug mainly. Their current rug has animals on it and kind of a small child theme with light blues and greens as the primary colors. Other than that, I have stayed away from anything overtly "baby" or gender specific.

Their walls are painted a pale blue that matches the darker steel blue blinds. Those blinds will not be changed unless they break in some way, so that any paint color and decor has to match them.

At some point before teenager-hood the kids will get their own rooms (they are not the same gender) and they will have some say in how the rooms are decorated. I will still have approval. I am not going to tolerate black paint on the walls or some other thing that will be too difficult to change later, nor will I let them have a "theme" that they will tire of quickly. Conserving resources is an issue for me, both financial and natural resources.

Growing up, we had our rooms repainted maybe once and it was to a different shade of white. We got to pick our own sheets and had a very large bulletin board in each of our rooms that could hold a poster and other memorabilia. Otherwise furniture and rugs were selected by my mom.

[FondestBianca]

if funding permits I imagine they will both get an entire room redo 4 or 5 times before they move out. Only because I enjoy painting, decorating, themeing, and rearranging. I can do a total redo for pretty cheap. Dd will be 4 in oct and she is on her second room theme so far... so my estimate of 4 to 5 times may turn out to be low . Bedroom redos always include freehand painted wall murals around here so I do hold off until I'm ready to tackle the task. I like to change things up. It sort of refereshes my home world. I hate the idea of wasting things by not wearing them out so everything the doesn't fit into the new theme gets repurposed in some way. Ds is still on his first theme and color combo... but he's only 8 months old... I have plenty of time to think up some ideas to present him for the next one . It actually takes some time to come up with a good basis that won't turn into a tacky, overly themey, mess.

[nolansmummy]

My son is 5 and he's on his second room design. He had elmo as a baby, and when we transitioned him to a big bed, we redid his room to red theme which included lots of disney cars decor. We will probably redo it again when we move, his furniture will last and we can't even paint here so his walls are just white.

My dd is just 2 and her theme is green and purple frogs which i'm hoping will last her until she's a teen. Who knows though. I'll probably let them paint it as often as they want to when we buy a house. As far as bedding and curtains we will just have to see what funds are available.

[Shahbazin]

Wow. I'd never even thought about this! My parents never "re-did" anything, whatever carpet/curtains/paint job came with the house when we moved in is what we got. I got to put my own posters up, but that was it as far as choices went.

When we're in our own house & the kids have their own room, I think it would be really fun to have different paint, curtains, etc. in the kids' room, that they help pick out. (Heck, I'll be picking out stuff for the REST of the house!)

[philomom]

We had them choose new schemes and such at 5 , 10 and 15. Always staying away from cartoon characters or such that they tire of quickly.

My dd had an ivy room, a fairy room and now a peachy, fantasy room.

My ds has had colorful animals, astronauts and robots and will get a new choice in a couple of years.

[flapjack]

3,7,11, more or less. No fixed rules, if it's important, we'll talk about it.

[Yooper]

Theme?

Hmmmm....I guess never.

Dd's room has the white walls and sturdy, neutral carpet that came with the house. She has timeless, classic furniture. And she has a quilt that has been in the family for a while. All in her room is just as appropriate for a 3 yo as an 18 yo. I can see painting as necessary and she is free to take down and put up whatever decor she wishes, but other than that I cannot imagine a "redo" will be our future. So, I guess we are either cheap, lazy, and just missed the boat

[rightkindofme]

Uhhh I don't think I decorate like this anyway. My house is the sort that could easily be as appropriate for a 16 year old as for a baby. That said: I'm cool with my kids saying, "Hey! Let's paint!" I may or may not let them change the colors elsewhere in the house (they are really deep/dark/extreme colors everywhere) but I certainly understand them deciding they don't like the blue/green I picked for their bedrooms. I think they are hella cool, but what do I know?

The whole decorating on a theme thing is kind of beyond me. I am absolutely anti-chatchke. Heck no. New sheets would be fun though. If a kiddo wanted new wall stick ons or something that wouldn't be a problem. I would probably be willing to buy new sheets/bedding every other year even though I'm using the stuff that was on my mom's bed starting about 15 years ago. I'm hella lazy about buying stuff like that.

Man. I say hella a lot.

[Ceili]

We're in the middle of renovating the rest of the house and ds's room was finished before he was born. It's unlikely to get repainted other than a touch up before we sell this house. When we move he'll get some say in the colors of the room, but at the pace we move with decorating/finishing projects that will probably be the last time before he's in college. We picked his bed as something that would make it from preschool to high school. New art on the walls, different bedding/curtains, etc are things we can do down the line, but beyond that, he would have to make a really good arguement for it.

[vm9799]

well, i want to preface this by saying that i am an interior designer........enough said!

my kids are 12 and 10.

dd is 12 and her room has been redone 4 times since birth.....and i foresee it being done again before she leaves the nest for college.

ds is 10 and his room has been done 3 times since birth......and i foresee it being done a few more times before he leaves the nest for college. unfortunately i don't have a picture of his room at this moment.

i will say that we don't tend to change EVERYTHING when we redecorate though. it's just a matter of letting their taste/style change as they grow up. i want their bedrooms to be a place they love to spend time in.

[StrawberryFields]

As often as necessary I guess. When ds was born, we did one nursery room downstairs in Beatrix Potter. Now that he is almost 4 he is being moved upstairs to a room that I painted like a castle and did with a knights/dragons/etc theme. Dd has taken over the Beatrix Potter room and it will probably stay that way until she is 3-4 too, then we will redo it to a little older theme.

When they are old enough that they feel like their room themes are too babyish we'll redo it again, probably with something that can carry them into their teen years.

Since my kids are 3 and 1, this is all totally a guess!

[KweenKrunch]

We try to leave the children's space as plain as possible to encourage free-thinking and natural play. I'd hate to do a specific theme and then somehow make my child feel like she/he had to live up to it. Growing up, my sister and I shared a room that had a decidedly frilly, ballerina theme (eyelet, tulle, pink and purple, canopy beds, etc.) I enjoyed it, but my sister, who is a lesbian, felt very stifled in such a frou-frou space.

[Tanibani]

My answer: twice. Maybe more.

By re-do, I am thinking re-paint (since I don't believe in "themes" either). Kids outgrow themes really fast. Or rather I hate infant themed rooms because that changes really fast. If they want to choose a theme, within reason, fine (Cars - no, Transformers, no).

Originally Posted by KweenKrunch

We try to leave the children's space as plain as possible to encourage free-thinking and natural play. I'd hate to do a specific theme and then somehow make my child feel like she/he had to live up to it. Growing up, my sister and I shared a room that had a decidedly frilly, ballerina theme (eyelet, tulle, pink and purple, canopy beds, etc.) I enjoyed it, but my sister, who is a lesbian, felt very stifled in such a frou-frou space.

See, I like that line of thinking. Make it a little neutral and let the kids' interests "liven up" the room.

My son is 9 now. I didn't know if he'd like Thomas, or a jungle wall collage on his wall, so I kept it very plain. He has shared the small room with his sister for the past 4 yrs.

After 9 years in this house, we need a paint job. So I am now trying to figure out colors for both their rooms. I don't want to let them choose the color. I'm trying to find a green for DS's room and I've settled on a great purple/perriwinkle for DD's room. DS's room has a lot light and very tall ceilings and I'm obsessing on the right lime Green. It's driving me crazy because I want to call the painters over already! I e-mailed a local designer (I have such little self-confidence when it comes to decorating) for her input.

The sitter gave me a great idea. She said to get rid of his dresser (he has a small room) and put the clothes in the bins in his very spacious closet (there are mesh wire bins with tons of stuffed animals). The room is SO SPACIOUS NOW. WOo hoo! And DS wants to get rid of the massive Ikea bin bookshelf and get shelves for his collections.

We are FINALLY converting the office to her NEW bedroom. I didn't want DS to feel left out, so that's why I'm painting his room also (besides it needing a paint job).

I need to post the question - did u let your kids choose paint colors and how do you like it?

[FondestBianca]

Originally Posted by Tanibani

My answer: twice. Maybe more.

By re-do, I am thinking re-paint (since I don't believe in "themes" either). Kids outgrow themes really fast. Or rather I hate infant themed rooms because that changes really fast. If they want to choose a theme, within reason, fine (Cars - no, Transformers, no).

See, I like that line of thinking. Make it a little neutral and let the kids' interests "liven up" the room.

themes dont have to be about jungles, ballet, flowers, or trucks. They can be very subtle or simply mood based. Having some like transformers, barbis, care bears, or cars would be aweful and give a bad name to themes. I hate that people associated the word theme with those sorts of things. Those things are just a lack of creativity and come ready made and easy to slap on. Thats the only reason they're popular. Themes SHOULD show creativity, personality, and a sense of the person living in that room. I find that my environment very much effects my creativity, moods, and contentment. I grew up in a white walled house and honestly it did nothing to cultivate any creativity or encourage me to explore my own interests. I love the way color makes me feel and feelings inspire. If dd feels she is "outgrowing" her decor then we'll change it. Paint doesn't cost much and I enjoy pushing a roller around the room. I suppose for people who hate changing things every few years a theme seems like a terrible idea but, that isn't my issue. It also helps to choose a theme that is likely to be able to grow with a child. Leaving white walls can be very frustrating to a child. Growing up, myself and all of my friends always dreamed of being able to paint our walls fun colors and have a neat, cohesive, space of our own.

While I plan to mostly pick what sorts of "themes" come next I present my ideas to dd and she chooses which one she likes best. If she doesn't like any of the ideas then I come up with more. As she gets older perhaps she will take over the decorating of her room and all I will have to do is approve the final draft.

There is always space left in dd's room for her own expression. Besides that she has loved both room decors she has had thus far.

[SunshineJ]

Originally Posted by FondestBianca

themes dont have to be about jungles, ballet, flowers, or trucks. They can be very subtle or simply mood based. Having some like transformers, barbis, care bears, or cars would be aweful and give a bad name to themes. I hate that people associated the word theme with those sorts of things. Those things are just a lack of creativity and come ready made and easy to slap on. Thats the only reason they're popular. Themes SHOULD show creativity, personality, and a sense of the person living in that room. I find that my environment very much effects my creativity, moods, and contentment. I grew up in a white walled house and honestly it did nothing to cultivate any creativity or encourage me to explore my own interests. I love the way color makes me feel and feelings inspire. If dd feels she is "outgrowing" her decor then we'll change it. Paint doesn't cost much and I enjoy pushing a roller around the room. I suppose for people who hate changing things every few years a theme seems like a terrible idea but, that isn't my issue. It also helps to choose a theme that is likely to be able to grow with a child. Leaving white walls can be very frustrating to a child. Growing up, myself and all of my friends always dreamed of being able to paint our walls fun colors and have a neat, cohesive, space of our own.

While I plan to mostly pick what sorts of "themes" come next I present my ideas to dd and she chooses which one she likes best. If she doesn't like any of the ideas then I come up with more. As she gets older perhaps she will take over the decorating of her room and all I will have to do is approve the final draft.

There is always space left in dd's room for her own expression. Besides that she has loved both room decors she has had thus far.

That. Our children are 5 and 7. We started out in a 2 bedroom place, with DS's room being painted 2 tones of blue, white clouds on the walls, and stick-ons of winnie the pooh characters. When DD came along about 2 yrs later, we changed the entire thing to a room mural that the kids loved. 2 coats of paint and it was back to normal for when we moved. In our new place, DS started out with a construction theme in his room. The walls were construction truck yellow with actual "caution" tape as a mid-level border. We've since redone it with a two tone darker orange on bottom and blue on top and accented with a spongebob sticker border. I like the sticker accents because they can come off easily (made to do so) and any "theme" can change with $30 and 10 min. Yes, it's a character theme in his room, but it's not overdone and looks tasteful (well as tasteful as spongebob can!). DD's room has been two shades of lavender since we moved here. There's a wooden chair rail that separates it, and her room is decorated in butterflies. She's ready for a change but we knew we were moving soon, and the room is very presentable the way it is so we've left it.

It's such a little thing to me to redo their rooms. I've always just assumed we'd redo them every 3 years or so to reflect our childrens changing interests. As a child my room was always the same and as a result, I had little desire to ever be in there. It wasn't "my place", it was just a room to sleep in, and any imagining I did occurred elsewhere. Part of it too is that this is something affordable we can do for the kids. 1 weekend and $100 is worth it to me. Luckily I have a dh that agrees!