A child's room that grows as well

When it comes to children's rooms, we always want to make them the most enjoyable haven we can offer. But have you found yourself changing the décor more often than you would like?

Perhaps it is because children grow through different phases of favorite things and favorite colors. One day your little girl is into Disney fairies, then suddenly and way too soon she's into the latest rock star. Your little boy might have loved everything Disney but has abruptly decided that it is all baby stuff and he wants something more mature. It can be expensive to constantly change the rooms. Let's see if we can come up with some transitional ideas that will make your life easier and still keep the children happy.

To start off, purchase a crib that converts to fit a toddler. There are even kits for cribs that can "grow" to accommodate a teen. Be sure to buy quality furniture if you intend to use it for many years. As they say, you get what you pay for.

What about colors? You know that a young child's favorite hue now may not be later. Instead of doing the entire room in that special purple or red, consider painting the walls a traditional neutral and bring in the favorite color du jour in the bedding and throw rugs. If you find an affordable bedspread in your child's go-to color/character, go for it. Otherwise, keep that a traditional neutral and add to the favorite color with throw pillows in addition to the bedding and rugs.

Storage is really important. Consider the treasured toys, consider the fun things the kids will make in school that must be displayed, consider the special stuffed animal that they might just keep and take to college. What do you do with all this? A bookcase or shelves on the wall allow storage and display at the same time. A wall can be designated as the shelf wall. If there isn't enough room, line the room with one or two rows of shelves close to the ceiling.

What about walls? Removable peel-and-stick wall art might be the answer.

With these suggestions, you can enjoy each phase of a child's "favorites"without breaking the bank.