5 Tips for Designing the Perfect Bedroom for a Girl

“Children are unpredictable. You never know what inconsistency they’re going to catch you in next.”-Franklin P. Jones

Children frequently transition to sleeping in their own bedrooms in early childhood. If your daughter previously shared a bedroom with her brother, the design of her room was likely dictated by compromises between siblings. When your daughter moves to her own room, however, you have lots of opportunities to help her personalize her own room. Equally important, when children have rooms they love, they are less likely to be afraid to sleep alone. This is especially important if your child is used to sleeping with a sibling. Here are 5 tips for the perfect girl’s bedroom:

Plan for the Future

Your daughter might be into princesses and fairies now, but as a teenager she’ll likely see these interests as babyish and embarrassing. Plan your child’s room in such a way that it can easily grow with her into her teenage years. Rather than painting fairies on the wall, try using decals and posters. Select furniture that she’ll be comfortable using as a teenager and purchase modular storage units and shelves that can easily be moved as your child’s needs and interests change.

Give Her Control

The tastes of young children are often puzzling to parents. Your daughter might relish going to school wearing a parka and a tiara, much to your chagrin. Similarly, her tastes for her room might not match yours. Allow her to make some decisions in the decoration process. This encourages creative thinking and will also make her less afraid to sleep alone. As long as the decoration can be easily altered or removed, there’s no harm in giving your child creative control.

If your daughter doesn’t seem to have any particular preferences, it’s time to get creative. What are her favorite hobbies? Does she have a favorite book or movie character? Think about what sorts of images she’d like to see in her room. Make sure the room is accessible to her and allows her to play, do schoolwork and enjoy her favorite hobbies. A child who loves reading, for example, should have a sturdy bookshelf full of books, while an artists needs a good desk with art supplies.

Don’t Make Assumptions

Many parents of daughters default to fairies, pink and princesses. But not all girls love these items, so make sure you’re choosing what your daughter likes rather than what you think she should like! A girl’s room with a captain’s bed, baseballs, frogs and sports heroes is still a girl’s room, and if it’s what she wants make sure she has it.

Although there’s nothing wrong with “traditional” girl items, research in developmental psychology indicates that rigid gender roles can be damaging to children, especially girls. Girls who become too obsessed with princesses can lose interest in school, become overly materialistic or believe that girls are weak and must be saved by boys. This doesn’t mean your daughter can’t have a princess room, but it does mean it’s wise to provide a little balance. Providing your daughter with a mix of “boy’s things” and “girl’s things” can encourage her to develop diverse interests.

Make It Feel Safe

Most children have occasional nightmares, especially between the ages of 4 and 8. When decorating your daughter’s room, don’t neglect practical matters. Make sure the lighting prevents excessive shadows and odd shapes on the wall, which can be frightening to young children. If possible, choose a room for your daughter that is located close to your own bedroom and is located away from outside noises from traffic and cars.

Find Bargains

Decorating your daughter’s room doesn’t have to be expensive! Garage sales, vintage shops and discount stores are excellent places to find decorations and furniture.

You can also find bargains by shopping creatively. For example, a table with a rolling cart underneath makes an excellent desk and will save you money. Old furniture can be painted and by getting creative you can achieve something unique and special. A slipcover will make an old, ugly couch new again.

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Your daughter is not like anyone else’s daughter, and her room should be a unique space that represents her unique personality.

This post was written by a guest contributor. About the Author:

Keeping quiet is quite difficult for Christobel as she has been in sales and marketing all her life. She recently became a grandmother and considers this a new and important phase in her life. She loves buying things for her grandchild and recently bought her a bunk bed with storage.