Making over a girl's bedroom is an exciting time for the lucky little girl. The joy you'll get from the sparkle of delight in her eyes is worth all the effort. But before you get heady over the girl giddiness to come, consider some of the practical considerations of a girl's bedroom redo.
Redo for the Ages
Whatever age the girl, aim for bedroom decor that will be appropriate for at least the next five years. Girls mature so quickly and fads come and go. Today's popular characters like "Little Mermaid" and "Dora the Explorer"--perfect for a 5-year-old-- are childish remnants of a bygone age and stage for an experienced girl in the know at 10 years old.
Don't deprive your 5-year-old of a Dora bedroom design, just be sure to use Dora design items as accents that can be easily changed out once your little girl moves on from Dora to Bratz. Character bedding can be easily and quickly changed, but removing a wall-sized character mural painted on a wall is another matter altogether.
When considering a girl's bedroom makeover, rely on classic design elements that can stand the test of time. When selecting paint color or wall paper, use a critical design eye to imagine how that paper or color will work in five years when the girl's taste will have no doubt changed and matured.
Build Ego as Much as Design
Girls ages 4 through 8 are madly in love with popular TV, cartoon and movie characters. The popularity of these Hollywood characters may have more longevity than your daughter's fascination for them. Instead of lauding these trendy characters for a little girl's bedroom redo, make your little one the star of the show by imposing her face and image onto popular cartoon motifs.
Use photo imaging software to impose the girl's face onto the bodies and into scenes from "The Little Mermaid," Cinderella or whoever is tops in her world. Find suitable images and situations in children's magazines, DVD boxes, and even toy packaging. This is a good way to use those school pictures you've purchased and didn't distribute.
Create your photo scenario on paper and then enlarge and frame these "character" photos and hang in her bedroom. You can have her character image put on blankets, drinking cups, mouse pads, even postage stamps. In the process, you'll build ego and elevate sense of self by showing her she's a star in her own eyes and in yours.
The great thing about this idea is that it's timeless. Put your tween girl in the midst of Miley Cyrus' gang or as Brittany's stand-in on a concert stage. Even a teenage girl will get a kick out of being shown as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls or in "High School Musical".
Tags: girl bedroom, little girl, bedroom redo, five years, girl bedroom redo