The positive impact of involving kids in decor decisions

Decorating your kid’s room isn’t just about how the finished space looks. It’s about the experience you and your child undergo throughout the process. Here’s what happened when we gave a little girl free rein to design her own bedroom…

Frankie told us what she really wanted her bedroom to look like (without meddling Mum and Dad) and our designer set about bringing Frankie’s underwater vision to life. From pink parlour to deep sea blue, her space was transformed into a place she could truly call her own. After all, whose room is it anyway? Dive into Frankie’s underwater world and be inspired to take the plunge with your own decorating adventures.

Expert tips:

Our designer used a faceted shape pattern to give the walls a moving water-like look, but you don’t have to use such a complex design if you want to create an under the sea theme for your little deep sea diver. Here are some ideas to help you make a splash:

Pick a few blue shades and have a go at creating an ombre effect, where the colours gently fade into one another. See our how-to video for a step-by-step guide.
Feeling creative? Get the coloured chalk out and draw a free-hand wave motif on your wall, filling the area below the wave with a darker shade of blue than the area above it.
Use a similar technique to our jungle themed room and build up layers of different shades of blue using the torn edges of paper to create watery depths. Go to the jungle page to find out more.
And remember, you don’t have to do this effect on every wall – you can make a feature out of one wall and paint the others in coordinating blues.