Posted on 08/24/2016
Colors and patterns are so much fun! Deciding on a pattern for your child’s room can be a little intimidating, at first. But it can also be a lot of fun! The first thing you need to keep in mind is that you have unlimited possibilities. If that feels overwhelming, don’t worry: We're here to help.
Start with an inspiration piece, but don’t feel like you need to find coordinating accessories to go with it. For one thing, a bit of a hodgepodge is okay in today’s world. But for another thing, you can easily create some complementary pieces from things you already have without having to find the perfect set — or buy a whole kit and caboodle! So let’s start with possible inspiration and go from there.
Finding Inspiration
Maybe you already have something in mind, but in case you don’t, here are some places you might find inspiration. You could just walk through a home goods store and see what strikes you as a nice possibility. Don’t feel limited, though: If you see thick bold stripes but they aren’t the right color, that’s okay. See the right color in a floral pattern that’s just a bit too feminine for your little guy? No worries. Snap a pic with your phone and jot a note to yourself about it so you remember what you liked. You can then create a digital or hard-copy collage of your findings and then take it along when you’re looking for bedding, paint, wallpaper, or fabric that meshes with your idea.
Planning for Balance
Whether you start with a fun new bedding set, your child’s new bedroom furniture collection, or a favorite piece of artwork, you’ll want to make sure you space out incidences of the pattern throughout the room, trying not to concentrate too much of it in one area or leaving out any area from incorporating it in some way. If you choose a particularly large, bold, or intricate pattern, you may want to limit its appearance and simply hint at it with pops of the same colors throughout the room. The subtler the pattern and color combination, the more you can incorporate the pattern throughout the room without overpowering it.
Creating Coordinating Accessories
If you can’t find the perfect bedding to go with your inspiration piece, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to create the look you want on walls or on accent pieces. If you choose to go the accessory route and can’t find a set that suits you (or don’t want to spend the money on such items), you can upcycle plain pieces to coordinate with your new thematic pattern. Here are just a few ideas of what you can do:
Cover a lamp shade with wallpaper.
Paint an upholstered chair or sofa.
For more ideas on how to select the perfect pattern, check out this next post.