Toddler Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Pretty, scalloped furniture pieces are the stock in trade of juvenile bedroom groups for girls.

But once you've found the necessary bed, dresser and desk, then what?

This beguiling room shows just how much further you can take a look with the right mix of paint and fabrics. The effect is captivating, thanks to a wonderful color palette and loving attention to dressmaker details.

A scheme of chartreuse, pink, and white creates a lighthearted ambience. Bigger furniture is off-white with pretty lines; small accessories of knotty pine are enhanced with custom-painted treatments.

What's really special is the sprightly mix of simple cotton fabrics and trim. Small-, medium-, and large-scale prints are used lavishly, but they're balanced for visual harmony and united by a shared color scheme.

The result? Springtime, year-round.

To go from springtime to medieval times, check out the castle decorating idea on the next page.

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If your youngster is blessed with a good-size bedroom and you've got a connection with some talented craftspeople, the sky's the limit when it comes to imaginative design.

This lucky youngster's room is a total fantasy environment. It's practical, too: Just about every medieval castle element leads a double life as a storage unit.

To create a similar effect, a go­od understanding of the historical architectural icons that say "castle" is useful. This is, after all, a little boy's room, where bold and simple shapes work best.

Start with a big, kid-friendly idea, plan it out in detail, and you'll have a room memories are made of.

If you're looking for a space designed specifically for girls, check out the Feminine Charms idea on the next page.

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Wallcoverings and fabrics make it easy to create a lighthearted, girlish look in any bedroom, as these pretty spaces show.

Whether you prefer a clean contemporary

palette or a softly antiqued one, pastel florals, stripes and plaids create simple charm.

To give a girlish scheme a little extra

substance, ground it with a piece of interesting furniture with good lines, some eye-catching details and perhaps an heirloom background.

In the rooms shown here, that job is done by

an elaborately scrolled daybed and a

weathered armoire with latticed doors.

Pieces like these have staying power that can last until your girl heads off to college and can be just as charming in a guest room later.

All children love the circus, which is

represented in the decorating idea found

on the next page.

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The circus has alwa­ys been a popular theme for a child's room, but this interpretation is more dramatic and sophisticated than most.

A masterful mural that ranges around the room is an extraordinary piece of art that doesn't rely on bright colors for its drama.

Befitting the rich, relatively quiet palette, the furniture is also something special. A fusion of Craftsman, Asian and modern styles, these pieces are strikingly handsome yet sturdy enough for active kids.

If you appreciate the timeless, resilient appeal of classic wood, metal and cloth toys, you'll find it satisfying to furnish your treasured little one's room with the same kind of heirloom quality.

Years from now, you'll still be glad you did. Your child and grandchild might be glad, too!

Another theme very common to children is the garden. Find out how to bring that concept to your toddler's room on the next page.

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Fresh-picked charm abounds in this lively room, thanks to a lime and aqua color scheme that can please your girl for a long time.

With the exception of a few floral graphic treatments, this is not a flowery space. Plaids and checks in frisky tints create a look that's feminine but cool and sporty at the same time.

The room takes a casual tongue-in-cheek approach to garden style, with amusing results. A few giant flowers on the walls and floor, larger-than-life dragonflies at the window, and window boxes filled with whimsical wooden blooms set the stage with charm.

A surprising mix of wicker and leather-upholstered furniture adds punch to this confident, cheerful space.

Active young girls might prefer the strong-but-feminine touches of the Girlhood Charms theme, found on the next page.

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A pastel palette of the lightest greens, pinks, yellows and blues -- all frosted in white -- gives these bedrooms a gentle feminine feeling.

A closer look, however, shows that these spaces have been planned with the needs of active young girls in mind. Furniture is scaled for little ones, beds are free of pointed posts or other dangerous elements, and there's plenty of storage for all her favorite things.

What's more, while the look is undeniably girlish and delicate, it's not overly fragile. Patchwork and checked fabrics, knotty pine that's been painted and distressed, and nostalgic accents all contribute to a sturdy country look.

You'll find cute pieces like these in ready-to-finish furniture stores and resale shops as well as kids' specialty retailers.

Every girl likes to feel like­ a princess. The next page shows you how to make her feel like one in her room.

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Pink ruffled curtains are a familiar sight in little girls' rooms, but that's just the beginning in this marvelous space.

On the walls, murals feature magical ponies and ballroom swags, and the ceiling's rosette is embellished with faux tassels.

Within the room, beautifully made wood furnishings blur the line between furniture and theater. Each piece is thoughtfully designed to evoke fairy tale ideas, but each is also crafted for simplicity and safety.

While white furniture is a popular choice for young girls' rooms, this room shows that's not always necessary to create a feminine feeling. Paired with pink, rosy red and gold, the warmth of natural wood has its own allure. In the right hands, it's downright magical.

Every princess needs ­a fairy tale. Find out how to build one into your toddler's room on the next page.

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An encha­nted forest figures importantly in many beloved fairy tales, so it's no wonder stepping into this room evokes a magical feeling.

A glorious mural, depicting castles, mountains, wildflower fields and garland-twined trees, runs ceiling to floor around the entire room.

Against this background, an armoire out of Beauty and the Beast, a Goldilocks bed and other charming elements make this space a dream come true for an imaginative youngster.

The room has been decorated to please a girl, but, with a change of bedding, window treatments and rugs, it would work just as well for a budding Robin Hood.

Well-constructed wood furniture is key: It's got the timeless charm you'd expect to find in a storybook cottage, but it's sturdy enough for real life today.

Of course, a young boy also might prefer a classic racetrack theme. Find out how to execute this concept on the next page.

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Lots of little guys are crazy for vehicles -- especially race cars. If you've got car-loving kids at home, why not indulge them?

This room's winning formula starts with primary colors plus black and white -- all eye-catching colors with proven kid appeal. Then, it features an array of race car motifs to spark added excitement.

Each area of the room carries the theme to triumph. For example, a ho-hum view didn't stop the action: An over-the-top valance uses bright high-contrast colors and dashing shapes to give kids plenty to look at.

An ordinary wall is transformed into fun topography that adds visual interest but actually works as a miniature "roadway." A few big gestures like these makes a dramatic difference in how a room looks.

Toddlers have vivid imaginations. Using the ideas in this article, you'll be able to transport your young boy or girl to a magical play place every time they enter their room.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mary Wynn Ryan is the author of numerous interior design books including The Ultimate Kitchen, The Ultimate Bath, Cottage Style, Fresh Country Style, and Garden Style. She has written about home furnishings and interior design for various magazines and served as Midwest editor of Design Times magazine.

Heidi Tyline King is an accomplished writer and editor. She has written extensively about America's arts, culture, history, nature-based attractions, and decorating projects, including All About Paint and Wallpaper, Beautiful Wedding Crafts, Pelican Guide to the Florida Panhandle, The Unofficial Guide to the Southeast with Kids, and others.