What young girl does not want to have a pretty, dreamy room filled with butterflies? It is simple to create one for her, using your imagination and a few simple crafts. The furniture, bedding, and other decorations can be easily coordinated to make your child’s room attractive and the room of her dreams.
It is very important to get your child’s input about the room redecoration. She should feel like her ideas are part of the room, and depending on how old she is, allow her to help with the painting, sewing or other crafts as well as choosing accessories.
Color is very important to little girls. Talk with her about what color the butterflies in her imagination are. Some girls will go with pastels, choosing pink and lavender for their walls and fabrics. Others will see their butterflies in bright shades of yellow, red and blue. The possibilities for her wall colors are endless. Pastels will make the room seem soft and dreamy. Another choice is to paint the walls a pretty blue that matches the sky or still another choice is to pain the walls white and stencil colorful butterflies flitting about the room. Stencils are easy to use. Or, you can go with a border that features butterflies in the colors of her choice. Perhaps you want to wallpaper the entire room or even one wall with an attractive butterfly print. Wallpaper is usually easier to do with two people, so enlist some help if that is your choice.
The color of the carpet can add to the room’s charm and theme, as well. Choose a green the color of grass or a rosy pink that complements the walls. If you would prefer something more neutral, a soft gray or nice taupe will not detract from the room’s overall theme. Keep in mind that little girls tend to be less hard on things like carpet, so you don’t have to shy away from lighter colors.
Choosing furniture is a matter of taste and price range. Classic white furniture always looks good in a girl’s room, and it will match with any room redecorations that are done in the future. For the girl who prefers pastels, maple furniture with a whitewash finish will add to the softness of the room. Try to pick dainty pieces that underscore the fragility and beauty of butterflies. Don’t go for the heavy, dark cherry stain on her furniture. A canopy bed is the heart’s desire for many girls, and there are white metal beds that have a butterfly shape in the head and footboards. Replace the handles and knobs of her furniture with butterfly shaped ones, or dainty porcelain or brass knobs and pulls. These can be found at any larger home center store.
A bed in a bag set that coordinates the sheets, comforter, canopy cover and curtains will really pull the room together. If you can’t find a set in the colors you have chosen, consider making them yourself. A good fabric store will have patterns and all the necessary fabric and notions you will need. If you have questions, the salespeople in fabric stores are usually quite knowledgeable about sewing. It is easier than you think to sew, and if you’ve never done it before, give it a try. You might be surprised at the results! Other window treatment choices can include a puffy valance with sheer white curtains to flutter in the breeze. Choose a matching gingham valance and a plain colored comforter and you can accent with butterfly accessories instead of having butterflies on the bedding and curtains.
To continue the butterfly theme, purchase a wastebasket shaped like a tulip or decorated with butterflies. On the frame around her mirror, glue small, nylon butterflies in various colors around the edge. These can be found at any craft store. A plain lampshade can be turned into a very attractive one by covering the lampshade with matching fabric and gluing decorative strand of beads from the fabric store to the inside edge of the lampshade. Scatter butterfly shaped pillows over the bed and find a large butterfly shaped rug for the center of her floor. Cut a simple butterfly shape out of wood and paint it in the colors she has chosen and attach it with glue to bookends for holding her books on a shelf or desktop. A corkboard frame can be covered with foam butterflies that can also be found at craft stores. A set of plain, stacking bandboxes in graduated sized can be painted and appliquéd with butterflies to hold toys or other items out of view.
By simply working around a central theme and color scheme, a decorative and functional room can be created for your child to dream, play and grow in.
