Is your baby growing up and ready for a big kid room and you find yourself needing decorating tips? If so, it’s time to transform that nursery into something that doesn’t scream “mommy changed my diapers here!” They key to upgrading your nursery to a big kid room without spending a fortune is to use items that can serve multiple purposes. For example, skip the toddler bed and go straight to a regular bed. If you’re worried about your tot rolling off, start by putting the mattress and box spring on the floor. Read on for other decorating tips to transform your nursery into a big kid room without spending a fortune!
Decorating tips to transform your nursery into a big kid room…without breaking the bank
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Start with the right bed frame
Remember above, I said you should skip the toddler bed and just throw the mattress on the floor? Well, if that isn’t for you, then consider a bed system that is low to the ground. I love the South Shore Furniture Summer Breeze bed from Home Depot because it’s not only low to the ground and inexpensive, but it also has storage drawers. This is a must if your big kid room is small on space.
Skip the character sets and stick with neutral bedding
Look, little Susie may be crazy for Disney Princesses today, but I guarantee the moment you go out and buy up all the bedding and accessories, she’ll move on to something else. The quickest way to spend a fortune on a big kid room is by decking it out with character bedding, curtains and so on. Instead, choose a base color that your own prince or princess loves, then add in smaller, less expensive elements to bring in those favorite characters.
Use pillows to bring in their favorite themes
So you have your base color bedding and you’re already saving money. Now, you need to introduce the “craze of the month” to appease your princess. This is where inexpensive pillows come into play! Grab some fun throw pillows or even pillow cases, and your little one won’t even notice that her sheets aren’t covered in animated Disney stars. Funny aside here, I don’t have a girl, which is why I’m planning the perfect big kid room for a princess here. I never got to do it!
Accessorize with Posters
This is probably my best of all the decorating tips, as it’s worked well for me over the years. When I transformed my son’s nursery into a big kid room, I did most of my decorating with posters. They’re incredibly cheap, so even if your child loves Spider-Man today and hates him tomorrow, you’re not out much more than the cost of a really amazing cup of coffee. My son has gone from Spider-Man to Spongebob to Minecraft, and I paid less than $100 for all the transitions combined. If the idea of slapping a plain poster on the wall is too cheesy for you, feel free to spend a little extra to frame it!
Invest in quality, versatile storage
In my opinion, the right storage not only helps transform your nursery into a big kid room, but also transforms that big kid room into a teenager’s room and beyond. This is where you want to invest some extra money. Now, while I love the look of the Pottery Barn Kids white storage unit with the chalkboard doors, I think that darker wood may be the way to go if you want it to last AND look good for years. A great desk set can also take your kids from crafting to studying.
These decorating tips will help you transform your nursery into a big kid room without breaking your bank. The key is to stay neutral with the bigger, more expensive items and bring in less expensive elements to give it a unique flare.
Do you have any great decorating tips to turn your nursery into a big kid room? Share in the comments!
By the addition of some throw pillows, different linen and the removal of babyish stickers can to the nursery into a big kids room
These are all really great ideas! I agree wholeheartedly with the tips about bedding, which can otherwise be a fortune to change with your kids’ tastes.
I love trundle beds. Your child can have a friend sleep over