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Fun, Kid-Friendly Decorating Ideas Adults Will Love, Too

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

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Help keep your home clean and, more importantly, fun with these decorating ideas kids and adults can both appreciate.

From fun colors and low-maintenance linens to crafty lighting ideas and clever ways to conceal toys, this house is full of stylish ways to keep things kid-friendly.

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A House Full of Fun Surprises

From fun colors to crafty lighting to clever toy storage, this house is full of stylish ways to keep things kid-friendly.

Create a special spot for little ones to sleep with a headboard cutout nook. This was made by framing in a full size bed with basic lumber, then creating a whimsical wall with tongue and groove bead board, caulk and glossy white paint. For an extra element of fun, wooden birdhouses were updated with decorative paper and outfitted with simple lighting kits for use as sleepy time sconces.

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Cozy Bed Nook

Create a special spot for little ones to sleep with a cut-out bed nook. In short, frame a full-size bed with basic lumber, then create a whimsical wall with tongue-and-groove beadboard, caulk and glossy white paint. For an extra element of fun, wooden birdhouses were updated with decorative paper and outfitted with simple lighting kits for use as bedtime sconces.

HIDDEN OR BUILT-IN STORAGE
Keep all the messy things hidden from sight with concealed or built-in storage solutions. In this sleeping space, a secret storage compartment sits just inches from the bed pillows thanks to a simple piano hinge which allows phone cords to charge without outlets or plugs anywhere in sight.

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Sneaky Storage

Keep messy things hidden from sight with concealed or built-in storage solutions. In this sleeping space, a secret storage compartment sits just inches from the bed, thanks to a simple piano hinge which allows phone cords to charge without any visible outlets or plugs.

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Prints Hide Stains

Stuck on what style of rug to choose for your kid-inclusive space? Well, it's smart to consider rugs with busy patterns or prints which not only infuse the space with personality, but the pattern will also help hide stains.

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Frame Kid Art in a Grown-Up Way

If your house is packed with kids under the age of 10, it's very likely you have more school artwork that you know what to do with. Hold on to your favorite pieces and have them enlarged and printed, then frame them for a more polished look.

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See-Through Storage

Embrace your kids' most-played-with toys by keeping things like building blocks or colorful figures displayed in clear, acrylic jars. This will allow the toys to double as kid-friendly decor when not in use.

INITIAL HOOKS
Help teach kids organization skills and a sense of place by installing letter hooks in each child's initials. This will let everyone know exactly where their backpacks and jackets belong, making it much easier to get ready and out the door for school on time.

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Easy Initial Hooks

Help teach kids organization skills by installing letter hooks in each child's initials. This will let everyone know exactly where their backpacks and jackets belong, making it much easier to get ready and out the door on time.

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Kid-Made Decor

Kids' craft projects can be chic and carefree if you supply them with the right materials. Here, the mantel stays festive, thanks to a colorful DIY garland made from felt, batting and nylon string.

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Don't Take Decor Too Seriously

When your house is full of kids and pets, there's no need to take decorating too seriously. Find things around the house that have personality and use them as art. Here, a sombrero picked up from a trip abroad is hung on the wall in the mudroom as a colorful focal point.

PUNCHY COLORS
Add a kid-friendly pop to your family bathroom with a graphic shower curtain featuring bold colors and fun sayings. Even though this bathroom is beige and minimal, the simple addition of the shower curtain adds an element of whimsy kids can enjoy at bath time.

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Punchy Hues

Add a kid-friendly pop to your family bathroom with a graphic shower curtain featuring bold colors and fun sayings. Even though this bathroom is minimalist, the simple addition of the shower curtain adds an element of whimsy kids can enjoy at bathtime.

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Hide the TV

While family rooms are usually the best gathering spots in the house, there's no reason a large, black hole from a flat-screen TV needs to be the focal point. Keep your TV easily accessible during prime viewing time, then keep it hidden by adding shutters on a sliding barn door track.