If there’s one area of the house where you can really relax and have fun, it’s in decorating children’s rooms.

In the early years, these are also rooms where you may spend a lot of time yourself, so work to make them comfortable for you, too. (A rocking chair is one suggestion.)

Here are some ideas to help you design successfully for the baby to grade school crowd.

The first commandment for interior design for kids is…think ahead! In no time at all, your cute baby will be a toddler, and not so long after that a rambunctious grade-schooler, with wants, needs, wishes and desires of his or her own! If your nursery is a long-term kid’s room, get the structural basics right—closets, electrics, lighting—with an eye to future needs. Storage requirements seem to grow as fast as kids, so plan ahead. Think before creating an oh-so-cute baby look, because in a few years it may be way too ”cutesy” for your growing child. Design for fun and practicality. Keep decoration simple and easy to look after. Kids can be hard on rooms. Use paint sheens that are washable and durable, and remember it’s easier to repaint than re-wallpaper, no matter how cute that pattern may look. Including a scribble-on blackboard may help spare the paintwork!

Well-Known Characters are always a popular way to go. When you pick the character, like Winnie the Pooh, you have the colors and accents at your fingertips in the Disney Color by BEHR Collection. Plus, hundreds of other accessories can be found very easily.

The Winnie the Pooh Nursery
shown here is a childhood classic,
with a painted wall border to add just a touch of whimsy.

Rooms for older children should reflect their interests—after all, they’re the ones who live in them. Have the kids pick a theme—the beach, flowers, dinosaurs, sports—and work on it together. Allow older children to have a say in choosing the paint color—the finished result may be treated with a little more care and consideration. Just accept that children almost always prefer bright colors, and may pick combinations that you wouldn’t! If children need to share a room, neutral walls will give both a chance to enjoy their own decorations. Color and visual interest are usually added by the children themselves—in abundance. A Classic Nautical Look is good for both boys and girls, and is easy on adult eyes. Think of blues, greens and aquas, with soft sky above and deeper ocean blues below, divided by white wainscoting. Use red and white accents to add a little punch and contribute to the nautical feel. A Western Look can also have staying power, and has the advantage that almost any color works, allowing you to choose a palette that matches with the rest of your décor. White furniture goes well with both of these themes, and painting larger pieces white will help to reduce their apparent size. Whatever look you decide on, try to aim for something that will grow with your child. That way, you’ll have a constantly interesting room, without spending a fortune!