In a child's bathroom, Mickey and Minnie Mouse can dance around the sink. Fish can swim in a shower stall or lady bugs can dot the floor. In other words, anything goes.

 

Where to Start?

When decorating a child's bathroom, start by picking a theme that reflects a child's age or interests. A recent movie or a child's favorite color might provide the inspiration, for example.

 

Where to Get Ideas

There are lots of themes sets of bedding, towels and accessories at:

·           Bed and bath shops

·           Toy stores

 

Or, if you're handy, try fabric stores for patterns and ideas.  

 

Bathroom Components

The first selection to consider is tile. Use two but not more than three colors, creating patterns along the floor, wall above the tub or near the countertop.

 

Here’s how to blend tile:

·           Plan to add a wall of the main colored tile

·           Insert two rows of decorative tile -- pink to go with white or blue to go with yellow -- in the middle of the wall

·           Continue the decorative tile into part of the shower stall, make a rectangle on the floor or turn tiles on their sides behind the sink

·           Add towels and soaps to coordinate

 

Also popular with kids are:

 

·           Bugs and animal designs

·           Disney characters

·           Dogs and cats

 

Don't Go Too Wild!

If the bathroom will be used by more than one child, the design should not be too individualized. Look for a design that will satisfy all the children or will please them as long as possible. Animal themes tend to have a longer shelf life than the latest trend in adventure heroes.

 

Other tips:

 

·           If a boy and girl will be sharing the bathroom, look for designs that use primary colors and not the traditional blue or pink

·           Use decorative wallpaper

·           Paint in a bold color -- it's easy to change later

·           Add family pictures and a basket filled with nursery rhyme books

·           Consider the resale value of your home and avoid customizing in places that are difficult to remove. A whole wall of Winnie the Pooh tile in the shower might be a turn off in a few years?

 

Cost

The cost to decorate a child's bathroom can vary dramatically. A renovator could spend several thousand dollars buying the latest Mickey Mouse sink, faucet and tile, along with accessories to match. Kohler Co. sells Mickey Mouse faucets for $265 to $600, for example.