In a child's bathroom, Mickey and Minnie Mouse can dance around the sink. Fish can swim along a tile border in a shower stall or lady bugs can dot the floor.

 

In other words, anything goes. You name it and it's out there for children's bathrooms.

 

Where to Start?

When decorating a child's bathroom, many renovators pick 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.

 

The first selection to consider is tile. By using bold colors or tiles with unique designs, one can create a focal point near a sink, a window or a bathtub or shower.

 

A wall of white tile with two rows of decorative tile running along the middle of the wall, for example, can draw attention to the vanity. That same decorative tile also can be used in the shower stall to blend the two areas together. Towels and soaps in the same color can help complete the theme.

 

Some renovators put standard white tile on the wall of a child’s bathroom, then added a chair rail with brightly colored fish. It adds a little bit of color, but has a high impact. Ceramic tile also makes the wall easy to clean.

 

Also popular with kids are:

 

·         Bugs and animal designs

·         Disney characters

·         Dogs and cats

 

While it may be fun to decorate a child's bathroom, there also are practical considerations. If the bathroom will be used by more than one child, the design should not be too individualized. Try to select 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

·         Think about the resale value of your home. How will future home buyers react to seeing neon colors all over the bathroom walls?

 

Should You Go Custom?

A custom made vanity to fit the height of a child also may not be practical. A remodeler could change the vanity by adding a stool that fits inside the vanity door, however. A child would open the cabinet door and pull out the stool. This feature would cost between $200 and $500.

 

Also consider that the child will grow up, leaving future house guests to laugh at the Winnie the Pooh theme in the shower. If you are considering a very specialized theme, consider using paint, towels and portable accessories. It is much easier to paint over red, white and blue sponge painting, for example, than to replace a shower wall filled with decorative tile.

 

Faucets also can be replaced later, although they typically are more expensive than paint. A Mickey Mouse faucet can be used as the one specialized fixture to compliment a red tile border in a bathroom. The faucet can always be switched out as the child gets older.

 

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 sells Mickey Mouse faucets for $265 to $600, for example.

 

There are ways to decorate on a budget, however.

 

Colorful tiles and shower niches are all fairly inexpensive items to buy. Decorative wall tile cost about $5 to $25 per square foot.

 

Also consider adding decorative niches into the wall of a shower or bathtub. These spaces can hold soaps and bathing toys for children. When the children are older, they can use the space for shampoo. A shower niche may cost a couple hundred dollars, depending on the size.

 

Look Around the House

There also are household items that can be used to create a theme. An old fishing rod can be used to hold the shower curtain.  Scout out garage sales for old fishing lures to complete the theme.