A child's room is much more than a room - it's a castle, a sailing ship, a rocket, an oasis of imagination, and a refuge. As children get older, it also may need to become a library, a laboratory, or a locker room. Keep flexibility in mind when decorating, and the room can grow along with your child. Decorating a child's room doesn't need to be an expensive homage to this season's hottest cartoon. Instead, with a little imagination, some neutral colours, you can create a room with a view into your child's future. It just takes a little paint, maybe some wallpaper, some furniture that serves more than one need, and most important, input from the kid who inspires it all.

What does the room have and what does it need? 

Layout. In general, there should be plenty of space for playing and a cozy area for reading or being quiet. This cozy space is especially important if you want your child to treat his or her room as a safe and familiar haven, which psychologists say is important for developing a sense of well-being. 

Furniture: Does the furniture fit in the room? Can it be rearranged? Choose furniture that will grow with your kids by using attachable additions or sturdy stackable legs that can gradually increase the height of tables or desks. 

If the room is small and the furniture seems crammed together, consider multiuse items, like a folding table that can serve as a desk but be put up after playtime or homework, or a bunk or loft bed that can serve as bedding on one level and play or quiet space on the other. 

Stackable and multiuse furniture can be found in children's furniture stores and on the Internet. If you have questions about safety, personally test the furniture for stability and look for rounded, not sharp, edges and corners. 

Floor covering: Does the floor need a new covering? Consider something sturdy. Choose a darker shade that doesn't show dirt easily, and stick to neutral colours so the room's decor can grow up without a change in flooring. 

You can also try other durable floor coverings - such as the new, realistic-looking faux hardwood or cork-like coverings and use washable throw rugs as part of the decoration. 

Window coverings: While window coverings provide an excellent opportunity for decoration they also serve important purposes like added insulation against cold or sound. For toddlers taking naps, they can block out light and make the room a quieter, less-stimulating environment. Take your child's needs into account when considering window coverings and ask for help meeting those needs at the drapery store or Internet site where you decide to shop. 

Storage: To keep toys within reach but out of the way, consider storage bins that fit under the bed or stack in the closet. If they're clear plastic, it will be easy to identify what's in them; otherwise, you may want to label them.

In the closet, you can stack hanging racks, because children's clothes usually don't need much hanging length. Store off-season clothes on the top rack, and in-season clothes on the lower rack, where they're easily accessible for your child. Install hooks along the walls or behind doors for frequently used clothing. Make sure the hooks are at a height your child can reach. 

Consider themes

Some kids or parents want rooms decorated along certain themes, such as fairy tales, a popular children's book, or the latest animated movie. Certainly these rooms allow for plenty of imagination, but they're also quickly outgrown. If your child wants a particular theme, make a modest investment in things like posters, curtains, or bedding, but keep walls and carpet neutral to accommodate the next big thing just as well. 

Also remember that this is your child's room. You may still be harboring dreams about the room you always wanted as a kid, but don't let these visions take precedence over what your child wants. Don't worry, though, there are still plenty of opportunities for your imagination to soar: 

Windows:  Windows can be developed in a variety of decorating schemes. They can represent the window on a magic coach or inside a castle (just paint a mural around the window, or be dressed up in fabric that matches the bedspread. Don't forget you can use blinds to block light or sounds and employ a valance to carry on the theme.

Beds: Beds can take on all kinds of personalities; they can be fire engines, buses (bunk beds can be double-decker buses), or spaceships. While special head - and footboards can be purchased, all it takes is a little paint and imagination to transform a plain headboard into a spaceship's control panel, or a footboard into the window of a submarine.

(to be continued)