Theme Beds for Children

The Fortress

• A bed with a headboard and footboard can represent fortress walls with painted stone blocks. A coat of arms representing the child's name, values, achievements or family can adorn the bed or the wall behind the bed.

Pets

• Fabric paint or fabric pieces can depict a child's pets, living or plush, on a quilt. Some free space should be left to add future pet portraits. If the bed has legs, each leg could look like an animal's legs.

Neighborhood at Home

• A child's favorite community landmarks can be part of her bedroom decor. The headboard and footboard can be the canvas to show the local school, church, swimming pool or other special place.

Captain's Ship

• A storage bed with drawers underneath can become a galleon, pirate ship or other seaworthy vessel. For a bunk bed, the ladder can lead to the "crow's nest," while the child's or family's name graces the "hull." An anchor can be painted on the furniture wood or form part of a quilt design.

Computer

• The bed's footboard can depict a computer with the headboard as the monitor. The child's email address or favorite website can decorate the headboard or show on the browser. A keyboard illustrated with fabric paint, fabric pieces or letter appliques can top a quilt.

Favorite Plants

• A child who loves gardening or walks in the forest can select a favorite flower or leaf motif that can be stenciled on the bed panels and sewn as cut-out fabric shapes on a quilt to continue the theme. If nature inspires your child, ask for special words or phrases that can decorate the furniture or blanket as colorful text, for example, "evergreen," "Touch the wind," "I love sunshine."