Ideas for Decorating Furniture for a Children's School Auction

School Themes

• Paint school designs when decorating furniture for a children's school auction. ABCs, 123s, apples, owls with graduation caps and other learning symbols will appeal to kids, parents, teachers and other staff alike. Use simple lines and primary colors to mimic classic drawings of children. Tack on decorative charms and studs in these same shapes for added color and sparkle. Change out any knobs on drawers or doors to match. Create a whole line, such as chairs that read "A Is for Apple", B Is for Ball" and "C Is for Cat," and sell them as sets or separately.

Boy and Girl Themes

• Boy and girl ideas for decorating furniture for a children's school auction are limitless. Examples for boy decorations include a blue dresser with sports-themed knobs, an astronaut chair with star and moon charms attached to the back or a cowboy table with decorative rope wrapped around the legs and spurs used as decorative studs. Examples for girl decorations include a pink dresser with butterfly knobs, a princess chair with crowns painted on the back for a throne or a ballerina table with gems along the edge and slippers gracing the top. Tailor the decorations to the interior design themes that are found in many boy and girl bedrooms.

Adult Furniture

• Just because the event is to raise money for kids, that doesn't mean you can't incorporate adult ideas for decorating furniture. Shabby-chic pieces can be done with crackle paint or a few layers of different pastel colors. You can incorporate modern style by painting the pieces a solid color, such as a deep chocolate brown or a lacquer black, and adding contemporary silver hardware. Theme pieces can be done for adults as well; just tailor them to specific interior design styles. Hand-painted floral designs fit right in with country or traditional rooms, while simple stencils of lotus flowers or elaborate murals can add visual interest to modern or contemporary settings. Incorporate a few different ideas for decorating furniture for a children's school auction to appeal to every buyer's sense of style.