French Country Decor for Kids Rooms

Colors

• French country decor for kids' bedrooms starts with a light base color for the room. Paint the room white or off-white to make the room seem spacious and airy. All white walls are perhaps the best choice for this decor style. Furniture is also often painted white or left with an original wood or metal finish.

  Color can be introduced to the room with various accessories. Stick with colors like pink, blue, green and yellow for the rest of the room. For the greatest effect, choose only one accent color to go with the white background of the walls. Different shades of the same color can be used, but choosing a single color keeps the room from seeming too busy.

Fabric

• French country decor should include light and airy fabrics, such as linen or cotton. Use these types of fabrics for everything from curtains to bed linens. Toile is a type of printed fabric particularly indicative of French country decor. This style consists of images printed on a white or cream-colored fabric; common images include pastoral, hunting, and chinoiserie and other scenes of life in the 18th and 19th centuries. The pictures are printed in a single color, usually red, blue or brown. Gingham prints also work well with this decor style and may be especially suited for children's bedrooms. Simple striped ticking fabric is also indicative of this style and is ideal for budget designers.

Furniture

• French country furniture should be ornate, perhaps with carved details or filigree paint detailing. The bed is among the most important piece of furniture in the room. Typically, the bed would have a decorated headboard and foot board, but children's rooms could have a daybed instead. Provide an armoire for storing everything from clothes to sports gear. A simple end table and a reading chair complete the room. Furniture should be white or natural wood color to allow the fabrics to stand out.

  A simple way to tie the furniture in with the fabrics and patterns in the room is to make throw pillows or reupholster the reading chair in matching fabric. Look for furniture pieces at estate sales that can be refinished for the room -- but be careful of painted items that could have lead-based paint covering them and may be a hazard.

Accessories

• Accessories should be somewhat ornamental, but with a simple twist. For example, an elaborate antique chandelier can be hung from the ceiling, but painted white so that it doesn't stand out too much. Over-sized mirrors with carved frames are right at home in the French country kid's bedroom. Painted gold frames coordinate well, but an antiquing faux finish can help give them a rustic charm. Dress up an old lamp with antique lace or beading around the lampshade. Decorate a table or dresser with candles in metal candle holders and a simple vase filled with flowers to match the colors of the room.