Do it yourself kids theme bedrooms: paris furniture, crafts and decorating

When it comes time to redecorate your child's room, think about using a theme to turn decorating into a fun project. Paris is just one theme you could consider for a unique and classy look.

The easiest way to add a touch of Paris is through the walls. If you have an artistic touch, paint the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, or a street scene along one wall. If painting isn't for you, then look for large posters of similar subjects. These images are iconic enough that you can likely find them in most stores that specialize in posters. If you don't have a poster or art print store nearby, there are a number of online vendors. For more unique scenes, turn to a foreign language teaching supply catalog - there are all kinds of French posters available, along with other decorative accents that you may want to use. The age of the child will determine how involved they can get in this project. Young children can pick their favorite scenes from a book or posters from a catalog. If you have an artistic teenager, they just might paint the whole room themselves.

An easy Parisian touch for the room would be a small cafe area with a table and a few chairs. Metal patio furniture would be best for this look. Children of any age can make a vase and flowers to set on the cafe table.

A shorter, perhaps wider, Arc de Triomphe would make a great nightstand or vanity table. If you're handy with wood, you can build a custom design. You could also start with an existing table that fits the basic shape of the Arc, then add a papier mache shell or painted cardboard or thin wood can flesh out the details. A taller Arc de Triomphe made of poster board or wood panel could be tacked to the walls around the doorway so that everyone who enters the room will walk under it, setting the overall mood of the room.

Of course, the most ambitious project you could undertake would be a miniature Eiffel Tower. Wire would be the most authentic construction material, but wood will be easier to work with. It can be purely decorative, or you can place a board or two between the sides and create shelving for a few books, knick-knacks or stuffed animals. You can look to prom and party-supply companies for inspiration - there is at least one Paris theme in any catalog. If you're going for durability, their party props can just give you construction ideas, but if you just want a temporary accent, or your child isn't the destructive sort, it may be easier to just buy the pre-made package.

Or if a miniature Eiffel Tower just isn't your style, think about creating just the base of a larger one. You can follow the same basic construction as when creating a small Arc Triomphe.

If you're thinking even larger for your room furnishings, either the Arc de Triomphe or a cut-off Eiffel Tower base would make a great bunk or loft bed. You can start with an existing bunk bed as your base, or construct your own wooden frame, like the lofts that are used in college dorms, and attach the bed frame to your structure. Add Arc or Tower details from there. For all of the previously described projects that require construction, the age of the child will determine whether they can be involved in the process, although even young kids can help by handing you tools and nails.

Whether you use one idea from this list or several, you'll have a bedroom design that your child won't soon forget.