As a parent, you have free reign to design your child’s nursery by yourself. But it doesn’t take long for most kids to develop very strong opinions about how their bedroom is decorated – especially when it comes to picking colors. Of course, you want to make your child feel comfortable in their own space. But when your child demands that everything be their favorite color, it can feel like a big investment in a short phase. This is doubly true for bold, bright colors that you may fear won’t age well… like pink. But there’s less reason to worry than you think. With some care, a child’s pink bedroom can grow up with them, without wearing out its welcome.
Forget About “Too Girly”
When I was growing up, there was a lot of “pink hate” – especially among girls who felt that pink was “too girlie,” and outgrew their once-beloved pastel pink bedrooms before middle school. But thinking of pink as frilly and feminine is as much a trend as any color fad; it hasn’t been around as long as you might think, and seems to be on its way out. Neither pink nor blue was dictated for a specific gender until the first World War. Even then, it was opposite the way it is today: pink wasn’t associated with women until the 1940s. Now, with the advent of “rose gold” phones and accessories and more inclusive color palettes for items marketed toward children, pink may be coming back around as a gender neutral color and is more likely to stand the test of time for all children.
Shop Pink Ottomans:
You Don’t Need To “Grow Out Of It”
One of the big fears with pink bedrooms is that your kid will grow out of them faster than most other colors. After all, in addition to being “feminine,” pink is also often infantized; pink bedrooms are often reserved for kids in the window between newborn baby and doll tea parties. But a lot of the “pink hate” came from girls being told to “grow out of it” and abandon their pink “phase” in favor of more adult palettes. Now, pink and rose tones have become a staple of design throughout the home, especially used alongside warm neutral colors. Without the stigma of only being used in a baby girl’s nursery? A pink palette has a lot more potential to age well in your child’s room, especially when used well.
Let Your Kid Pick A Color (But Keep The Swatch)
So how do you use pink well? Start with color swatching. The shade of pink you choose is key to building a pink bedroom that will last. Bolder, darker shades like hot pink and magenta are typically aimed at teens; young children are encouraged to have soft pastels and bubblegum pink toys. But what’s more important is how your kid feels about the color; the one they’ll like the longest is the one they choose themselves. That doesn’t mean you have to pick one shade of pink and stick with it forever. Variety is the spice of life! Layering adjacent shades can help keep any bold, kid-picked color from feeling eye-melting to adults. Bonus: introducing other tints, tones, and shades will also make it easier to “grow up” the room. You’ll be able to swap items in and out without having to find exact linen or paint matches.
Shop Pink Chairs:
The Best Decor Is Easy To Update
Of course, you’re running some risks when designing a pink bedroom, as you would with any solo color scheme. Even if you cater to your child’s whim, there’s always a possibility that they’ll flip their preferences. Being proactive in the design phase can mitigate the damage before it happens. Using many shades of pink is a good start, but there are two other precautions you can take. First, supplement with other colors where you can. Multi-colored linens, artwork, or decor items that mix pink with other colors can help balance out the space, and tip the scale a little so you can repaint rather than redecorating. Second, be smart about what pieces you choose in the pinkest-pink. Sheets, curtains, and chair covers are easier (and cheaper) to replace than pink furniture, but have a big impact on your color scheme.
Shop Pink Area Rugs:
Look For Big Pieces With Style Or Adaptability
And if your kid really wants big-ticket items in their favorite color, too? Again, shopping smart is your friend. Bold, stylish pieces will last longer than generic ones with a pink finish. And any piece you can re-paint yourself is an easy win. Not only will your kid get what they want (win!), and will you be able to change it if they fall out of love with the color (win!), you’ll also be able to spend a weekend with your kid re-painting or touching up old bedroom pieces together and making it whatever color they want next (triple win!!!). Planning ahead for small change makes it less likely that you’ll need to make a big change too soon.
So don’t be afraid to embrace rose gold, salmon, bubblegum, magenta, or any other shade of pink when decorating your child’s bedroom. No matter what your kid likes, there will be a way to work it into a bedroom theme both of you can be proud of!
Shop Pink Beds:
