Like a conductor about to start a symphony, this little girl knows exactly what she expects from her stuffed animal menagerie. She also knows what she wants in a bedroom and her parents were able to meet her goals while managing to keep the space tidy and functional for her as she grows up.

To start, the wood floor matches the honey pine of the bed and bookshelf and desk unit. With those choices for flooring and furniture, her color and style preferences can change at a minimal cost for redecorating. Everything is light enough to be rearranged at a moment’s notice.

The windows also have wood blinds to match the flooring. At the moment, they’re not visible behind the flowered paper Japanese fans with flowers in her current favorite color: purple. Instead of the curtains that would get in the way of various favorite bears, her parents painted the window frame purple – adding an extra splash of the dark purple on the walls, creating a curtain effect.

The bedspread’s neutral charcoal can take lots of abuse and goes in the washer and dryer with no trouble. When she is ready for a change, paint and accessories can re-create the room to her liking.

If you want your children to make their own decisions for their rooms, build a good basic structure and then let them have their way. They will be happy with their choices, and when it’s time for a new look, the process will be easy and inexpensive.