Thing is, you're a kid only once in your life and it doesn't matter if you're the first or the one millionth to love wild horses or pink princesses or friendly robots. People outside the business are usually exposed to children's stuff twice, maybe three times in their lives: as kids, as parents and as grandparents, and whole decades happen in between, so everything looks fresh. Maybe if there is a sibling born when the others are teenagers may make you update on that front before you become a parent yourself, but that's not necessary true.

Besides not everyone has enough money or energy to decorate a child's room with all the products for children reviewed on AT. A lot of kids grow up living in neutral rooms and neutral bedding, getting glimpses of the paraphernalia only in clothing and toys.

Your post raises a point, wondering if consume reflects demand, but sounds a little detached to me. Who cares if sheep and bears were already in rotation 3 decades ago? What seems to matter is that the product is useful and attractive, and it's more the style than the subject what makes is modern or dated.

I know I'm not nice in pointing this out, but the word prophecy in the title is mispelt. It is written with "S" when it's a verb, but the noun goes with "C".

I completely agree, especially when it comes to decorating nurseries. When my daughter gets older, if she wants butterflies and princesses, so be it. But I'M the one who has to look at the nursery, and I just couldn't stomach the pastels (which apparently are the only appropriate colors for baby girls.) I made my own curtains, bed skirts, and even the rug out of crocheted t-shirt strips. And, except for the crib, all of the furniture was from "grown-up" sections of stores. Instead of a themey babyish room, she's got a room she can really grow into.

@karae24 - your daughter's room sounds charming! would love to see your DIYed t-shirt strip textiles...

@julia2711-
I think I love you.

This is much the same issue for children's clothing as well. I have 2 daughters and there is so much butterfly, Disney princess, unicorn, etc. crap out there. So I sometimes end up shpping in the boys section, picking up AC/DC hoodies and the like to keep their wardrobes interesting.
As far as their rooms, I have tried really hard to make their rooms fun without bringing in cartoon characters or cliche decor. For my 6 year old, she I sewed rows and rows of fun ribbon and ric rac trim onto plain white curtains and bed skirt. I bought a rug with coordinating colors from PB Teen and her bedding is solid colors. The idea that this room could carry her from toddler to teen years.

The pictures of the room are too much attractive. The child would learn a lot with his toys, books etc. I liked it because its just like a dream room.

I am currently decorating the nursery for my expectant boy/girl twins and have had the biggest problems finding stuff I like. Most bedding was boring baby and too pastel for my tastes so I have gone with a simple design for their bedding that is stripes and diamonds.

I have had the added problem of finding designs that were unique to the gender while still matching the other gender's set but my mom happened to find these and they coordinate well. The girl's bedding is varying shades of purple with a green accent and the boy's is varying shades of blue with the same green accent which has made my decorating much easier. Its still not exactly what I wanted but after pricing fabrics to make their bedding myself it was just out of my price range (considering I have to buy for two not just one) and I wound up with these for only $30 each.

All the other decor though is being made by me or my husband however the mobiles I am making are still butterfly and outer space themed. But their dresser/changing table is the matching piece for our bedroom suite so that if they dont like it when the are older it can go to our room.

YES. I got so fed up with the awful pastels available in the stores for my son's nursery that I bought fabric in a retro-inspired green/brown/orange color scheme and enlisted my mom to make the curtains, crib skirt, etc. My husband and I bought some inexpensive mid-century dressers off Craigslist, and we get compliments on our son's room all the time.

Now that it's time to transition my son to a toddler bed, I recently ordered cute sheets from a couple of Etsy sellers and plan to go the Etsy route for a comforter as well. The patterns available are a zillion times cuter than anything you find in the big box stores - plus I like knowing I'm supporting small, in-home businesses typically run by moms like myself.

Actually, I think parents today have more options that ever before. My kids are 2 and 5, and I feel like I had so many choices, more than my sister-in-law, who's kids are 6 and 8. Yes, most are variations on a handful of themes, but I think when I born, nursery textiles were limited to pastel ducks and teddy bears, with pink for girls and blue for boys. I think parents are more willing to use gender-neutral colors like orange and aqua. And I don't think the themes manufacturers choose to produce are self-fulfilling prophecies. For whatever reason, kids love these themes whether parents buy into it or not. My daughter's room is bright yellow, with some green and orange. It has been this way since before she was born. I hate pastels and try to steer her away from very gender-specific toys. But, if I let her decorate her room today, she would certainly choose pink and purple, with butterflies and princesses. My son, at age 2, is obsessed with vehicles and plays with all the toy trucks we bought for his sister, who never noticed them. I realise some of this may be from social cues, but if a parent is really trying to decorate a room to suit a child's taste, rather than her own, I'm afraid pink princesses and blue trucks are the way to go.

My kids were born in the 80s and everything was gender-specific then. I would have said that it's much easier today, based on what I see on AT and other sites all the time, to find attractive, gender-neutral baby and kid decor. But maybe it's just higher end stuff, I dunno.

I made my kids' stuff myself and supplemented with solid color sheets and other plain things. They had homemade quilts from me and their auntie. I also did not feel any need to do themes in their rooms and I don't recall any of them ever asking for a theme room when they got older. They DID want bunk beds and forts and tents and stuff like that...

I'll jump on the "Can we just quit it with pastel baby clothes?!" bandwagon.
Because SERIOUSLY. Have clothing manufacturers never had to try and clean exploded diaper from pink cotton flannel? It's next to impossible.
Unless they're in cahoots with the bleach industry.
Yep. That's got to be it.

When my daughter was an infant, we used whatever we were gifted or was on sale. By the time she was two she had very distinct likes and dislikes, so we let her pick out whatever she wanted (within our budget!) She's almost nine now, and we still decorate her room her way. It's the one place in the house where she feels like she has total control and freedom of expression, and I think that's important. It may not look like a fancy magazine layout, but it's HERS.

I agree with the general ideas of this post, particularly when it comes to kids bedding. But I don't think the example chosen here illustrates that parents won't actually choose other themes if they're offered. Of the six puzzles pictured, the puppies one is significantly less interesting from a design standpoint -- the other ones involve scenes with interesting backdrop, or a logical sequence (ABCs). And, the random scattering of puppies on a solid background would make it harder for a little kid to do that puzzle, and as much as my kid likes dogs, I would choose one of the others. I actually think their design choices show that manufacturers don't spend as much time on other themes, rather than that customers won't buy them.

Wow, are you off base with this post. Every kid I know loves classic kids themes. Sure, some products get old and designs need to be updated, but the idea that the designs you show as examples are more relevant is ridiculous. Little kids don't respond to more "adult" designs or drab urban color ways, the love bright colors and fun recognizable imagery. You have confused a mothers wish for a more mature looking apartment than one that encourages a child to dream and have fun. On top of that some of the items you show are more affordable items that help add to a room. Not everyone (including your readers) can run out to buy "what is hot" only to have to change next year when it is not. Manufacturers (outside of character licenses) rarely influence kids themes, they respond to demand. But is there a difference between good design and bad? That is determined by choice, and in todays market there are tons of choices. I'd rather put that Pirate rug or Dino bed in my kids room than that grey train wreck you chose!

I think what is more important is what purpose the theme serves and why your child likes it.

When I was a kid, I wanted everything to be animals, not because I had been fed a steady diet of consumeristic animal themes, but because I wanted to be a zoologist and I loved animal books and watching shows about animals and going to the zoo. If my parents had denied that theme for me under the notion that it was cliche or what everyone else did, it would have dampened my enthusiasm.

If I had a kid who wanted everything to be unicorns, maybe I'd try to steer him or her in a more constructive direction, but if my kid wanted space ships, clouds, or animals, I'd go along with it, but make it educational.

What the post hints at, but doesn't say outright, is the commodification (and to a great extent, "Disneyfication") of products for children. I'm 4th of 5 siblings, and when my oldest brother's kids were born 16 and 18 years ago, we found plenty of fun, non-gender specific, playful clothing, decor and toy options for them. My sister, in her thirties, a year younger than I am, had her first baby, a girl, last year. Now, I've discovered that every store I enter looking for things for my new niece provides very limited offerings for kids, aesthetically speaking, especially in terms of gender.

There's more going on here than just manufacturers choosing "what sells." I'm an artist, as is my sister, and we've been DIY-ing nearly everything for my niece. Even if you don't have the skills to make your kids' clothing, bedding and toys, you can choose not to participate. The best way to address these issues is simply not to buy products from manufacturers whose aesthetic and gender vision you don't like. And if you're lucky enough to have the skills, create alternative products and share.

There are reasons some themes stick around... animals, butterflies, dinosaurs, ABCs, etc. are both fascinating and familiar to kids from their toys, books and music. If every kid had 5 books on ancient Egypt, heard songs about it, learned about it in preschool, and had a pyramid toy, Then there would be demand for that theme too.

I agree though, that it would be nice to see these tried-and-true themes incorporated into fresher, less-tacky designs that could grow a bit longer with kids.

I see my toddler gravitating to all things car/truck/train. If he wants a plastic car bed and a truck poster soon, I won't love it, but the important thing is that he will. (For now, he gets the woods/owls I picked!)

My kids chose a kind-of woodland theme for their room. (They share, a boy and two girls but one girl is still a baby.) Actually, they just liked the new woodland rug from the kids' department at Ikea, since it features a stream and the footprints of many animals, and looks like a fun place to imagine with their toy animals. My son also wanted the duvet cover, since he had only one and needed a new one to simplify laundry. For them, it is much more about the imaginative potential they see in their bedroom then the opinion of design-happy parents or corporate marketing departments!

And if there were inexpensive Egyptian-themed bedding, my kids would be all over it. They have most of the Egypt collection of Playmobil, and love to read about ancient Egypt. Again, it wouldn't necessarily be my taste, but they would see the imaginative potential and jump all over it.

My husband is French, and I have to say they really have it figured out design wise over there. I know we mostly see only the beautiful high end French children's things that make their way across the pond, but even the French basics are tastefully made.

I love the way some of the classic themes (and not so classic themes) have been 'designified' over the past decade or so. I think Land of Nod really set the bar for better-designed kids' items, and it's great that we have so many non-cartoon-character options for our wee ones now. I think with a little imagination, it's pretty easy to put together a lovely child's room with a mix of well-designed kids' products and non kid products.

I designed my boy's nursery as a hang-out room for me more than anything, so I specifically eschewed anything cutesy or themed. The first year we mostly nursed and rocked and slept in his room, it was more of a quiet place than a play space. I used olive, orange and gray and kept it to a minimum, planning to incorporate more of what he might like as he grew up and we figured out what that might be.

At two, he plays in the living room or the backyard. We keep his blocks in his room as an incentive to spend some quiet time in there, but other than that he likes to be with us. And although we have added some art made from his chalk-scribbles, it is mostly still the same quiet haven. I know that as he gets older he will want "his room" to himself, but until then I am so happy that I don't have to live with choo-choos or elephant parades. I am betting that by the time he is able to help with whatever is the next phase of his room, he will not want those things, either. Although I can see him going for monsters, maybe...

As more & more parents join the DIY revolution, they also bypass the Interior Designer. As an experienced (nearly 30yrs.) designer specializing in nurseries & children's rooms, I have seen the decline in hiring designers. As everyone is now a "designer", at least until their attempts at measuring correctly fail, or matching, whether it be colors or seams, they find themselves needing to make that call. Too often it is after much money has been spent & valuable time with the baby/child misspent.

@JULIA2711 I'm always happy to have grammar, spelling, typos corrected - thanks!

I am confused about charmgirl's post. people hire designers for a nursery? they must be having too much money.
anyway, love the post, I tried to buy some stuff for friends babies last year and it was incredibly hard to find things other than blue/pink princess/truck stuff. Growing up my room had a jungle wallpaper and I loved it. While children will love trucks and robots and maybe even princess toys and clothing, our culture is still assuming girls need to love pink and grow up to be a singer or a princess who want to be married asap. Not conductive to gender equality.

@3CROW I can more easily understand how kids are drawn to classic themes like animals and cars because they are so easily observable almost no matter where you live. But the idea of pirates, for example, is something they are introduced to through books or tv or products. My point is - are kids truly drawn to pirates or might they be as interested in, I don't know, vikings? or gladiators? Are pirates more popular because they're more interesting to kids or because pirate books, tv shows, products are much, much more available?

When we were decorating our twin (boys) room we had no idea what their gender would be, but weren't interested in doing traditional gender colors/patterns anyway. Somehow, despite spending most of their time in a totally eclectic home, filled with art made by friends and a mish-mash of furniture, they instinctively rejected most cuddly things and zeroed in on trains, trucks and cars - definitely not what this bike-riding, no TV family was anticipating. We have come to accept that the cliches persist for a reason.

Babies have no idea what a truck, dinosaur or princess is, so it seems very silly to me to decorate a nursery with a 'traditional' gendered theme. My baby is more interested in a spoon or a paper cup than most toys, but I have yet to see either of them on a duvet cover! The rise of heavily gendered clothing and decor for babies simply ensures that parents don't re-use the stuff they bought for their first baby if their second is the other gender. Consumption doubles, profit doubles. By sticking to a few gender-specific design cliches, the idea that boys and girls need different products becomes more entrenched.

The most budget-friendly approach is to keep clothing and decor fairly neutral for babies, at least until they are old enough to develop a genuine interest in fairies or trains!

I see all the time people on blogs and mags saying they want the room to grow with them..but even though I do come from the interiors world I do believe you are only a baby or little kid once and why not have it look like a kids room..I do have to draw the line at licensed characters..they are for nanas house.
Due to the lack of boys options I have been designing and making baby quilts on etsy for 18 mths and have specialized in offering boys designs. I try to do different designs and initially steered clear of things more cliched however I find they are the better sellers. I try try to look for different themes as I think that is why a buyer would go to etsy .
I do agree that my little boy does seem to naturally gravitate to cars, trains etc so I can see why the clichés persist.

@Carrie McBride, I understand your rhetorical question about kids and pirates versus, say, vikings. I have a personal distaste for the whole pirate thing, finding the idea of cutesy characters that are, fundamentally, thieves and murderers to be pretty hard to stomach. I have been moderately successful in trying to steer my son's peer-influenced pirate mania towards what I feel to be a more suitable outlet--knights. Yes, knights also committed plenty of acts of violence, but at least those swords come with oaths of fealty and a sense of honor, neither of which are qualities particularly associated with pirates!
My point is, I think we can gently steer our kids towards certain obsessions over others; I assume suburban kids are nowhere near as subway-focused as Brooklyn preschoolers are, and nobody seems to play cowboys anymore, whereas they were the pirates of the 1950s, from what I understand. At the same time, though, I do think many kids will obsess over something--it's just a matter of WHAT.

@mjs7640 Find me wherever homonyms feel like a waist of thyme.

@carrie, thank you for being good sport. I just don't know how to contact you directly to point out little things like that. Feel free to delete my comment, its purpose being fulfilled now :-)

I think that here you're preaching to the choir. I would expect that the people perusing this site are doing their own stuff anyway. However, there are zillions of people out there who have little confidence to do their own thing, and they follow "trends" as displayed in the big shops.

These are great comments. I beleive that most parents out there are looking for a room that is just for their child - from a stimulating mobile to creating an interest in books and maintaining an effective storage setup - regardless of what's "in". But I also I think there are others out there who are more interested in making sure their nursery is repinned 12,000 times even if it means using an antique crib with 5" gaps and lead paint.

(I agree with the pirate thing. We celebrated the Mayflower and other sea explorers, and we call them sailors.)

I was very clear while I was pregnant with my daughter that there would be no pink, no princess-y business and no made to match pieces. Then my daughter arrived and made it clear almost as soon as she could talk that she wanted pink of every hue, princesses preferably with unicorns and all the better if it matched. So our only guiding design principle now is that there must be no characters, marketing or plastic. Other than that (which is, I concede, a big deal), her room is a free for all and surprisingly (to me, not her) super cool. It is authentically eclectic and reflective of her vibrant personality, not mine.

I think there is a big difference between infant, first bed and kids designs. My interest is more toward the toddler and I love the kind of stuff I see at Olive Kids and Land of Nod. They both use creative solutions to kids design without the need of character licenses like Disney!

Pastels get old fast, but they're not nearly as annoying as the super bright neon pinks that modern dyes have given us. I'd like to see a nursery whose decor is cued to the classic prints by Frederick Richardson from the timeless Volland edition of Mother Goose. (Google "Volland Mother Goose" -- you'll see.) Richardson's palette is muted and restrained, but it's too subtle and dusty to be called just "pastel." The values of the colors are kept in a narrow range -- nothing too bright or light, nothing very dark or deep. It's a rich but calm look, with plenty of colors and possibilities. Framing the prints themselves would be charming, and you'd think such an idea would be a cliche, until you try to remember the last time you saw an elegant Mother Goose nursery.

I'm the Managing Director for The Land of Nod, a mother of 4, and a huge fan of Apartment Therapy. I'm so happy to see your post and all the great comments, this issue is something we struggle with at Nod all the time. We try to strike a balance between an assortment of themed and non-themed options for parents and children and when we have a themed design we try to execute it in an unexpected way. For me personally, in decorating my own kids' rooms, the most important thing is to reflect their individual personalities and create a comfortable, inviting space. If anyone has something they're looking for that's not out there, let me know - we're always working on new things. You can reach me at michelle@landofnod.com. Thanks!

This article describes me perfectly! I said from day one that I refused to purchase any textiles from a big name store. I don't want to look at trucks, butterflies, princesses or fuzzy little teddy bears all day! My goal in decorating my son's nursery was to make a relaxing yet fun environment for him to grow in. I chose patterns he would enjoy for years to come instead of babyish ones that he would quickly out grow. I bought the handmade bedding from a couple Etsy shops and made his curtains out of table cloths from Anthropologie. His room is one of a kind and not only is it not an eyesore for me, he loves it too.

I had the hardest time trying to design a room for my boy/girl set of twins. They shared a nursery together and wanted to stay together when it came time to go into big kid beds. I had to create my own definition of a preschooler's room because robots and butterflies just didn't work. I hit up the flea markets to put together a 1950's co-ed juvenile bedroom with artwork and natural baskets for storage.

This is exactly what I'm going through now! Except its not my baby, its my sister's. I was enlisted to make all of the crib bedding and planned on making something really pretty without it being too childish. So many ideas were going through my head and I was super excited...
Then she decided to buy Winnie the Pooh everything and no offense to Winnie, but I had enough of him when I was a kid ( he was EVERYWHERE). I plan on making an alternate crib set, maybe she'll like it better :]

growing up my mum complained about a similar problem but in the boy tween age. EVERYTHING was skulls or aliens or skateboards type stuff. Nothing normal or plain. All kinda 'tough and destructive looking'. She would get annoyed at the people who made/allowed all the stuff to be the same. (this was australia so maybe it was different elsewhere)