In a child’s playroom, play it safe by choosing a valance

New parents often have a hard time deciding on what design direction to go in when decorating their child's playroom. Unlike a bedroom, this space has to be especially prepared for the wear and tear of young children's rough-housing. This room can be a more playful space than a bedroom, allowing parents to be more conservative in choosing a design for that space since it will age with the child.

Since children are prone to run rampant during play time, window treatments must be chosen that will add to the fun atmosphere but also endure more ruckus behavior. For both the safety of the child and the integrity of your curtains, you should employ window treatments that are will be out of reach for a youngster.

Drapes will then be out of the question since they will surely receive a tug or two that could cause hardware to fall off, potentially harming a small child, or tear, wasting your investment. In this case, choose window treatments that don't have long chords dangling from them and that won't hang low.

Valances can add a decorative flair to the room without risking the threat of serious damage. Use a playful color or pattern in this space since this is where fun activities will be enjoyed.

For girls, a fun ruffled valance can appear regal and fancy but have added youthfulness if you spike it with a bright purple or pink. Taffeta or faux silk valances are good choices in this case, as they have a high level of sheen, making the window treatment shimmer.

For boys, stick to simpler valances with traditional tones. Plaid is an obvious choice, but if you go with a certain theme for the playroom, pick a tone that complements it. For instance, if your child has a favorite sports team, coordinate the tones of the valance with the team colors.