Creating a beach themed room for your child? Theme rooms are a fun and exciting way to let your child's personality shine! One of the more popular ideas these days is the beach or surf theme. Between the choices in kids wall art, children's bedding, and various other pieces of decor, you've got near limitless options. Still, the beach themed rug is the one item that ties the entire room together. It should be considered first and foremost when sitting down to design your child's surf-filled adventure.

When selecting your child's beach theme rug, the list of attributes below should be carefully taken into consideration. You can't just go out and buy the first cute rug you see. There are a multitude choices available to you, and it's easy to find something later on that you wish you'd noticed before. So with a little pre-shopping homework, you'll save money or a trip back to the store to return a rug you don't want. Take your time. Remember, you're designing the perfect beach room here!

Color - This obviously going to be your first and foremost consideration. Boys rooms will consist mostly of blue, and girls rooms of pink. Most beach themed rugs are designed with the sex of the child in mind, and some will have more vivid colors than others. Choose softer colors for a younger child or baby nursery. If you've already painted the room, bring a swatch of that color with you when rug shopping. Still, a better idea would be to choose the rug first and then buy the paint. You'll be very glad you did, because having a kids rug that perfectly matches the wall color is the best start you can give your child's room.

Shape - One of the best things about choosing a beach themed rug is the sheer number of shapes available to you. Surfboard rugs come in a variety of sizes and colors... from single bright surfboards in blues and yellows to rugs that depict a row of surfboards planted end up in the sand. These board rugs come in solid colors, stripes, and floral hibiscus patterns more appropriate for your little surfer girl. In addition to surfboard rugs, there are other more tropical options. Palm tree rugs and blossom rugs shaped like flowers can add to the beach appeal. These shaped rugs can often fit into tight and elongated portions of the room that other rugs cannot, making them a perfect fit.

Pattern - Shaped or rectangular, beach theme rugs should depict just that - themes of sand, sun, and surf. Rugs based in a sand color are neutral, great for boys or girls, and really lend to the feel of being on the beach. Some come scattered with sunglasses, sandals, palm trees, bathing suits, and other beach items. Others may contain sea creatures such as crabs or starfish. Some beach themed rugs are strictly floral, consisting of bright colors and brilliant Hawaiian flowers. Choose the rug that best suits your child, and then work the rest of the room around it.

Accessorize - No matter which beach rug you choose, you should easily be able to find matching children's room decor. Kids bedding is available in just about every type of floral or Wahine surf pattern these days, and surfboard themed boys bedding is easily accessible. Match a few of the rug colors to your child's bedding to anchor it visually. Beach theme lamps and other children's lighting can be found to fit along the same lines. Be careful here not to go too overboard, creating colors and patterns that might clash. The theme of your child's room should flow nicely, without unsightly distractions.

Go Nautical - Hand in hand with the beach theme, nautical rugs are also very popular. While this theme is certainly very different, you may still want to browse nautical rugs, matching nautical wall art, or any other type of decor in that genre. Many of the sea-going aspects of a nautical theme will coordinate with your child's beach theme rug, and it's a great place to gather fresh ideas for the rest of the room.

The Walls - Here's another great thing about decorating a beach themed room: the walls! All types of colorful (and removable) wall stickers are available to instantly and expertly decorate your child's walls nowadays. Entire beach scenes can be depicted in just minutes with a minimum of effort. Floral appliques from WallCandy can be placed strategically along the walls and above the bed. Wall stickers can be coordinated with the wall color to match any other decor, which is a nice way of really bringing the beach into your child's room. For walls not so decorated, find some personalized wall art to hang. These days many pieces of kids wall art can be custom painted with your child's name or your own phrase, lending that special homemade feel to the room.

Shag and Pile - Depending upon the size of the beach theme rug, you may want to choose one with a shaggy or deeper pile. While they add plush softness, the more important things is they can hide the dirt that comes with everyday wear and tear. Smaller surf rugs may be anchored to the floor with double-sided tape, to avoid slips and to keep the sides from curling. If you have a much younger child, look for cotton or wool piles that might come treated with StainGuard or Scotchmaster, making them resistant to spills and easier to clean up after.

No matter which beach themed rug you choose for your child's room, make it the perfect fit. Examine your other decorating options, including wall decor and kids furniture choices before going shopping. Organize a floor plan, and decide where the rug will go - giving you an idea of the dimensions you'll need. If your child is old enough, get him or her involved in the decorating process. Finally, and most important of all - have fun!