When should you let a child redecorate their bedroom?
Think first about the lessons they are learning. I think you should redecorate when a room needs it and not before. Redecoration on a whim is like thoughtless spending and not a lesson we should teach the kids.
From the age of about 5 they can start to take an active role and by the age of 16 they may be mature enough to do it all themselves.
However there are a few pointers to bare in mind regardless of their age.
1) Good curtains keep out early morning sunshine, which helps them get a good night sleep.
2) Fitted Wardrobes, cupboards and drawers have more storage capacity than their stand-alone counterparts. It seems you can never have enough storage space when there are kids about.
3) Colours really do matter. They strongly affect mood. Keep the kids happy and relaxed at bedtime with warm muted tones and not too many vibrant primary colours.
4) Never let a teenager spray paint their bedroom black. They will be leaving home soon and they can do that when they are paying mortgage or rent, but not in your house. This should be a non-negitionable stance.