How to design a bedroom that grows with your child

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Bedrooms, Clean Design Clean Design Modern style bedroom
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Whoever said that raising children is easy obviously never had any of their own – or never had to design a child’s bedroom / play space. Don’t get us wrong: any interior design project can be quite tricky if you don’t put in the appropriate planning, but add in youngsters who don’t care about terms like ‘budget’ and ‘functionality’ and you can pretty much go insane rather quickly.

That is, if you haven’t stumbled across this piece, collected from some of our favourite interior designers and decorators, teaching you how to style up a child’s room that’s:

• Functional

• Practical

• Inviting, and

• Visually pleasing.

Let’s get started…

1. Purchase timeless furnishings

Don’t get taken by those charming, colourful little nursery items – once your child ages a few years, those furnishings will be deemed far too juvenile and outdated.

Save yourself heaps of time and money by switching out a child-sized bureau with a piece that their clothing will grow into. And go with a double bed or bunk beds for a far more practical approach to sleepovers. And a decent bookcase, like our example below, can definitely be part and parcel of your little one’s bedroom / play space from infant to teenager. 

2. Add pops of personality

Your child’s, not yours. This is their space where they must be allowed to express who they are, which is why pops of (their) personality is important. 

Why not consider hanging up some of their own art? Create a gallery wall (the pattern and design can be up to you) with matching frames so that your child’s room still has that curated and neat look. 

3. Accessorise, don’t remodel

Going all the way on one theme can be costly, especially as kids can very quickly change their minds about what sort of theme and design they’d prefer for their room. For a cost-saving solution, choose simple accessories (such as wall art, floor rugs) that can easily be swapped out as they get older (i.e. replacing a Disney poster with a Star Wars one). 

4. Keep costly design pieces neutral

Whether it’s a room for a child or an adult, you want a few of those areas to stand the test of time. Floor coverings, paint colours, and furniture pieces need to last as long as possible. So, instead of splashing loads of pinks or blues onto those walls, rather go with an option that has more staying power: paint colours that are warm and inviting (a little bit of pattern can also go a long way), classic finishes for the furnishings, and universal floor coverings that can enhance that room regardless of its style or theme. 

5. Involve your child as much as possible

It’s vital that your child feels safe and at home in their room, which is why there needs to be some compromising from both your sides while planning that room’s new look (of course this also depends on how old your child is, as teenagers naturally get more of a say than toddlers). 

Remind your child that while their room is their own space, it still forms part of the house as a whole. Don’t be afraid to communicate about the areas that you are open to discussing (i.e. the wallpaper / colour options for those walls) and which may be non-negotiable (such as adding pieces for storage). 

And remember: the better your child feels about his or her own room, the more likely they are to take care of it.

If it’s your home’s interior look that’s in need of an upgrade, why not be inspired by The fresh new modern apartment by Chapter 3’s designers?  

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