5 Design Steps to a Fun and Practical Kids' Bedroom
There's no need to over-complicate decorating your little one's bedroom – here's a simple guide
Designing kids’ bedrooms is fun! As a designer, it’s typically the room in which we get to turn the decorating volume right up and go a little crazy with. At home, it’s important to keep in mind practical elements including storage and future use, while also making sure your little one’s personality shines through. These five simple steps will help you create a room that is just as rewarding for you as it is for your child.
BUNK BEDS
Bunks are a great way to increase the number of people to a room while saving precious floor space. There are a great range of flat-pack timber varieties available, which, with a quick coat of paint, can easily work in with any colour scheme.
Bunks are a great way to increase the number of people to a room while saving precious floor space. There are a great range of flat-pack timber varieties available, which, with a quick coat of paint, can easily work in with any colour scheme.
COLOUR SCHEME
Perhaps the most important decision you will make when designing a kid’s room is the colour scheme. Helping you to choose colours is a great way to involve kids in the design process and get them interested in their new room.
A fail-safe way to get started is to select a neutral base – white or grey, for instance – then work with one or two accent colours. The easiest way to work out if two colours will work together in a room is to look at other rooms! Browse through Houzz photos and you will soon get the knack for what looks good and what doesn’t.
Perhaps the most important decision you will make when designing a kid’s room is the colour scheme. Helping you to choose colours is a great way to involve kids in the design process and get them interested in their new room.
A fail-safe way to get started is to select a neutral base – white or grey, for instance – then work with one or two accent colours. The easiest way to work out if two colours will work together in a room is to look at other rooms! Browse through Houzz photos and you will soon get the knack for what looks good and what doesn’t.
STEP 2: Add layers
Rugs are a perfect starting point in which to add layers to any kids’ room. Simple is the key when it comes to choosing a design, as often there is so much going on in other areas of the room – toys, posters, art, etc. Be sure to select a rug that is durable and easily cleaned. Synthetic rugs are best, and with the increasing range of outdoor rugs available in fun designs, the possibilities are endless.
Rugs are a perfect starting point in which to add layers to any kids’ room. Simple is the key when it comes to choosing a design, as often there is so much going on in other areas of the room – toys, posters, art, etc. Be sure to select a rug that is durable and easily cleaned. Synthetic rugs are best, and with the increasing range of outdoor rugs available in fun designs, the possibilities are endless.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
As with any room, the selection of window treatments is important. For kids’ rooms, there are two general thoughts on how to approach these. Where walls have been left neutral, use a fun pattern or strong colour to create contrast in the space. Adversely, if you have added wallpaper or a feature wall in the room, choose a window treatment that is more subtle, which is not to say it can’t be fun! A tone on tone pattern can be just as playful and interesting as a bright and loud statement.
As with any room, the selection of window treatments is important. For kids’ rooms, there are two general thoughts on how to approach these. Where walls have been left neutral, use a fun pattern or strong colour to create contrast in the space. Adversely, if you have added wallpaper or a feature wall in the room, choose a window treatment that is more subtle, which is not to say it can’t be fun! A tone on tone pattern can be just as playful and interesting as a bright and loud statement.
BED LINEN
Bed linen is a fast way to add a layer to a kid’s room. It’s also a great way to add some colour, texture and pattern without the huge commitment.
TIP: Have a few different sets on hand to mix up the look of the room throughout the year.
Bed linen is a fast way to add a layer to a kid’s room. It’s also a great way to add some colour, texture and pattern without the huge commitment.
TIP: Have a few different sets on hand to mix up the look of the room throughout the year.
STEP 3: Create some interest
The beauty with kids’ rooms is that you can have fun and step outside your decorating comfort zone and, in doing so, can incorporate some unique features into your design.
Painting a whole wall in blackboard paint may seem like an effort, however, the results are both stunning and practical. The wall will become the perfect place for kids to draw and create, and in years to come when they’ve outgrown using the blackboard, it can simply be painted over.
The beauty with kids’ rooms is that you can have fun and step outside your decorating comfort zone and, in doing so, can incorporate some unique features into your design.
Painting a whole wall in blackboard paint may seem like an effort, however, the results are both stunning and practical. The wall will become the perfect place for kids to draw and create, and in years to come when they’ve outgrown using the blackboard, it can simply be painted over.
STEP 4: Don’t forget storage
Storage! It’s paramount when designing a kid’s bedroom. Put simply, you will need lots of it and then some more. Kids outgrow and collect things over the years and need somewhere to store it. Open shelving is a perfect solution as you can incorporate boxes to hide toys and clutter, as well as display books and treasured possessions. This works especially well for kids as they are highly visual and will enjoy being able to see all their favourite things.
Storage! It’s paramount when designing a kid’s bedroom. Put simply, you will need lots of it and then some more. Kids outgrow and collect things over the years and need somewhere to store it. Open shelving is a perfect solution as you can incorporate boxes to hide toys and clutter, as well as display books and treasured possessions. This works especially well for kids as they are highly visual and will enjoy being able to see all their favourite things.
Displaying books is a perfect way to not only keep their collection neat and tidy, but also to keep your kids interested in reading. Having open shelves such as the lower ones here is a great way to show off a book collection and to keep favourite books within quick reach.
TIP: Open shelving works on any scale. For smaller rooms or book collections, try using a few shallow floating picture shelves to achieve the same look.
TIP: Open shelving works on any scale. For smaller rooms or book collections, try using a few shallow floating picture shelves to achieve the same look.
When thinking about installing more permanent storage such as joinery, think about the future uses of the room and your child. In this image, the room has been designed for a small child, however in years to come, when the child is in their teens, the art work can be easily taken down and replaced with a television.
Another aspect of joinery to consider is the incorporation of a desk. More often than not, kids will need time in their room to study, so having a built-in desk ready to go is a perfect solution.
TIP: When children leave home, with a quick change of decor, built-in desks can become a smart adult study.
Another aspect of joinery to consider is the incorporation of a desk. More often than not, kids will need time in their room to study, so having a built-in desk ready to go is a perfect solution.
TIP: When children leave home, with a quick change of decor, built-in desks can become a smart adult study.
STEP 5: Add the finishing touches
These are the elements that will make the room unique to your child. Having their art framed and hung on the wall, their favourite toys on display, or a wall decal of their favourite theme – pirates, fairies or adventure – turns the room from being tastefully decorated into fully-fledged designer digs.
Bean bags, teepees, cushions and throws are all simple and quick ways to complete a look and add an extra layer without breaking the bank. They are also fairly expendable, so when you (or your child) feel like an update, they are easily swapped out for a fresh look.
TELL US
Have you got any design tips for kids’ bedrooms to share with us? Let us know, or better yet, show us by posting photos in the Comments.
MORE
Kids’ Bedrooms You Secretly Wish You Could Have
10 Kids’ Bedroom Themes That Go the Distance
20 Cheerful DIY Additions for Kids’ Bedrooms
These are the elements that will make the room unique to your child. Having their art framed and hung on the wall, their favourite toys on display, or a wall decal of their favourite theme – pirates, fairies or adventure – turns the room from being tastefully decorated into fully-fledged designer digs.
Bean bags, teepees, cushions and throws are all simple and quick ways to complete a look and add an extra layer without breaking the bank. They are also fairly expendable, so when you (or your child) feel like an update, they are easily swapped out for a fresh look.
TELL US
Have you got any design tips for kids’ bedrooms to share with us? Let us know, or better yet, show us by posting photos in the Comments.
MORE
Kids’ Bedrooms You Secretly Wish You Could Have
10 Kids’ Bedroom Themes That Go the Distance
20 Cheerful DIY Additions for Kids’ Bedrooms
The bed is an important first decision and one that will affect not only the look of the room, but how it’s used. The single bed is by far the most popular for kids’ bedrooms. These can be as simple or elaborate as you like with designs ranging from upholstered bedheads, four-poster designs and custom-built options.
TIP: For those with the room, having a twin set of single beds is perfect for hosting sleepovers without having to set-up a blow-up mattress or have kids sleep all over the living room. Often, single beds can be zipped together to make a king size bed, so in later years when the kids have moved out of home, this room can be easily converted into a guest room.