6 Tips for Designing a Kids Room

It's a challenge that all parents face: Designing rooms that are kid-friendly and fit your style aesthetically. You'll have to find the right balance in every room of the house, but it's especially important in kids' bedrooms and playrooms. These are spaces where you want your kids to feel comfortable and free to play! But that doesn't mean you should deck out the whole room with themed decor from their current obsession. After all, kids' interests change quickly, and it may not be long before their love of tractors and dinosaurs turns into a fascination with space and baseball. Unless you want to be changing the entire room every few years, it's a good idea to work with your kids and guide their design choices. Here are a few tips to help.

• Keep the base furnishings neutral so they can grow with your child over time.
• Add a sense of whimsy.
• Give your child a say!
• Get the height right.
• Plan ahead for storage.
• Play with color.

A bed shaped like a castle, a chandelier shaped like a crown, and some princess-y wallpaper...sounds like a dream for a fairy-tale loving kid. But will it stand the test of time? As your child grows up, their tastes will inevitably change. To avoid needing to do a full overhaul of the room, choose neutral, timeless pieces for the more expensive items (like furniture), and things that are harder to swap out (like flooring, wallpaper, and large chandeliers). Look for items that aren't age-specific...try to imagine them in a baby's nursery and in a teenager's room. For example, our bubble cloud chandelier is a stylish classic. Of course, you'll probably still need to update your child's room over time, but it's a whole lot easier to change art, bedding, and inexpensive accessories!

We just said to keep your base furnishings neutral, but at the same time, don't be afraid to layer in color and whimsical accessories! After all, this is a kid's room! It shouldn't be boring, stuffy, or formal...it should have a sense of fun. Embrace that, and add some elements that are playful and kid-friendly: a billowy canopy over the bed, an effervescent bubble light fixture, a chalkboard wall, a fort with twinkle lights, or a unique way to display their favorite books--like our Book Rest Bookshelf.

 

This is THEIR room, so if your child is a little older, give them the opportunity to design it with you! You don't have to give them total free reign (remember what we said about decorative themes gone wild?)...but let them make some choices. This will give them a sense of ownership and pride in their room. You could narrow down paint swatches and let them have the final say, or give them the freedom to pick out their own bedding. Frame and hang their art on the wall, add a shelf for them to display their rock collection, or create glow-in-dark star constellations on the ceiling with your little astronaut-to-be. By working on their room with them and incorporating things they've created, you can build some sweet memories together.

 

If you have young children, consider their height when you're hanging things on the wall. Put shelves, bins, and hooks within their reach to encourage independent play (and so they can be responsible to put away their own toys!). Hang art, clocks, wall sconces and mirrors a little lower on the wall, so it really feels like their room.

 

Speaking of kids being responsible to put away their own toys, set them up for success by integrating good storage solutions! There's no such thing as too much storage in a kid's room. Be intentional about choosing smart options that utilize space well, and you'll thank yourself later. Look for bookshelves, cubbies, cabinets, shelving, and furniture with hidden storage (like a bed with drawers underneath).

 

 

We hope these ideas help you to design a room that you (and your kids) will love long-term!