11 Tips for Designing a Bedroom that Grows with Your Child
Designing your child’s bedroom can be an exciting time. You can select the theme, choose the paint colours and decorate accordingly. However, kids grow up fast and that Postman Pat themed bedroom that was fun when your children were little just doesn’t quite work now that they’re teenagers.
As children grow, their bedroom space changes. To keep things affordable and to avoid re-decorating your child’s room every time they have a birthday, it’s time to start thinking about designing for the long term.
If you’re in search of decorating tips, you’ve come to the right place. In this article we will share our advice for designing a bedroom that grows with your child.
Let’s get started.
1. Prioritise Smart Storage Ideas
Kids come with a lot of stuff and they always need great storage solutions. From clothes to toys to school supplies, there is always plenty to put away.
When designing your child’s bedroom, it is helpful to consider storage longevity and how you can invest in storage solutions that stand the test of time and not feel out of place as your child grows.
Storage baskets are a popular and stylish storage solution. They provide an excellent place to store soft toys and blankets and can be a fun way to add texture to a room. You can also use coloured plastic boxes to add pops of colour.
Storage boxes can also be disguised as seating areas. These are great solutions for little kids who need an accessible space for their books or toys, while also providing a comfortable place to sit and relax as they get older.
2. Decorate with Fun Accessories
It’s great to be fun and expressive with the smaller decorative items that go into your child’s bedroom. Items such as rugs, artwork, curtains, and bedding will help to personalise your child’s bedroom.
Decorating with accessories is a fun way to incorporate vibrancy into your child’s room. You can opt for themed cushions, curtains, and bedding that reflect your child’s interests and change these as your child grows.
3. Control the Light Levels
The light levels in your child’s bedroom can drastically change how the space looks and feels. As such, high-quality curtains or window shutters help to create a space that is bright but comfortable and will stand the test of time as your child enters their teenage years.
Window shutters and curtains can be a fun way to add some personality to the space. You can opt for themed curtains or shutters in different colours to reflect your child’s interests while also making it easy to adapt the space for them as they grow.
4. Save Space with Bunk Beds
When we talk about bunk beds, we’re referring to those cleverly designed beds that have a desk or play space underneath. So, the child sleeps on the top bunk and can do their artwork or schoolwork on the desk underneath. As we all know, play is transformative for children, so it’s important they have the space they need to play and explore as they grow.
Bunk beds (otherwise referred to as loft beds) are a great all-round solution that will continue to provide value as your child grows. What’s more, they are ideal for smaller spaces, making them a popular choice for many parents.
5. Avoid Creating a Theme
When thinking of kids' bedroom ideas, it can be tempting to create a theme. While this can be fun initially, your child’s tastes and interests change very quickly and you might find yourself re-decorating more often than you’d hoped.
That’s why we recommend, rather than creating a theme, choosing a colour palette that you like instead. This will act as a canvas from which you can work from. You can then change the soft furnishings and room decorations without breaking your budget.
6. Use Wall Stickers
Coming up with your kid’s bedroom design is a fun opportunity to celebrate the things they enjoy. And wall stickers are a great way to decorate your child’s bedroom with things they like while offering an affordable solution to their changing interests. This is because wall stickers can be easily applied and just as easily removed.
Wall stickers are a great opportunity to involve your child in choosing their room decorations. They make playtime more fun and allow your child to explore their space in a more creative way.
7. Opt for Neutral Colours
Kid’s bedroom designs should be fun and reflect their interests. But as their interests change so quickly, it can be difficult to keep up. That’s why it can be helpful to opt for neutral colours in your child’s bedroom.
If you create a neutral base you can bring colour into your child’s bedroom in the form of soft furnishings, fun storage solutions, decorative pieces, toys, and wall stickers. This is a great way to decorate your child’s bedroom.
8. Invest in Adjustable Furniture
Furnishing your child’s bedroom can be expensive. And the furniture tends to change over time - just think; you have a bassinet for your newborn, a cot for your baby, a toddler bed, and then a big bed. And that’s just providing your child with a space to sleep.
A great and affordable way to furnish your child’s bedroom is with adjustable furniture. There are so many types of adjustable furniture to choose from. A few great options are baby cots that adjust into beds and desks that extend as your child grows.
Investing in adjustable furniture is a great way to decorate your child’s bedroom for the long-term.
9. Display Their Artwork
Does your child regularly come home from nursery or school with a crazy amount of artwork? It doesn’t take long to run out of space to display these pieces on the fridge.
A great solution is to display your child’s artwork in their room. Hang a corkboard or create a gallery wall to display their favourite pieces. This is a great way to encourage your child to decorate their own space and take pride in taking care of it.
10. Set Up a Workspace
Even if your child is under five, it can be fun to set up a workspace that will serve them well in the long run. Creating a workspace in your child’s room ensures there’s an area where they can partake in arts and crafts. As they grow, this workspace can be used as a study area.
You will find that as your child gets older, having a well-lit and comfortable workspace in their bedroom can encourage focus and productivity as well as the pursuit of their interests. Whether your child enjoys reading, writing, or art, having a space where they can explore these interests is important.
11. Make a Cosy Reading Corner
Reading is one of the most important skills you can give your child. It improves their academic performance, empathy, people skills, and social skills (to name a few). That’s why it’s so important to encourage your child’s love of reading through reading at home and taking part in storytime at your local library.
In fact, according to Education Corner, “A long-term study by The Annie E. Casey Foundation found students who were not proficient in reading by the end of third grade were four times more likely to drop out of high school. Conversely, children who developed an early love for reading improved their learning ability.”
Making a cosy reading corner in your child’s bedroom is one of the best design tips we can give. It will provide a comfortable space for your child to explore different books and will support them in developing an early love of reading.
Supporting your child’s reading ability will help them develop a strong and varied vocabulary and will also nurture healthy brain development from a very young age. As Education Corner goes on to say, “as a parent you must create conditions that encourage children to read. Let children pick their own books. Help them read and create activities for them that make reading fun.”
Final Words
As you can see, there are many ways you can design a bedroom that grows with your child. We hope our tips have inspired you and will support you in making design choices that benefit your family for years to come.