Guest Post: Guide to the perfect children’s room

Guide to the perfect children’s room

Guest post by Carike from Kidz City.

A child’s bedroom is more than just a place to sleep, it is their playground, workshop and world. It is important that this space reflects their little personalities. But for a parent, it is easy to get lost in this realm of children’s interiors.

Planning

The first thing to do is understand what your child or children want. They have certain interests or ideas, and it is those which we will need to base the design around. These themes could be something simple like a colour or animal to a favourite movie or storybook hero.

Write down your plans and keep to a schedule

 

Next is to decide on a budget. What can we make use of that we already have. Creating or redesigning a room need not be an expensive or exhausting task. There are many clever ways in which we can utilise existing furniture and items to make that theme come alive. It is up to you to decide on the most appropriate budget and schedule that is sufficient in giving your little ones the bedroom of their dreams.

Getting Started

Designing that stylish, comfortable, fun and practical room is more than just buying some furniture. The room itself needs to be altered to compliment the accessories.

Stick to bright coloured window treatments, as they can give the room a cleaner and sharper look. Pick curtains that complement the intended look, and consider getting a shade cloth or valance to help prevent too much midday sun from entering the room.

 

 

If you are going to be making adjustments to the flooring and ceiling, do so before adding any furniture and accessories into the room. This prevents having to make unnecessary moves.

It is important to remain focused on what you want to achieve with your look, as it is easy to get off track when it comes to design.

1. Use Paint and Prints

For the walls of the bedroom make use of bright coloured paints. Offset and create contours by adding prints of cut out shapes such as flowers, butterflies or whatever theme you going for. Try your hand at painting a white giraffe, or let your child get creative with a paintbrush.

You can also paint the furniture or cabinets should you want to add more colour or contrast to the bedroom, should the theme require it.

 

Wild animals decals on the wall

2. Add Life to the Ceiling too

The ceiling is an aspect of the room that is most often over-looked, yet it covers a large part of the surface that makes up the bedroom, and thus is open to styling too. To incorporate the ceiling into the design, decide whether it can be painted to match the walls or other colours of the theme. Adding prints to the wall can also create an amazing visual, especially if it is to mimic that of a sky or stars. Should you not want to mess with the ceiling, simply sticking shapes or images to it can enhance the room. Or you could try hanging accessories or props from it, such as small air planes or stars.

Painted Stars & Hanging Planets

3. Decorate the floors

Deciding whether to go with carpet or a hard surface is an important decision to make. Carpets come in a wide variety of colours and styles, and can have great durability and comfort. If a section gets damaged or stained, it can easily be removed and replaced. The issue with carpets is that they have absorptive properties that harbour mites and dust, and can cause allergies. Carpets that are not chemical-free might be a health concern.

Hardwood floors are becoming a popular alternative, and are available in sustainable choices such as bamboo or eucalyptus. They are also durable, economical and can add to the theme’s look. With a hardwood floor, you must accommodate for the fact that children will play on it, and you will need a soft area or small carpet or play mat to protect their hands, knees and feet. A rug or cushion can also provide additional warmth and sound absorption to a hard floor.

Blue Carpet to accommodate hardwood floor

4. Make use of wallpapers and pictures to decorate the walls further.

Photos of the actual character or movie that your child’s theme is based upon will further reinforce the bedroom. You could decide to dedicate a single wall to making an accent or collage full of pictures. If you looking for something more personal, add pictures of your child and family.

Superhero wall photos

5. Get Creative with Storage

Keep the room neat and tidy, and ensure that all their toys and clothing are packed away by making use of clever storage plans. The traditional cupboard has been replaced with many innovate ways of storing things, not only more effectively, but also aesthetically.  You can go one step further, and make sure that the storage serves a dual purpose, such as being the base of the bed, or serving as a sitting place.

Storing toys under the bed is great because it’s close enough to the floor so a small child can easily access it. And while it is packed away it is out of sight, and uses an otherwise wasted space. Just make sure that the storage has wheels so kids don’t damage flooring by having to drag it out. You could also label each storage box or container, for example; toys, shoes or Lego. Some modern children’s beds come with a built in under-storage or slide-out boxes, so keep that in mind when shopping for furniture.

Multi-purpose pieces, like a block of storage that also is durable enough for a chair, can be used for both.

Attach crates to the walls, or hang shelves and other storage devices. Making use of the walls or ceilings saves floor space.

 

6. Lighting and Lamps

Lighting does more than just illuminate the room, it can provide a much needed contrast or tone to the theme. Adequate lighting provides good visibility and reading conditions for a child. Depending on the size of the room, you may opt for a small lamp, or one that really stands out. Make sure to keep a night light handy (preferably attached to the bed or bedside counter) for the child in case he/she is afraid of the dark. This also doubles up as a reading lamp during story time.

A table or desk lamp can also function as a décor piece. Mix and match with colours and shapes to best fit the theme’s look. There are some really great ideas and products here to check out.

 

A low hanging chandelier over the cot, as well a free standing lamp near the reading chair

 

7. Toys as Décor

Stuffed toys are universally appealing, and they need not be outgrown. Using a favourite teddy bear or retro doll as a décor piece is a clever way to fill an empty shelf or desk space.

When toys are placed cleverly around a room, they make the space feel more alive and busy. It gives the child something to look at, and prevents toys from being forgotten if they had been packed away. They become proud showcases rather than a messy pile.

Children’s toys placed in set spots function as decor too

 

8. Adding an Educational Aspect.

 

Perhaps a wall decorated with a map of your country or the world? A stunning feature but also an informative piece to the eager young adventurer.

Another cool idea could be covering the wall in letters of the alphabet, from which a young child can gaze up upon and see the letters and their order. See this article for more on educational design.

Create a small desk or work station that the child can read and do homework at. Style it with stationery and educational materials. Consider creating a small wardrobe or dress-up section for changing into different outfits.

Conclusion

Whatever route you decide to take, make sure that you stay within your proposed budget. Think carefully about what you want, and don’t rush into buying more items than necessary. Look on the internet for further ideas and inspiration. And most importantly, include your child in the process. It’s their bedroom after all.

Images from http://www.home-designing.com/