Design a Room That Will Grow With Your Child
Create a room that a child will love from her/his toddler to teenage years; all you need are these decor insights
Children grow and change and so do their tastes and preferences. One moment your son can’t get enough of Lego and the next his world is all about Transformers. Similarly, your daughter will outgrow the whole pink/princess phase and will have other interests. So how do you make their rooms keep up with them? The smart thing to do is to keep a neutral palette for the basics, buy furniture pieces that last, and keep changing the soft furnishings and smaller accessories according to your child’s age and choice. Here are some tips to help you create a room that evolves with your child.
White, light grey or pastel shades work best. These colours can be the perfect, steady backdrop for the playful and vibrant decor elements common in a child’s room.
Pick broad themes
We all know how kids lose interest in things within a short time and that is why it is better to keep the theme – if you plan to have one – timeless. Go for patterns that give a lively look and can be suitable even for a teenager’s room. “Think nautical stripes, geometric shapes and florals which will not lose their appeal even when kids grow up,” suggests Raajkumari Mutha, creative head and founder of Tulips.
We all know how kids lose interest in things within a short time and that is why it is better to keep the theme – if you plan to have one – timeless. Go for patterns that give a lively look and can be suitable even for a teenager’s room. “Think nautical stripes, geometric shapes and florals which will not lose their appeal even when kids grow up,” suggests Raajkumari Mutha, creative head and founder of Tulips.
The nautical theme of this room is brought in through furnishings that are complete with blue stripes and anchor print. The base colour is kept light blue that can be retained even as the child grows up.
You can either go for wallpapers in these patterns or even use paints; the whole point is to keep your child’s room vibrant and relevant for a longer period of time.
Wall Decorations Your Child Will Love
Wall Decorations Your Child Will Love
Think about temporary decor elements
If you still want to add some Disney/cartoon characters or other child-specific imagery for your toddler, opt for decals or wall stickers. There is a plethora of options to choose from – and in various shapes and sizes. Make the most of them, and when your child outgrows them, peel them off.
If you still want to add some Disney/cartoon characters or other child-specific imagery for your toddler, opt for decals or wall stickers. There is a plethora of options to choose from – and in various shapes and sizes. Make the most of them, and when your child outgrows them, peel them off.
Invest in furniture with lasting appeal and use
I know, those little tables and beds look adorable, but within a few years your child will outgrow them. Changing furniture every couple of years is not feasible for many of us. It is better to invest in furniture pieces that will stay relevant for your child in terms of size and design till they are a teenager. “You get those customised beds that transform from your newborn’s baby crib to a toddler’s bed to a full-sized bed,” said Kapoor. Yes, such customised pieces might be a little expensive but it is better to invest in such pieces than buying a new one every couple of years. Or you can simply go for a single bed that is fit for a teenager.
Tip: Adapt a bed meant for an older child to fit your smaller child by attaching safety guards on its side. You can easily remove them when your child grows up.
I know, those little tables and beds look adorable, but within a few years your child will outgrow them. Changing furniture every couple of years is not feasible for many of us. It is better to invest in furniture pieces that will stay relevant for your child in terms of size and design till they are a teenager. “You get those customised beds that transform from your newborn’s baby crib to a toddler’s bed to a full-sized bed,” said Kapoor. Yes, such customised pieces might be a little expensive but it is better to invest in such pieces than buying a new one every couple of years. Or you can simply go for a single bed that is fit for a teenager.
Tip: Adapt a bed meant for an older child to fit your smaller child by attaching safety guards on its side. You can easily remove them when your child grows up.
When you decide to get a study table for your child, pick one that they can probably use till their older years. A chair with adjustable height will be a suitable match.
The same rule applies to storage and cupboards. Buy a wardrobe that has shelves big enough to hang adult’s clothes. Just like other furniture pieces, the colourful and themed cupboards for little children look too cute to resist but let’s face it, they are going to fit your child’s clothes for only a couple of years. And while your toddler might have found these cupboards fun, your preteen kid probably will not.
Get a rack or open shelves that will work as a storage-cum-display unit for your toddler’s dolls and toys and can be used as a bookshelf when they grow up.
Add a dose of creativity to your child’s room with these quirky shelves
Add a dose of creativity to your child’s room with these quirky shelves
Use soft furnishings and accessories to personalise the room
Now, this is where you can go all out on those cute and vibrant products designed especially for kids. As you have neutral walls and standard furniture, it is through the soft furnishings that you can bring fun and whimsy to your kids’ spaces.
Get bed sheets, curtains and cushion covers with your child’s favourite cartoon characters or the latest animated movie heroes. Changing them as your child’s tastes change over time is easy and not too damaging for your wallet either.
Read more:
How to Design Your Teenage Son’s Bedroom
8 Storage Solutions for Shared Children’s Bedrooms
Tell us:
Do you have any more ideas about creating a room that grows with your kids? Share your ideas in the Comments section below.
Now, this is where you can go all out on those cute and vibrant products designed especially for kids. As you have neutral walls and standard furniture, it is through the soft furnishings that you can bring fun and whimsy to your kids’ spaces.
Get bed sheets, curtains and cushion covers with your child’s favourite cartoon characters or the latest animated movie heroes. Changing them as your child’s tastes change over time is easy and not too damaging for your wallet either.
Read more:
How to Design Your Teenage Son’s Bedroom
8 Storage Solutions for Shared Children’s Bedrooms
Tell us:
Do you have any more ideas about creating a room that grows with your kids? Share your ideas in the Comments section below.
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Do not follow the whole blue-is-for-boys and pink-is-for-girls thing. Keep the wall colours neutral; this way you save yourself the huge task of repainting walls later. “I would recommend keeping elements such as the flooring and wall colour as neutral as possible and play around with the soft furnishings in the room,” says Rohit Kapoor, Creative Head of Nivasa.