Kids’ Rooms: Future-proof Your Child’s Space
Create a room that’s fun but flexible, colourful but classy, with these stylish ideas that will grow with your child
Kids grow up fast and, as they speed from tot to teenager, their rooms need to evolve with them. Unless you have deep pockets, you won’t want to redecorate each time they pass another milestone or embrace a new pastime. Instead, when choosing designs and details, think flexible, fun and future-proof for a room your child will love at every age and stage.
Include vintage pieces
Remember, a child’s bedroom doesn’t need to be furnished with specially designed pieces. Instead, choose furniture you would happily use in any room, so the space melds with your home’s wider aesthetic. Vintage pieces add timeless personality and anchor a kid’s scheme brilliantly.
Remember, a child’s bedroom doesn’t need to be furnished with specially designed pieces. Instead, choose furniture you would happily use in any room, so the space melds with your home’s wider aesthetic. Vintage pieces add timeless personality and anchor a kid’s scheme brilliantly.
Big up a blackboard
Blackboard paint turns a wall into an interactive surface, cheaply and quickly. Use it on just one wall, to prevent the space feeling too dark, and it will play host to everything from a toddler’s first scrawls to a teenager’s school timetable.
Explore 10 ways to use blackboard paint in your home
Blackboard paint turns a wall into an interactive surface, cheaply and quickly. Use it on just one wall, to prevent the space feeling too dark, and it will play host to everything from a toddler’s first scrawls to a teenager’s school timetable.
Explore 10 ways to use blackboard paint in your home
Captivate with a world map
A map of the world is a classic addition to any kid’s room. The colours appeal to very young tastes, while a growing child can plot countries he or she has visited or read about. For maximum impact, choose a large-scale map that functions as wallpaper as well as art.
A map of the world is a classic addition to any kid’s room. The colours appeal to very young tastes, while a growing child can plot countries he or she has visited or read about. For maximum impact, choose a large-scale map that functions as wallpaper as well as art.
Mute your colours
Candy pinks and pastel blues might work in a young child’s room, but kids can tire of these shades faster than they need new shoes. So instead, plunder the dusky end of the same palette and seek out muted pinks, faded blues and sludgy greys and beiges, then punctuate with pops of bright colour through accessories.
Candy pinks and pastel blues might work in a young child’s room, but kids can tire of these shades faster than they need new shoes. So instead, plunder the dusky end of the same palette and seek out muted pinks, faded blues and sludgy greys and beiges, then punctuate with pops of bright colour through accessories.
Lay wood underfoot
Wooden flooring is a great won’t-date option. It’s more practical and durable than carpet, and its smooth surface is better suited to floor-based play, from building towers to drawing. Just throw down a rug or sheepskin to soften it up and create a place for kids to flop.
Wooden flooring is a great won’t-date option. It’s more practical and durable than carpet, and its smooth surface is better suited to floor-based play, from building towers to drawing. Just throw down a rug or sheepskin to soften it up and create a place for kids to flop.
Keep it low
Floor-level storage works for tiny tots, allowing them to access their books and toys easily. It’s safer, too – anyone who has seen a child scaling a tall bookcase will understand this! Low storage can be moved around to zone a space and, once toddlers become tweenies, can be topped off with simple cushions to create a relaxed seating area.
Floor-level storage works for tiny tots, allowing them to access their books and toys easily. It’s safer, too – anyone who has seen a child scaling a tall bookcase will understand this! Low storage can be moved around to zone a space and, once toddlers become tweenies, can be topped off with simple cushions to create a relaxed seating area.
Show off books
Shelves that allow you to display books with their covers facing forwards are ideal for young children, helping them to spot their favourite stories easily. As your child grows, these shelves can be used to display reference books, framed pictures or certificates.
Shelves that allow you to display books with their covers facing forwards are ideal for young children, helping them to spot their favourite stories easily. As your child grows, these shelves can be used to display reference books, framed pictures or certificates.
Use walls as display space
When young, children love to hang their artwork, but as they grow older, they may prefer to pin up photos, party invites, postcards or fliers. Here, pictures have been informally taped to the wall, but you could hang a cork board or paint a section of wall with magnetic paint.
Be inspired by eclectic wall displays
When young, children love to hang their artwork, but as they grow older, they may prefer to pin up photos, party invites, postcards or fliers. Here, pictures have been informally taped to the wall, but you could hang a cork board or paint a section of wall with magnetic paint.
Be inspired by eclectic wall displays
Decorate with stickers
Stickers are fun and flexible. They are easy to put up and just as simple to take down, so they can be embellished, shifted or removed as your child grows. Stickers are also a perfect way to pretty-up a rental property, where hanging pictures may not be permitted.
Do you have kids at home? How do you keep their rooms timeless? Share your tips in the Comments.
Stickers are fun and flexible. They are easy to put up and just as simple to take down, so they can be embellished, shifted or removed as your child grows. Stickers are also a perfect way to pretty-up a rental property, where hanging pictures may not be permitted.
Do you have kids at home? How do you keep their rooms timeless? Share your tips in the Comments.
Prints and patterns add a playful feel to a kid’s room, but when picking something that can’t easily be changed, such as wallpaper or curtain fabric, steer clear of designs that could date. Fictional characters, girlie florals or cute ice-cream shades may be your child’s taste now, but for real longevity, choose graphic or geometric designs in bold colours.