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Once your child outgrows their nursery’s style, it’s time to create a big boy or girl’s room, but it can be difficult to know how to do that, especially if you want the space to see them through the years.
With that in mind, here are some of my top tips for creating a kids’ bedroom that will last the distance and be just as enjoyable for them when they’re 5 as it will be when they’re 15 (maybe with a few small tweaks in between)…
Ditch the gimmicky themes
There is nothing wrong with having a themed child’s room, but when they aw out of the toddler years and you want to create them a bedroom that will see them through the years, you should avoid in your face themes like bunnies and cartoon characters or car beds, and things like that and go for something more subtle like a floral theme or, if, for example, your kid loves trains, their favourite train colours, instead of wallpaper covered with actually trains. That way, as they grow and change, their room can evolve with them without you having to make too many tweaks to make that happen.
Choose practical functional pieces
It may be tempting to go all out buying furniture in the shape of a pony or tables made out of lego, but realistically how long will your child be thrilled by them? Of course, some kids maintain their young childhood interests for the rest of their lives, but many do not, and what they loved last week is of no interest to them this week.
That’s why, when it comes to furniture, it’s a good idea to choose practical. Functional pieces that are more akin to adult furniture than novelty pieces. That is not to say you can’t have fun with them – an easy way to do so would be to choose brightly coloured or patterned furniture – just make sure it will still be usable three, five, even ten years from now, and choose pieces that are solid, rather than typical flimsy childrens’ furniture so that it will last.
Choose multi-purpose furniture
While we’re on the subject of furniture, choosing pieces that are multi-purpose is always a good idea when you are decorating a children’s room, which may be smaller, and which will serve various functions. Fort example. Choosing a loft bed with a sofa underneath may not seem so important when your child is 5, but when they are 13 it will give them somewhere to chill out when they have friends over. Storage beds are also good for hiding away toys and giving kids more room to play in, but there are many other examples, and it all depends on what your child is likely to use the room for over the years, so have a think before you buy anything.
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Have fun with photo frames
Invest in a few photo frames from frames.co.uk and use them to add some fun to the walls instead of novelty wallpapers. While the kids are still young, you can fill the frames with their favourite carton characters, unicorns, tractors and that kind of thing -whatever your kid is into – and as you get older you can switch them out to include images of friends, family, achievements and events and whatever it is that will make them smile when they look up at the walls.
Consider carpet tiles
Carpet tiles are ideal for childrens’ rooms because kids are not exactly known for being the neatest. With carpet tiles. This doesn’t matter so much because, should they spill something and cause a stain, you can simply lift the tile(s) that have been affected and replace them without having to replace the whole carpet. Why not hardwood? When kids are young, falling down on a hardwood floor is more likely to hurt them than a soft carpet. Not only that, but kids can make a lot of noise running around in their bedrooms, so if you make sure their rooms are carpeted, you can muffle those little footsteps at least a bit.
Go bold with the bedding
You may want the walls and carpets to be a sensible furniture, but one way you can really go crazy and let your child’s personality shine through without it being a permanent thing is to go bold on the bedding front. Whether it’s Paw Patrol. Hello Kitty or some brilliant bright paisley pattern, you can really let your child have some control over their space by choosing their own sheets, duvet covers, cushions and pillows. These are often cheap, so it’s not too much of a stretch to switch them out every so often as interests change, and they will help to make it clear that your child’s room is a kids’ room, and that it is for them.
Buy baskets
Wicker baskets are an excellent storage solution for kids’ rooms. When they are younger, they can be used to store toys, cratons and things like that, and as they get older, they can be used for makeup, clothing, and whatever else your child may want to neatly secrete out of the way. The fact that they are sot makes them really safe for young kids, but they can be styled to look grown up in the Nordic tradition as the kids get older too.
Make it fun
Although you may want the room to look good no matter how old your child is, and you may want it to look good for years to come, at the end of the day, it is actually a child’s room, and you should inject some fun into it. Whether that means painting the drawers with blackboard paint (which you can remove and repaint as they get older) adding in a groovy lava lamp or whatever you think your child will love. You should absolutely not make it merely an extension of the rest of the house – let them have some fun.
I hope this helps you to transition your nursery space with more ease.
Laura x