As an adult designing for children, it’s really easy to project – to imagine that they’ll be happy with the same things that made you happy as a child. In fact, children usually have definite ideas of their own about what they want, whether or not they feel able to articulate them. When you’ve been trying to create perfect bedrooms for your children, invite them to be part of the creative process and make it clear that you’re willing to listen. Some of their suggestions will likely be impractical, but you can come up with designs that work for everyone by working together.
Key considerations
No matter what theme you’re exploring in your child’s room, there are some key issues that you’ll need to take into account. First and foremost, you’ll need to make sure that it’s safe. That means choosing fabrics that won’t burn easily in the event of a fire and won’t leach out toxic chemicals if younger children chew them. It means making sure that wiring is safe and small children can’t poke their fingers into anything dangerous or pull lamps down on themselves. Large or heavy pieces of furniture need to be carefully secured, taking into account that children will often decide to climb on them. You’ll also need to think about clutter, aiming to provide plenty of storage to avoid creating spaces where favorite toys can get lost or stuck. You’ll need to make sure that the whole room is easy to clean. Bleachable carpets are a good idea, as are paints and wallpapers designed to be sponged clean if a child draws on them.
Fairy tale fantasy bedrooms
Most younger children love fairy stories. Many never grow out of them or graduate quickly to fantasy books and TV series. Buying a four-poster bed or a bed that’s shaped like a castle can make every bedtime feel like an adventure. Painting fields, forests, mountains, or fantasy creatures on the walls is an easy way to enhance the theme. If you use shutters on the windows, you can paint on those too, and on the door, creating a 360º landscape. Add a dragon mobile for an extra thrill and remember that glittery paint and sparkles make everything more magical.
Superhero bedrooms
Superhero themes are a great fit with the kind of bright colors that children naturally love. Using metallic paints for trim adds to the effect. As well as using superhero merchandise to decorate, you can easily paint superhero logos onto pieces of furniture or make themed cushions and beanbags. Those simple designs are easy to replicate. If your child’s favorite superhero has a special car, you can buy a car-shaped bed and paint it to match. Simple tube lights and lava lamps can make a room look like a secret lab once the main light is turned off.
Sports-themed bedrooms
If your child is passionate about a particular sports team, then you will usually find plenty of merchandise you can buy to help you decorate, but this can get very expensive. There are more straightforward ways to establish the theme, such as painting walls or furniture in team colors and stenciling team logos. Simple additions like pull-up bars, junior punch bags, or basketball hoops (with a soft foam ball) encourage kids to see exercise as part of casual day-to-day play. If your child has talent, it’s never too early to set up a trophy cabinet – you can always keep toys in it in the meantime.
Small adult bedrooms
Sometimes what kids want most is to feel like adults, but in a way that still gives them access to their favorite toys and hobby materials. Cabin beds are great for this because they open up space and provide a desk for doing homework or working on personal projects. Stripes are an excellent way to add a formal touch to a room without depriving it of color, and blinds look more formal than drapes. A filing cabinet not only makes a room look smart but provides storage space for all the small items and ornaments they have accumulated and no longer want to display but still want to hang onto.
When a child is involved in designing a room, the result feels personal. It’s fun to show off to friends and a cool place to spend time. Often it’s the smaller touches that make the biggest difference. Colored lighting can change the mood, and a chalkboard or notice board makes it easy for them to keep the space up to date. The bedroom is the center of your child’s world, so it’s well worth the effort to make it unique.
