Cool Kids’ Sleep Zones for Tots, Teens and In-Betweens

Sponsored Content

It always seems like a great idea at the time – creating an adorable room with everything a baby or toddler could want – but snap your fingers and your fast-growing little one is suddenly declaring that the racing car bed they once adored is no longer cool or the pretty-in-pink princesses adorning the walls are “for babies.” Aim to please, by all means, but not at the expense of your hip pocket in a few years’ time.

These savvy ideas from Snooze, leading experts in bedroom design, will help you create a room your child will love both now and the future.

Snooze

Choose Age-Adaptable Furniture and Furnishings

Choose neutral, sturdy furniture that’s robust enough to look good through the years. For instance, choose a versatile bed that will work well with bed linen of every colour and style. Also consider easy-access bedside storage, a desk your child won’t soon outgrow, or a tallboy that kids can open and close themselves from the start.

Future proof. Don’t forget that your kids’ friends will become more important to them over time – a trundle or bunk bed for sleepovers will make invites a no-fuss proposition. Keep in mind that your little child will become a lanky teenager before you know it. If their room is big enough, a king-single bed that’s both wider and longer than a standard single is a wise choice.

Snooze

Agree on a Style Together

If your son or daughter has outgrown their room, work together to come up with a look that will go the distance. They may be into a particular TV character, colour or sport right now, but chances are their obsession will be short-lived; it’s far better to go for classic patterns, accessories and colours they’ll like just as much 10 years down the track as they do now. Don’t veer away from a room with sophisticated decor – your child will soon make it their own with belongings appropriate to their age.

See and touch. It can be difficult for a child to imagine what their room will look like if they don’t see it in person, no matter what lengths you go to to ‘sell’ a particular colour or style. Visit a showroom so they can visualise their revamped room, or even sit down in front of the computer together and browse beautiful (or edgy) bedrooms online – you’ll soon agree on a look that fits the bill.

Snooze

Build in Some Freedom

The real secret to success when designing a kids’ room to last is giving kids plenty of freedom to make the space their own. Open shelving provides surfaces to put favourite things on display, and why not allow your child to choose easily replaceable items such as lamps, light shades or bedding? Choose inexpensive frames to display photos, DIY art, or heart-throb of the moment – they can quickly be swapped in and out when tastes (or best friends) change.

Personal expression. The bedroom is the one room in the house kids can truly call their own, so work to make it feel like a welcoming retreat that reflects who they really are – whether sporty, creative, studious or dramatic. A pin-up board allows kids to personalise their room to their heart’s content with all the things that matter most to them at the time. Simply cover a plain cork board (the bigger the better) with fabric in keeping with the room, supply plenty of finger-friendly push pins, and leave them to it – talk about a window into their world!

Snooze

Don’t Forget the Fun Factor!

You’re only a kid once so why not help yours make the most of it? Smile-inducing fun can be injected into their bedroom in all manner of ways. Take this playful twin bedroom scheme, created by stylist Melissa Tonkin for example: here, fun cushions, quirky lamps, funky removable wall decals, colourful wall hangings, a teepee and more help to make it as fun a kids’ scheme as can be.

Play time. It doesn’t matter how old your child is – tot, tween or teen – happy childhood memories are often about the fun kids had at home with and without their siblings, parents or friends. Upping the fun factor doesn’t have to be complicated – all it takes is a tepee made cosy with blankets and cushions for reading, play acting or hanging out; a dress-up box full of crazy hats, clothes and face paint for family productions; or a hammock or hanging chair all their own.

This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.