Kids’ Rooms: 12 Ways to Future-proof Your Child’s Bedroom
Children go from toddler to teen in a flash, so make sure their décor can evolve, too, for a bedroom they’ll love for years
‘Children grow up so quickly’ is an idiom that’s bandied about from maternity wards to graduation ceremonies. And it’s true. In a whirl of birthdays, Christmases, childhood milestones and endless trips to charity shops to drop off yet another bag of outgrown clothes, your toddler will have transformed into a fully fledged teen. So how do you keep up? And how do you create a versatile space now that can also change with them without having to constantly be revamped? Your best bet is to stick to furniture that can multi-task and be repurposed at a later date, or to choose timeless pieces that will last. Here are some ‘now’ and ‘later’ bedroom ideas to help get you started.
Source vintage storage for young and old
Who says all storage has to be hidden away? There are plenty of novel ways to keep your things out of the way but not completely out of sight.
NOW Try using old steamer trunks or vintage suitcases, such as these, for stashing away toys or odds and ends.
MUCH LATER Suitcases are also very handy for when you encourage your youngsters to finally leave the nest.
Who says all storage has to be hidden away? There are plenty of novel ways to keep your things out of the way but not completely out of sight.
NOW Try using old steamer trunks or vintage suitcases, such as these, for stashing away toys or odds and ends.
MUCH LATER Suitcases are also very handy for when you encourage your youngsters to finally leave the nest.
Find a comfy chair for two
You might have purchased an upholstered chair for nursing your baby, or even inherited one from your parents and hate to see it go. Either way, a well-loved, even worn, chair that is wide enough to squeeze in two (you and your child) has many benefits.
NOW Add a classic armchair that won’t date, like the leather one pictured, or even splurge on an Eames-style lounge chair and ottoman. It will quickly become a favourite place for sharing bedtime stories.
LATER The chair can later become an essential homework spot for reading through a Shakespeare play or two.
You might have purchased an upholstered chair for nursing your baby, or even inherited one from your parents and hate to see it go. Either way, a well-loved, even worn, chair that is wide enough to squeeze in two (you and your child) has many benefits.
NOW Add a classic armchair that won’t date, like the leather one pictured, or even splurge on an Eames-style lounge chair and ottoman. It will quickly become a favourite place for sharing bedtime stories.
LATER The chair can later become an essential homework spot for reading through a Shakespeare play or two.
Frame pictures you can swap later
There’s a reason why hanging pictures is an ageless decorating tool: it adds an instant display quality.
NOW Decorate the room with images that will inspire an enquiring mind. Hunt down an inspirational print or even frame that cross-stitch your great aunt embroidered for the baby.
LATER The beauty of framed prints is that they can change with your child. Eventually your baby will turn into a teen, but by keeping the frames and replacing the prints with posters they have chosen themselves, or certificates they’ve been awarded, you’ll encourage happy memories associated with the original frames to linger.
There’s a reason why hanging pictures is an ageless decorating tool: it adds an instant display quality.
NOW Decorate the room with images that will inspire an enquiring mind. Hunt down an inspirational print or even frame that cross-stitch your great aunt embroidered for the baby.
LATER The beauty of framed prints is that they can change with your child. Eventually your baby will turn into a teen, but by keeping the frames and replacing the prints with posters they have chosen themselves, or certificates they’ve been awarded, you’ll encourage happy memories associated with the original frames to linger.
Invest in a trundle
Children love to have friends over, so having a bed to offer come any last-minute sleepovers will save you the time and inconvenience that goes into gathering up sofa cushions to fashion a bed on the floor.
NOW Rather than accumulating dust or becoming a haven for lost Lego pieces, make your under-bed space work for you with a pull-out trundle. These days trundles often come with collapsible legs, so you can lift them up to bed height to make a large bed.
LATER This can become an instant guest room or you can replace the trundle with conventional under-bed storage.
Children love to have friends over, so having a bed to offer come any last-minute sleepovers will save you the time and inconvenience that goes into gathering up sofa cushions to fashion a bed on the floor.
NOW Rather than accumulating dust or becoming a haven for lost Lego pieces, make your under-bed space work for you with a pull-out trundle. These days trundles often come with collapsible legs, so you can lift them up to bed height to make a large bed.
LATER This can become an instant guest room or you can replace the trundle with conventional under-bed storage.
Find a secret space
Make use of nooks and crannies to hide or store things in. Kids like a bolthole and teens like somewhere to stash their stuff – in both cases, no parents are allowed.
NOW Most kids dream of a cubbyhole or secret spot to which they can escape. Whether it’s the spot under the stairs or a purpose-built loft, such as this one used for another bed, a secret space is the perfect place for playing or reading.
LATER This out-of-the-way elevated location can become storage for supersized items or even sports equipment not in regular use.
Make use of nooks and crannies to hide or store things in. Kids like a bolthole and teens like somewhere to stash their stuff – in both cases, no parents are allowed.
NOW Most kids dream of a cubbyhole or secret spot to which they can escape. Whether it’s the spot under the stairs or a purpose-built loft, such as this one used for another bed, a secret space is the perfect place for playing or reading.
LATER This out-of-the-way elevated location can become storage for supersized items or even sports equipment not in regular use.
Apply wall stickers
Decorate children’s rooms with temporary measures.
NOW One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to transform a room is to apply a wall sticker. They’re also a fantastic tool for renters as they won’t leave a mark and are reusable. This ‘purrfectly’ adorable wall sticker can be used on almost any smooth surface, including walls, doors, glass or furniture. There’s a bashful bear design, too.
LATER Simply peel away.
Sisi the Cat decal, Made of Sundays.
Decorate children’s rooms with temporary measures.
NOW One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to transform a room is to apply a wall sticker. They’re also a fantastic tool for renters as they won’t leave a mark and are reusable. This ‘purrfectly’ adorable wall sticker can be used on almost any smooth surface, including walls, doors, glass or furniture. There’s a bashful bear design, too.
LATER Simply peel away.
Sisi the Cat decal, Made of Sundays.
Support hidden artistic talents
Let your children express themselves artistically.
NOW Consider including a full-sized chalkboard wall for your kids.
LATER Rather than returning the wall to a neutral colour, hand the brushes over to your teen for changeable murals.
Discover more ways to create quirky feature walls
Let your children express themselves artistically.
NOW Consider including a full-sized chalkboard wall for your kids.
LATER Rather than returning the wall to a neutral colour, hand the brushes over to your teen for changeable murals.
Discover more ways to create quirky feature walls
Re-think and repurpose a built-in wardrobe
Kids are inherently creative, but their art projects shouldn’t take over the whole room. A built-in wardrobe can be transformed into a craft corner or a study nook.
NOW Keep all the craft clutter in one place. Artworks-in-progress by your budding artist can be left out on the desk and hidden behind clever concertina doors.
LATER With little effort, this can be an ideal study space for older kids.
Kids are inherently creative, but their art projects shouldn’t take over the whole room. A built-in wardrobe can be transformed into a craft corner or a study nook.
NOW Keep all the craft clutter in one place. Artworks-in-progress by your budding artist can be left out on the desk and hidden behind clever concertina doors.
LATER With little effort, this can be an ideal study space for older kids.
Paint a geometric mural
Geometric patterns can work wonders in a bedroom for any age group.
NOW Keep the paint scheme simple to allow a feature wall to take centre stage. Whether it’s a geometric wallpaper or your own design, you can cater to the look you’re after.
LATER Let this wall work as a bedhead for a teen’s retreat.
Geometric patterns can work wonders in a bedroom for any age group.
NOW Keep the paint scheme simple to allow a feature wall to take centre stage. Whether it’s a geometric wallpaper or your own design, you can cater to the look you’re after.
LATER Let this wall work as a bedhead for a teen’s retreat.
Purchase multi-tasking furniture
Don’t let short-sightedness stop you from making big purchases your kids need now, but do try to choose ones that will also work as they age.
NOW Bunk beds are a quintessential part of childhood. They make saying ‘yes’ to sleepovers easier – the beds are already there and the kids won’t have to camp in the living room where you’re planning to unwind.
LATER Save on coveted floor space with a multipurpose piece that can double as a study desk.
See how you can turn your spare bedroom into a multi-tasking space
Don’t let short-sightedness stop you from making big purchases your kids need now, but do try to choose ones that will also work as they age.
NOW Bunk beds are a quintessential part of childhood. They make saying ‘yes’ to sleepovers easier – the beds are already there and the kids won’t have to camp in the living room where you’re planning to unwind.
LATER Save on coveted floor space with a multipurpose piece that can double as a study desk.
See how you can turn your spare bedroom into a multi-tasking space
Reboot with colour
A coat of paint in kiddy colours can easily be painted over when the time comes to update furniture.
NOW Hit the charity shop for vintage finds like this wooden dresser. Theme it to your child’s room to add a splash of colour.
LATER A quick coat of paint or a weekend restoration project can update this piece for a changing palette.
TELL US…
Have you updated your children’s rooms? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
A coat of paint in kiddy colours can easily be painted over when the time comes to update furniture.
NOW Hit the charity shop for vintage finds like this wooden dresser. Theme it to your child’s room to add a splash of colour.
LATER A quick coat of paint or a weekend restoration project can update this piece for a changing palette.
TELL US…
Have you updated your children’s rooms? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
Toys have a magic way of doubling in number, and seemingly overnight. Store them away in a niche or nook you can later use for another purpose.
NOW One great solution to keep them under control is to put storage bins in a niche, built-in alcove or corner of a room that has been designated a dumping ground – see here a set of simple Scandinavian-inspired timber toy boxes. At the end of play, just scoop the mess up and hey presto, gone.
LATER Remove the boxes and the recess makes the perfect nook for a teenager’s study desk.