In our new design studio series, our resident interior design expert, Edward Thomas Interiors, shares styling hints and tips for specific rooms. With the summer holidays approaching, the firm’s Senior Client Account Manager, Megan Doherty, offers her advice for creating playful (and practical!) children’s bedrooms…
Where do I start designing a child’s bedroom?
Children’s bedrooms typically tend to be the smallest room in a home, but they can still be memorable and somewhere to enjoy spending time. Themes are a fantastic way to achieve this. Draw inspiration from local landmarks or popular culture, for instance well-known subjects like Paddington Bear, Barbie or Lego; or pick a broad topic such as a zoo, farmyard or space theme and build around this. One of our favourite eye-catching features is the bed; we’ve made these in the shape of pirate ships, camper vans, tents, even a London bus!
If you need to save space, twin bedroom arrangements can look amazing. For siblings, it can be a wonderful way of encouraging play, but this versatile set-up also means you have room for sleepovers or perhaps space for visiting nieces and nephews. Themes work superbly in twin bedrooms but they can be equally imaginative with simpler styling such as a painted ceiling, wall stickers or block-painted panels or shapes.
One thought to remember when designing children’s rooms is that their tastes change very quickly, so think about how styles might evolve. For instance, in many of our themed bedrooms, we use hand-painted murals. While these can be really striking and make a fantastic focal point, they can just as easily be removed by repainting or wallpapering.
What about storage?
It’s easy to get carried away with a theme and forget that designs need to be practical as well as playful. Children’s bedrooms need essential furniture; a bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, but these can all be multi-functional so there’s space for clothes as well as toys and games. Baskets, storage cubes and stacking boxes (in different configurations and sizes) are also great options. Not only are these easy for children to get things out of (and put them away again afterwards!) but they can be moved around really easily.
If floor space is limited, then don’t overlook walls, doors and the ceiling. Consider floating shelves, hooks, pegboards and over-the-door storage. The latter is especially useful for shoes, socks and toys and can be adjustable so children can reach. One of my favourite storage options, though, is a ceiling or wall hammock. This is a great place for soft toys and makes a real statement in a bedroom with a jungle or under-the-sea theme as it looks like the animals are in a net or the treetops!
I’m about to have a newborn, what are your tips for nursery design?
Think about your furniture first. At the very least you’ll need a crib, nursing chair, changing table and plenty of storage. Ideally, you want to create “zones” in the room too, so somewhere to sleep, change and play, and make sure these are easily accessible.
In terms of colours, soothing and tranquil neutrals or pastels are always popular, and you can add personality with themes such as woodland, farmyard or the night sky. Wall decal stickers, or patterned wallpaper bands, are a great option for creating the zones I mentioned and can be easily changed as your little one grows up.
How can I include my children in the design process?
It’s likely many of the emotions you feel about buying your first home will be echoed by your children, with comfort and safety being top priorities. You want children to feel relaxed in their new surroundings. As well as the obvious action of asking children what they want their room to look like, there are some simple steps that can make a big difference.
Buy low-level or adjustable furniture, install reachable shelving, hang mirrors or pictures lower so children can see them. This will immediately make a child feel more at home.
Make sure there’s space for hobbies. So something like a small table and chairs where they can have tea parties, or maybe a reading corner, or arts and crafts bench. Lastly, don’t forget to have fun with it. Children’s bedrooms are just as much a sanctuary as adult ones, so let personalities be expressed and imaginations run wild!
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