When designing your child's bedroom, creativity is the key. Whether it's for a single child or a pair of siblings, there are a lot of different ways to design a kid-friendly environment that's fun, practical and comfortable.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Walls
You can paint the room in colors that are either bold and bright or stylishly subdued. Or choose themed wall coverings (or decals) that reflect the child's interests, such as a favorite fictional character, fantasy settings or real-life activities like sports, music, dance or art. Another variation is to use a special paint that can double as a washable canvas – a larger-than-life greenboard or white surface that invites scribbles, doodles and drawings with crayons or dry erase markers. If regular paint or wallcovering treatments are too permanent or conventional for you, consider draping bolts of fabric – solid or patterned – floor to ceiling. To hang the fabric, use drapery rods, sturdy tacks or a staple gun. An added advantage to this treatment is the ability to pin things to the fabric without damaging the wall itself.
Sleeping arrangements
For a room shared by two siblings, choices include going vertical with bunk beds, or placing twin beds side by side or in opposite corners of the room. If privacy is a concern, the space can be partitioned off using bookcases, shelves, desks, dressers, cabinets, curtains or even folding screens or partitions decorated according to the children's tastes. Keep safety in mind, however, when using large dressers and bookcases. Some pieces of furniture can become top-heavy, requiring the units to be attached securely to a wall to avoid toppling.
Arwood's Furniture offers creative ideas for furnishing your first big kids bedroom.Don't assume, however, that a shared bedroom means matching bedding or furniture. As writer Michelle Ullman points out in The Spruce, siblings can have different tastes, so stay open to the expression of individual styles through bedspreads, bedside lamps or artwork.
Places for clothes and toys
Conventional closets can usually handle some children's belongings, but not all. A wide range of other storage solutions are available to handle the rest, such as chests and dressers and built-in drawers under bunk beds, as well as bins, baskets and cubbies.
Lamps, lighting and window treatments
Natural daylight can provide illumination for part of the day, but you'll need lamps for evening hours, when the kids are doing homework or engaged in other activities. There is a large variety of lighting products to choose from, both traditional and kid-specific, along with avant-garde decorator styles. Another possibility is creative accent lighting – like string lights of all shapes and sizes, paper lanterns, spotlights and projectable patterns such as stars and constellations. Task lights such as clip-on book lights or gooseneck lamps are an additional option.
When it comes to window treatments, another universe of choices awaits. As with wall coverings, you can take the conventional approach, using blinds, drapes and curtains, or you can explore artistic variations like bolts of fabric, netting and other materials.
Get the kids involved
Last but not least, if at all possible ask for your children's input at every stage in the process. As Mommybites suggests, it's helpful to foster their sense of independence by inviting them to participate in the choice of paint colors, or selecting the bed or bed coverings. As they grow up, having a say in their room decor can be one of the first steps in giving them the confidence for successfully making life decisions in the future.
If you're furnishing or redecorating your kids room, head to Arwood's Furniture and Mattress! Family-owned and operated, Arwood's has the largest selection of Missouri furniture. Our knowledgeable staff can help you find the best products for your needs and budget.
