5 Steps to a Charming Child’s Bedroom
Designing a room for your child can be a great opportunity to show your creativity, but it also presents some unique challenges. Children’s rooms should express the child’s interests while also blending with the rest of the house. If you’re having trouble finding the right balance, consider these suggestions.
1. Use multi-purpose furniture
For a growing child, it’s important to decorate with flexibility in mind. A crib that can convert to a youth bed is a smart choice. It’s not a bad idea to add a small desk, either. Your child will appreciate having a place to draw, and later, the workspace can be updated to a teen work desk.
2. Plan ahead for lighting
Lighting is important in every room, but a child’s room should be especially well-lit. You can fill the room with light using a pendant light or a cute chandelier that completes the room’s theme. A reading light beside the bed or a favorite chair is a must.
3. Weigh your flooring options
While carpet is comfortable and absorbs noise, it’s also harder to clean in case of messes. Hardwood is easy to clean but doesn’t insulate noise or soften falls. A good compromise is hardwood flooring with plush rugs. Don’t forget to put a pad underneath the rug to prevent slippage.
4. Approach theming in a balanced way
While your dinosaur-obsessed toddler may love to see dinosaurs throughout the room, he or she might outgrow the phase. A suggested middle ground might be to use simple and flexible furnishings while placing a few themed accents around the room.
5. Choose paint color carefully
It’s tempting to paint the room in pink or blue, but gender-neutral colors like green and yellow are becoming more popular as well. Also, keep in mind that color has a psychological effect and can be either calming or energizing. Try painting the walls in a light wall color and reserving stronger colors for the accessories and furnishings.
By choosing timeless furnishings and colors, and a few personal touches to express your child’s interests, you can create a beautiful room your child will always remember fondly.
Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) member, leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Visit chambersinteriors.com/blog for more design advice.
