Children's bedrooms

I think, in truth, children’s bedrooms tend to stump people. They are a difficult space to design because they usually have to contain a lot of stuff, the likes and dislikes of our kids change as they grow, (one minute unicorns are the thing, the next, they are not!), and I think people tend to go with what is safe or be tempted by the pink for girls, blue for boys thing which outdates a room in minutes and which I have never bought into. I tend to source things from lots of different shops that are not exclusively for children’s bedrooms and buy new and second-hand (particularly for those choice pieces of furniture).

I have three children, and their rooms have evolved over time. I try to keep the shell of the room pared back and simple with solid furniture that will stand the test of time. I talk to my kids about what they would like and have ideas for them to look at so I know what they like now. The key changes over time are usually in bedding, accessories, like cushions and rugs and moveable storage.  I take time to choose a few select toys or ornaments with my kids that will reflect their personality in the room and make sure there are areas to display these items. They can also be changed as often as needed.  So, for my teenage daughter, at the moment, that is lots of plants and framed prints and photos, for my 12 year old son, Lego builds and his drawings of Manga characters and for my 10 year old daughter, it is anything space-related. I know that as they get older this will change but it is easier to do that than re-designing the room entirely.

Storage is the key, of course, and as they get older, they have less stuff for sure. Cupboards and shelving mixed in with storage tubs and boxes or trunks means that the mess can be cleared away easily at the end of the day and retrieved when the activity starts the next day.

So, talk to your children, get them on board, throw stereotypes out of the window and choose simple colour schemes that will last. Be bold and imaginative, just like your kids!

A few companies who are always inspiring on this front are Ferm Living fermliving.com, Little Baby Co. littlebabycompany.com, Petit and Small petitandsmall.com and Anthropologie UK anthropologie.com/en-gb/