A Room of one’s own by Amanda Edney
We can all relate to the desire to have a special room of one’s own and children are no different. Each child has a basic need for a personal space that is restful, quiet and safe whilst also fun, inspiring and organised. But as the child grows, it is important that the room also adapts to reflect the child’s changing needs and interests.
Amanda Edney shows that with good planning, it is possible to create a bedroom your child will love for years to come and is readily adaptable without great expense or unnecessary waste.
1. Give Them Space
Whatever their age, there can never be too much storage. The key is to buy buy versatile storage early on. Make shelving adjustable to grow with them and their changing collections. Most children’s rooms are not very large, and must serve a variety of functions. Therefore, it makes sense to have furniture that performs double duty, such as: headboards that also perform as bookcases; storage chests that double as steps; or toy chests that can double as seats. Hooks on doors and walls, baskets and underbed storage are of as much use to teenagers as they are to toddlers.
2. Choose Furniture To Last
Chosen carefully, furniture bought now could last until you send the kids off to college. For major bits of furniture, like beds and wardrobes, steer clear of children’s furniture that they will outgrow in a couple of years. Instead, invest in good solid wood or metal basics, which will grow with the child (and can easily be rubbed down and painted for a new look) – a single bed (daybeds are great for children of all ages), a large wardrobe, a generous chest of drawers and numerous shelves and storage systems. Furniture needs to be sturdy and tough, as it will get a lot of knocks over the years. Where budget is an issue, rather than buy cheap flatpack furniture, look for good quality second-hand items, which can be sanded down and painted. As well as saving money you will be helping the environment.
3. Be Flexible
Keep rooms flexible – don’t be afraid to change rooms around as your children’s needs change. A bedroom is so much more to a child than just a place to sleep, so in the absence of a seaprate playroom, consider giving them the largest bedroom. It’ll be worth it if they manage to keep most of their toys in there and not everywhere else in the house. Think about how you can re-use items of furniture/storage in different rooms: those plastic storage boxes which your daughter no longer needs for toys, could now be used in the garage; that old sofa you no longer want, could be great in a teenagers room with a throw and some new cushions to accommodate friends who drop round.
4. Keep The Scheme Neutral
Children often have a strong preference when it comes to a colour but you will have to redecorate if there’s any change in room allocations and in any case, it will not be long before it’s ‘so last year’! The easiest way to avoid this is to opt for a neutral backdrop and allow brightly coloured toys, pictures and soft furnishings to provide the colour theme. You can get fantastic bed linen, cushions and rugs for kids in cool designs and colours that won’t cost much to replace a year or three down the line. Removable stickers are an excellent way to bring in some interest andare easy to change. If your child really is set on brightly-coloured walls, however, limit your painting to one feature wall only as a compomise – much easier than the whole room to repaint when Johnny is fed up of navy blue or you want your room back!
5. Involve the child
Above all have fun! Planning and decorating your child's bedroom is a great project that both your and your child can get involved in together. It is important to find out what they want and let them get involved in planning and choosing how they would like their new room to look. One way to start is by getting them to draw you a picture of their perfect bedroom, and then letting them choose colours, themes, bedding and how they to display their toys or collectibles. This will make them feel proud of their room, (and they may be more likely to keep it tidy!) It can also help with the sometimes tricky process of settling into a new bedroom, when you move house.
Remember though - listen to what your child wants but interpret it loosely – kids change their minds in a heartbeat!