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9 Stylish and Practical Bedrooms for Growing Children
It should be multifunctional, flexible, futureproof and fun, but how best to create the ultimate youthful bedroom?
Sleep space, refuge, workstation, gallery, meeting point – the list of requirements for a bedroom that will grow with your young one can be long. Don’t be daunted, though – get ideas from some of these smart designs.
Break the rules
There are conventions when it comes to laying out a room that it can be useful to bend in order to make the best use of available space.
For example, where a fireplace is not in use, consider using the chimney breast as a spot for furniture instead. It may feel like sacrilege, but see it as a child-pleasing temporary measure. Rather than ripping out an original feature, you could cover it with a panel or simply place furniture in front of it. The trick is to echo the original purpose – here with a low cabinet and large ‘mantelpiece’ mirror above.
This, the under-bed storage and a chest of drawers help to free up the shelves for an evolving display of special objects or photos – so important for developing personalities.
Find the right contractor for your project by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
There are conventions when it comes to laying out a room that it can be useful to bend in order to make the best use of available space.
For example, where a fireplace is not in use, consider using the chimney breast as a spot for furniture instead. It may feel like sacrilege, but see it as a child-pleasing temporary measure. Rather than ripping out an original feature, you could cover it with a panel or simply place furniture in front of it. The trick is to echo the original purpose – here with a low cabinet and large ‘mantelpiece’ mirror above.
This, the under-bed storage and a chest of drawers help to free up the shelves for an evolving display of special objects or photos – so important for developing personalities.
Find the right contractor for your project by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Make use of a nook
As children grow, so will their need for a good homework desk. If there isn’t the space for a decent-sized freestanding one, look around for the potential to build something in.
Chimney breast alcoves have the benefit of a clear stretch of wall above for bookshelves, but even awkward crannies can be put to work, like this one beneath a sloping ceiling made functional by es em design.
Have it designed by a cabinet-maker or interior designer to get the best from the space.
As children grow, so will their need for a good homework desk. If there isn’t the space for a decent-sized freestanding one, look around for the potential to build something in.
Chimney breast alcoves have the benefit of a clear stretch of wall above for bookshelves, but even awkward crannies can be put to work, like this one beneath a sloping ceiling made functional by es em design.
Have it designed by a cabinet-maker or interior designer to get the best from the space.
Let them lounge
Does your growing child’s or teen’s room include spots for sitting around to chew the fat with friends? That chair you put in their baby room for nursing or reading bedtime stories may need upgrading to seating that will accommodate at least two pals if you can squeeze it in.
Here, alongside a dinky sofa, a compact floor cushion creates an extra perch. If you have less space still, gather your home’s surplus cushions – perhaps giving them new covers or dyeing old ones so they feel new – and use them to give a daybed feel to a regular bed.
Does your growing child’s or teen’s room include spots for sitting around to chew the fat with friends? That chair you put in their baby room for nursing or reading bedtime stories may need upgrading to seating that will accommodate at least two pals if you can squeeze it in.
Here, alongside a dinky sofa, a compact floor cushion creates an extra perch. If you have less space still, gather your home’s surplus cushions – perhaps giving them new covers or dyeing old ones so they feel new – and use them to give a daybed feel to a regular bed.
Aim high
When you’re out of floor space, look up and consider whether the room is tall enough for a mezzanine. This built-in sleeping platform would last a child into and beyond their teens and a space like this has the potential to significantly boost the size of a room – useful if a small former nursery has to evolve beyond toddlerhood.
Full-height, vertical wooden slats let in plenty of light while providing a safe sleep space. Be aware that a construction of this sort is likely to need approval by your local Building Control department.
When you’re out of floor space, look up and consider whether the room is tall enough for a mezzanine. This built-in sleeping platform would last a child into and beyond their teens and a space like this has the potential to significantly boost the size of a room – useful if a small former nursery has to evolve beyond toddlerhood.
Full-height, vertical wooden slats let in plenty of light while providing a safe sleep space. Be aware that a construction of this sort is likely to need approval by your local Building Control department.
Pin it up
A giant pinboard is a great way to let children reflect their ever-changing interests in a flexible way. Go custom-made to best enhance the room’s proportions (here, the full-width board visually extends the bed below).
You could leave it au naturel, as here, paint it to match the wall behind, cork and all, or go for fun fluoro paint. If you opt for something bespoke, a picture framing shop should be able to help. Choose a deep frame to ‘contain’ the contents of the board, so it doesn’t overwhelm by feeling as if it’s bursting off the cork.
A giant pinboard is a great way to let children reflect their ever-changing interests in a flexible way. Go custom-made to best enhance the room’s proportions (here, the full-width board visually extends the bed below).
You could leave it au naturel, as here, paint it to match the wall behind, cork and all, or go for fun fluoro paint. If you opt for something bespoke, a picture framing shop should be able to help. Choose a deep frame to ‘contain’ the contents of the board, so it doesn’t overwhelm by feeling as if it’s bursting off the cork.
Oh, and if you were wondering what was behind that tiny sliding door, check out this cool and pleasingly private nook – a great use of space thanks to interior designer Victoria Covell.
Give them (wall) space
Self-expression is a developmental urge – indulge it by providing plenty of ‘gallery’ space for your child to show off artwork or create inspiring moodboards and collages.
Here, rather than alcoves filled with shelves, there’s plenty of room around Alex Findlater‘s bespoke joinery. The room is in a Regency end of terrace and the design cleverly combines modern features and colours with lovely period details.
Find a carpenter or joiner near you.
Self-expression is a developmental urge – indulge it by providing plenty of ‘gallery’ space for your child to show off artwork or create inspiring moodboards and collages.
Here, rather than alcoves filled with shelves, there’s plenty of room around Alex Findlater‘s bespoke joinery. The room is in a Regency end of terrace and the design cleverly combines modern features and colours with lovely period details.
Find a carpenter or joiner near you.
Boost a bunk
Bunk beds are brilliant, but for something that ticks a bundle of boxes, consider going bespoke. This unit, designed by at-studio, has it all: two double beds, bookshelves, display areas for pictures and knick-knacks, drawer storage, plus steps that work hard as yet more open shelving (out of sight on the right-hand side) and somewhere to sit.
A cabinet-maker or interior designer would be able to draw up something to fit the space perfectly.
You might also enjoy Everything You Need to Know About Hiring a Cabinet-maker.
Bunk beds are brilliant, but for something that ticks a bundle of boxes, consider going bespoke. This unit, designed by at-studio, has it all: two double beds, bookshelves, display areas for pictures and knick-knacks, drawer storage, plus steps that work hard as yet more open shelving (out of sight on the right-hand side) and somewhere to sit.
A cabinet-maker or interior designer would be able to draw up something to fit the space perfectly.
You might also enjoy Everything You Need to Know About Hiring a Cabinet-maker.
Split the difference
This visually discreet room divider could be a great solution for children of different ages or genders who like to share some space, some of the time.
A full-height bifold screen, like this one created by Eicker Design, is one idea. Painted to match the walls, it melts into the background – handy in a visually busy space. Less architecturally, consider ceiling-mounted curtain tracks or even a portable folding screen.
Tell us…
Have any of these projects inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
This visually discreet room divider could be a great solution for children of different ages or genders who like to share some space, some of the time.
A full-height bifold screen, like this one created by Eicker Design, is one idea. Painted to match the walls, it melts into the background – handy in a visually busy space. Less architecturally, consider ceiling-mounted curtain tracks or even a portable folding screen.
Tell us…
Have any of these projects inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Sponsored
If you’re planning a loft extension or complete renovation, this bespoke bedroom in a petite ex-local authority house, designed by George Bradley of Bradley Van Der Straeten, may inspire.
It was designed around its young occupant (pictured), but with many futureproof features. The bed is large; the shallow wall storage is perfect for displaying colourful toys, treasured collections or framed images; there’s storage galore, and George has included a cosy seating/playing/daybed nook tucked into a corner. There’s also heaps of natural light. The glass wall ‘viewing panel’ can be covered with a curtain down the line.
Explore more of this creative extension.