Little ones with big imaginations demand a fun space that’s perfect for both rest and relaxation. If you’re clever, the same space can gradually transform from toddler-friendly to teenage bolthole by keeping the walls relatively neutral and changing the bedding, art and toys as the years tick by.
Soothing sleep
A child’s bedroom is a place to dream, learn and grow. If this is your first foray into decorating for children, it’s wise to paint the nursery walls in a colour that looks great with either feminine or masculine colours. Stick to soothing tones, such as warm whites, soft greens or duck-egg blue. These colours all work well with lots of pink — or brightly coloured toy trucks and tractors. Navy walls are also a great foil for the joyous colours that little ones love, with the added benefit that this darkly dramatic hue transforms easily into a moody backdrop for a teenager’s bedroom.
It’s all in the prep
Prepare as much of the room as you can before your baby arrives as you won’t have much time for decorating afterwards. If you’re pregnant, it’s best to get started before you get too big to easily climb up and down ladders. Must-have furnishings include a cot or bassinette, wardrobe, chest of drawers, comfy chair for breastfeeding, somewhere to change nappies and curtains or blinds on all windows and glass doors — ideally blackout.
Go big on creativity
Don’t worry about whether your child’s bedroom works with the overall look and feel of your home. This is the one room where it doesn’t matter what vibe you go for. Experiment with colour and pattern. Team turquoise with yellow and pops of bright pink. Be a bit wacky. If bright orange wallpaper feels right, do it. Get in touch with your inner artist and paint a wall mural — you can always paint over it. Or set the scene with a vibrant wallpaper mural or decorative decals. There are no rules in a child’s room.
It’s all in the detail
Once you’ve got the basics sorted, add fun elements like mobiles, pictures, soft toys and wall hangings. As your child gets older, you’ll need to upgrade the cot to a bed. Look for versatile furniture that will adapt as your child’s needs change — some cots convert to beds, and there are bunks designed with a desk underneath. Bunks are also great for sleepover visitors, or you could consider the trundle bed option.
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Keep the circular economy going
A wall colour that acts as a neutral canvas will not require re-doing every few years. Each time your child reaches a significant milestone, send the toys, furniture and accessories they’ve outgrown to the op shop and replace them with pieces that are more appropriate to their new stage of life. Voilà! It will look like a new room.
Child-centered creative collaborations can work well
When your child is older and begins to assert their own personality, it’s a good idea to get them involved in the decorating process. Some children have a very clear idea of how they want their surroundings to look from an early age. Indulge them. This is your child’s domain and it should be a space where they feel completely comfortable and at ease. Whether it’s dolls and dress-ups, or racing cars and farm animals, tap into what excites them. Don’t stress about knocks and scrapes — being precious about the décor of a child’s room can stop kids from playing freely.
A place for everything
Invest in plenty of accessible storage and try not to clutter the room with too much furniture, as kids need floor space for games and a bit of rough-and-tumble. Keep costs down by buying pre-loved furniture and repainting it with non-toxic paint. A rug is a good idea, especially if you have wooden floors. Teach them to make their beds in the morning and tidy their toys away at the end of the day, then leave them to do their own thing.
In the teen zone
While young ones need some guidance, allow teenagers flexibility when it comes to redecorating their bedroom. Let them experiment and make mistakes — it’s their space, not yours. Older kids need a small homework desk or table. Once they hit their teenage years, you could introduce beanbags or a sofa or day bed so they can hang out with friends.
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Design details
Frame mementos, such as your baby’s newborn handprint or their first shoes and hang them on the wall.
Hang a mobile over the change table or cot. It’ll give your little one something interesting to look at.
Photographs, maps, postcards and your child’s artworks look great framed. Alternatively, peg the drawings and other decorative pieces to a line of string hung across the room.
A bedside lamp is useful, especially when children are old enough to read to themselves in bed.
Hang a mirror at your child’s eye height and do the same with shelving. You might want to add a high shelf for fragile treasures.
Bookshelves and cubby-hole units provide invaluable storage for toys, books and clutter.
Encourage children to keep a tidy bedroom by sorting their toys into appropriate boxes — then make picture signs for the outside to indicate the contents. Alternatively, boxes made of transparent plastic are handy because you can see what’s inside without taking the lid off.
Look for storage solutions that are on wheels or castors. That way baskets, crates and drawers can easily be popped away inside a cupboard.
Drape the bed with a mosquito net for dramatic effect.
String bunting or fairy lights around the room.
Paint a wall with blackboard paint. This will help prevent your children from drawing on the walls — and encourage their creativity.
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