hen we design and plan our first child’s room, it is often more about excitement than long-term planning.  Sometimes there’s a family heirloom to accommodate and working it into a modern scheme can prove challenging.  If we took the time with our first design, to plan for three or four stages of their development, we’d save a good deal of time, effort and money.

A child’s room will need to work for you, and them, for at least four stages of their early life:

1 - A nursery from birth until they are ready for a single bed.

2 - A calming space for the years when getting them to sleep is a challenge.

3 - A place to store their treasures, display art, read stories and play with friends.

4 - A heaven to escape from you, listen to loud music and discover who they are.

Colour plays a key role in all of these stages, and a simple background of an off-white or cream can work well.  You’ll be able to add blocks of colour for their changing needs or apply removable wall art.  Leaving areas for them to display their work as they grow, or photographs and posters as they grow older, will prevent damage to walls later on, so plan these into the original design.

Furniture is, of course, key to the room working, and we love pieces that grow with your kids.  A good starting selection, would include these key items:

Bed or cot

– ideally one that can be adapted as the child grows

Storage

– for clothes, toys and baby items such as bags of nappies.

Open storage

– to display items, must be out of reach of little hands.

Chair

– for you to sit in when cuddling, feeding  and story-time.

Floor lamp

– ideally one on a dimmer, that can be moved to where it is needed

As they grow, adding items such as a desk may be necessary, so try to keep some space in mind within the original layout.

Many beds now offer under-bed areas for sitting, storage or desk space, and are worth considering.

During the early years, it is also important to consider how easy everything in their room is to clean. Surfaces and fabrics will be put to the test in a kid’s space, with every stage of their development posing challenges.  Consider how washable items are and look at how well they cope with wear-and-tear.

And finally, don’t forget to have some fun!  Designing a room for children really has no-rules; go wild with pattern and mix colours that clash. Creating a space for your child to express their personality, begins with you stamping some of yours into this special space.