Interior design for children’s rooms and playroom spaces

August 15, 2011

Children’s rooms often pose a unique challenge.  They’re usually a small or difficult space and have so many functions to serve, the parents’ I’ve worked with sometimes are torn as to whether they should design them for the moment, as a child’s room

Love the FUN idea for storage and clutter in this kid’s room

or with an eye toward the future, so they are able to transition the room easily from one stage of life to the next.  And do they transition quickly!!

This room can easily be transitioned into an office or adult bedroom. Notice the creative stuffed animal storage on the wall!

I’m of the opinion that children’s room should transition easily, perhaps with some paint or new wall or window treatments and a few new furniture pieces and accessories.  Fun, functional pieces like the ferris wheel in the picture above can be designed as a non-permanent part of the space, so it could indeed be removed without too much issue.

Working with children’s rooms is one of my favorite projects because the perspective of someone younger than myself reminds me of one of the many reasons I love interior design:  making the space fun.  The opportunity to make a space fun and relatable to someone less than half my age is unique.  Have you ever asked a child what they want?  The sky is the limit!

The slide, along with plenty of room to play and ride a tricycle make this playroom with a sleeping area above it a young child’s dream!

In a child’s room, storage, function and safety are all a top priority for parents, though the children may have different ideas.   I was sitting with a 10 year old not to long ago, discussing her room and the changes she wanted to make.  We discussed everything from a make-up station to gold sparkle starbursts on the pink walls and a charging station for her iPad.  She definitely has her own ideas!

Right now, the design plan is somewhere between a loft bed from Pottery Barn Teen

Great use of a small space: storage space, sleeping area, area for homework and a pinboard for pictures and other fun things!

And a bed installation that runs the length of two walls, joining in the corner

Ana White

So what do you think?  What do you like for your kid’s bedrooms and what kind of issues do you run into?

If you are thinking about creating a space you truly love, contact me about our in-person or virtual design services at nicole@cdgdesign.com