As the well known parenting saying goes, ‘the days are long but the years are short,’ which is a useful piece of advice to consider when it comes to the ever-changing stages in your children’s life – and style. The years really do fly by, and before you know it, you’ll be adapting the nursery to a junior room to suit the needs of a toddler, and then just like that, you'll be changing it again. So when it comes to styling a big kid's bedroom – think primary school age to pre-teen – it’s important to have those teenage years in your periphery.
Image: Amy Bartlam for J. Kurtz Design
1. Less Is More
It's time to say goodbye to the themed bedroom and take a ‘less is more’ approach to your children’s room. Whatever your interior style preference, whether it’s Scandinavian, boho or modern, the idea is about investing in furniture that will have longevity. For example the
Oeuf River Bed is perfect for something Scandi-cool, while the
Babyletto Lolly Double Dresser will suit a more classic, modern look. Having an understated base to work with means you are able to bring in accessories like bedding, soft furnishings, and toys to introduce color and personality to the space.
2. Personal space
When discussing a nursery with first-time parents, I always suggest (if space permits) setting up a reading corner for the family to enjoy. As your child develops into a toddler, the spot becomes a much-needed area for downtime where they are encouraged to read and explore their collection of books. As we move into the elementary school years, with a little bit of tweaking this space can be easily converted to a desk zone, an area where they are inspired to dream big, think and imagine. All you need is to bring in a desk and stool, then shift any bookshelves above the height of the desk. I personally love the neat design of this simple
Studio Duc Juno desk.
Image: Bloglovin
3. A sense of adventure
Every big kid room needs that element of adventure to help inspire and support learning. Whether it’s a grand-scale world map mural that doubles as a feature wall or something subtle like the
Little Lights Space Rocket Night Light, the end result is the same. It helps develop learning and brings the world and all its wonders into your child’s safe place. One brand not to be overlooked to help fuse that whimsical and playful touch is the fantastic range of rugs, cushions and soft furnishings by
Lorena Canals. You’ll be hard pressed choosing between the
Vintage World Map, the
Lorena Canals Path of Nature Rug, to the
Rocket and
Bubbly Floor cushions.
Image: inredningshjalpen
4. Under the bed storage
Is there honestly anything cooler then being able to access all of your favorite toys and treasures from right under your bed? Built-in storage under a bed is not only something fun for the kids but it’s undoubtedly a brilliant storage solution, especially if space is an issue. Another major plus with having extra storage is that this will also help to keep your child’s room neat and organized—a feat within itself! The
Babyletto Twin Storage Trundle Bed is exactly the piece that springs to mind when talking about under-the-bed-storage as the clean, streamlined design ensures everything is neat and tucked away.
Image: Amber Interiors
5. Be bold
Even though your child has graduated to a big kid room it’s still important to add elements of color, pattern and texture to ensure you aren’t going down the clinical route. A rug, cushions and storage baskets are simple yet highly effective additions without committing to anything too permanent. For that bold pop of color I love the
Retro Rainbow Kids Rug—I can just imagine it in a boys room paired with a statement block color cushion on the bed, and toys littering the floor. And if vibrant color isn’t your thing then this is where texture and pattern artfully come into play. The
Lorena Canals Polka Dot rug, which is available in hues of beige and grey will provide the perfect balance. Finished off by adding complementing storage baskets or strewn bunting and voila!
Image: Design Mom
6. Make it personal
Don’t forget to consider your child’s preferences by allowing them to be involved in
part of the decision making and adding in personal touches that reflect their interests. It is (after all) their room, and can be exactly what they need to make it feel like home. A clever idea to do together is to hand-pick a few of their most loved, albeit good-looking toys, and having them sitting on display shelves. One great idea is to hang their favorite dress up pieces on wall hooks. I love that this not only doubles as a decorative feature for the room, but that the pieces are interchangeable, and that this spot will change with them as they grow and develop.
The Bebe Style Co. is a nursery, toddler and children’s room interior styling service. Visit www.thebebestyleco.com
