Create the Perfect Space for Your Kids

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for Direct from the Designers™

Designing for kids is tricky—they might be too young to really care or give you any input as to what they like, maybe pickiness is a problem, or perhaps their tastes change so quickly that you can’t keep up. It can be difficult to give them rooms that they’ll enjoy through the years, so set yourself up for success with a design that is made to grow with your children. Here are a few ideas that will save you time and money, and your kids will love them, too!

Use Interchangeable Bedding

Once little ones move up to a standard bed, you’ll probably find that they want to express themselves with their bedding. And you’ll definitely want to provide something that they like, because it can make bedtime easier. But as their interests grow, opinions change, and that means you can be left with a collection of sheets and comforters that you don’t have space for, and that you’ve spent a lot of money on over the years.

Instead of buying new bedding sets, invest in some simple sheets and choose a plain duvet rather than comforters that come with designs printed on them. Duvets provide the weight and warmth you want, but you choose the outer cover and the overall look, and that means you can spend less in the long run by simply buying covers when your kids want something new for their bedding. You’ll find plain, sporty, cutesy, and downright beautiful duvet covers to suit any style, and there are even popular character patterns that will entice younger children. Duvets are very popular in Europe and make laundry less cumbersome—you can strip off and wash just the cover most of the time to avoid wrestling the bulky blanket into the machine—so you can be sure there’s lots of variety and they’ll simplify your life in more ways than one!

Make a Reusable Creative Space

Little kids are notorious for drawing on the walls. Why not channel that creative energy so it doesn’t damage your home? There are plenty of ways to do it—you can provide an easel or blackboard, or integrate one right into their bedroom itself. Not only will you provide a place to exercise their talents, but it’ll also get them away from screens and save you on material costs. Just have a camera handy to preserve the masterpieces that aren’t saved on paper!

While this looks like a solution for younger kids, it can easily serve a child through high school and beyond. For example, math and science problems can be worked out before writing down final answers, and it can also host drawing games during sleepovers. Give your kids a place to be busy and see what they can do with it!

Set Up for Organizational Success

The vast majority of kids are inherently messy, so start instilling the tenets of good organization while they’re young! If you give them furniture that helps get toys and crafts off the floor, they’ll likely want to use it. The trick is to provide a variety of storage spaces, including shelves, drawers, cubbies, and cabinets, because then they can decide what to keep out of sight and what to proudly put on display. Tidying up doesn’t have to be a chore when it can be considered its own art project.

You can find basic toy chests and bookcases as well as systems that incorporate multiple kinds of storage into a single unit. The best choice depends on the size of the room you have to work with and the personality it houses—some kids like everything separate while others prefer to put their things in a centralized location—but if you choose fairly neutral pieces, they will always look great no matter what they contain.

Choose Regular-Sized Furniture

While miniature desks and chairs are cute and you’ll love to see a kindergartner working diligently with tools that are just his or her size, furniture is costly, takes up a lot of space, and is difficult to move, so it’s better to invest in something that kids can grow into rather than trading up over the years. Children have to grow into the entire world anyway; they’re used to it and adapt. Offer a stool for a while if they can’t easily get into bed or struggle to sit in a chair. And as with anything, opt for a sophisticated, neutral style that they can’t possibly outgrow.

Designing for children doesn’t have to be difficult. Just a little bit of planning early on can give your kids an amazing space that they’ll use and enjoy for many years without ever feeling like they’ve outgrown it!