A kids' room design that grows with the child from nursery to teenage years

Designing a child's room is an exciting and rewarding endeavor. As any parent knows, children grow up faster than we can imagine, and their needs and preferences evolve along the way. That's why creating a kids' room that can adapt and grow with your child from their nursery years to their teenage years is not only practical but also a wise investment of time and effort. Keep reading to learn more!

Things to keep in mind when designing a kid’s room

When creating a child’s bedroom you might be tempted to make it fun and playful using all the resources available to you. However, to create a lasting effect and a room that can grow with your child, you need to have more neutral essential items and then customize the room with easily changeable accessories.

Think longterm

Thinking short term is the biggest trap parents fall into when decorating a kid’s room. The truth is kids grow up in a blink of an eye, and if you don’t want to remodel the room every two years, you need to take that into account. So, when choosing essential items for a kid's room, consider whether they will transfer well to a room that belongs to an older child than you have right now.

Choose neutral colors for essentials

Neutral colors are your friends! Choose items in basic colors, for example, white, gray, black, wood brown, etc. You want the essential items to be in tones that go well with other colors no matter what they are. That way you will give yourself (when the child is younger) or your child (when they are older) the freedom to decorate the room in almost any color scheme.

Not all items need to be from the kids' section

When decorating a kid’s room keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need items that are made for kids. For example, the dresser doesn’t have to be “Frozen” themed or the bed doesn’t have to be in a car shape. There are some things that need to be kid specific, but some you can buy in the adult section and use for longer periods of time.

Wall and floor finishes

Let’s move on to tips on how to approach walls and floors to make them perfect for the nursery and keep them relevant for the years to come.

Paint in neutral colors

If you choose to paint the kid's bedroom, go for neutral colors like beige, white, or light gray. Neutral colors will be soothing for the babies and will create a good base for decorating for older children. Also, those are the tones that go well with almost every color, making it easy to decorate the room according to the phase your child is in.

Peel and stick wallpaper

A great way how to decorate a kid's room is to use peel and stick wallpaper. It is easy to apply and easy to remove, so you can change it with ease every few years or even more often. It also doesn’t leave any residue when removed, so once it is off, you will have your regularly painted walls.

With peel and stick wallpaper you have options to add a playful element for younger children if you wish to and add a theme that speaks to your child when they are older. You can create a statement wall or wallpaper the whole room – peel and stick wallpaper will work great for both options.

Here are a few fun peel and stick wallpaper options for a nursery: Child’s Dreams, Dino Friends, or Fox in the Forest; for a kid’s room: Pink Wonders, Sapphire Map, or Elephant Kingdom; and for a teenage room: Golden Shapes, Your Mystic, or Spring Cocktail.

Avoid traditional wallpaper

If you don’t want to make serious renovations often, avoid adding traditional wallpaper to a kid’s room. It takes time to apply and it is harder to remove compared to peel and stick wallpaper. So if your kid changes their taste often, traditional wallpaper will make it hard to change the look of the room quickly. To avoid any extra hassle, just don’t use the traditional wallpaper but go for a neutral paint color or peel and stick wallpaper!

Choose durable flooring

When it comes to a kid’s room, you want the flooring to be durable and hard to damage. Kids will use the floor a lot – they will play, move items around, drop things, etc – the floor needs to be ready for everything. You also want your kids to feel comfortable and not scared that they will damage the floor. So choose durable flooring for the kid’s room that you don’t mind getting damaged over time! Avoid fancy wooden floors that can get scratched easily, better opt for, for example, vinyl flooring in a neutral color.

Furniture options

There are some furniture pieces that you will need to switch out once the child has outgrown a certain age, but some they can keep using for years.

The bed

The bed has to grow with the child, so it is one of the pieces that will need to be replaced. However, you can prolong the usage time of one item, by choosing a versatile bed. You can have a crib that can be turned into a bigger child’s bed by removing the railing. Another option is a bed to which the railing can be added to make it suitable for younger kids, and removed once the kid grows.

Once the kid reaches teenage years and has outgrown their current kid’s bed, it is best to think about the future and get your kid a grownup bed. It can be a queen size or just a double bed. It might seem too much at first, but in the long run, you will have a permanent bed that can later become a guest bed or your child can take it to their first adult home when the time comes.

Dresser

Dresser is something you can get for the nursery and it can easily follow your child through their life. Pick a dresser in a neutral color that has a classical build. If you choose a dresser with knobs, there is a fun option to switch out the knobs for something that suits the specific period your child is in. For example, in early childhood years, the knobs can be animal shaped. Later on, they can be switched to something more serious.

Desk and chair

A desk and a chair are important for preschoolers as well as for schoolchildren. Preschoolers will use the desk for arts and crafts, as well as playtime, while school children will start to also use it for school work.

The first desk and chair should be in a size that fits the child’s height. It means that the chair and desk will be lower than regular furniture and will be suitable for children. If it is possible, the best option is to get a set that you can adjust in height so you can use it for a longer period of time.

But once your child outgrows the kid’s furniture, similarly as with the bed, it is best to invest in a solid piece that can be used all the way through school into college. Consider getting an ergonomic desk that is adjustable in height for your pre-teenager or teenager. It might seem like an investment at first, but your kid will learn to take care of their working conditions from an early age and it is priceless. Also, you can get a grownup table for a younger child since you can adjust the height of the desk for sitting positions as well.

The same goes for a chair, look for options that are suitable for grownups. You don’t have to get a leather office boss chair for your kid, but a regular desk chair that is firstly comfortable and secondly looks great will be a good option! Try to choose these items in neutral colors, so they fit well in the interior.

Accessories

You can make a room feel personal with accessories. This is the moment to experiment with colors and decorate the room with a theme that is timely in your kid's life right now.

Bedding

Bedding and bed covers are a great option how to express the personality of the room owner. Choose the colors and prints that reflect the interests of your child. Whether it is a cartoon character or an interior design style, bedding, and bed covers can help you achieve the desired look.

Pillows

Pillows are a perfect addition to cool bedding or bed covers. Get them in different shapes, colors, and prints! Guaranteed they will brighten up the room and give it the desired feel.

Wallart

Let your child decorate the room with wall art as much as they desire. Posters of favorite bands, movies, or characters are great for hanging on the walls. As well as pictures with friends, items that remind them of events they have attended, and other interior objects that show their personality.

Rugs

Add that splash of color to an otherwise neutral room with rugs. For younger children it can be a rug with cartoon characters or, for example, a rug with streets that you can use while playing with toy cars. For older children, the rugs can be just colorful, artistic, oddly shaped, and fun. Children and teens spend a lot of time on the floor so a rug will serve not only as a decorative piece but also as a functional item.

Other accessories

Choose different accessories that highlight the personality of your child. For younger children, the “accessories” can be their toys since the toys will take up a lot of space on the shelves and on the floor. For older children and teenagers, the accessories will start to mature. Let them choose items that speak to them.

Conclusion

When decorating a kid’s room always think ahead. Keep in mind that they will grow up fast and you want the furniture, walls, and flooring to be suitable for different ages. Some items will need to be replaced, but others they can use for all their childhood, for example, a dresser. To add a splash of personality decorate with accessories, and voilà! you have a room that can grow with your child.