Just as you dreamed of having a home of your own and decorating it to your liking to reflect you and your tastes, your child craves a personal space too. It's normal. By preparing an ideal place to play and study, you will not only create a great bedroom, you will help him feel more mature and proud. And it's not as difficult or expensive as you think!
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Prepare Properly
Step 1. Consider your budget
The first thing to think about is the exact amount of money you want to spend, and how much money should be devoted to each individual item or part of the room. This will help you avoid overspending, or placing too much emphasis on a small area. It is easy to lose track of the money spent while decorating a room!
Step 2. Think about the short-term and long-term appropriateness of the style
You should ask your child how he would like to furnish his bedroom: he probably has no shortage of ideas! However, you will need to keep in mind that the arrangement and style can change over time. Remember, just because your daughter loves Disney princesses right now, that doesn't mean she won't get fed up with it after a few years, deciding to hate her own room. Try to choose easily replaceable parts, so you don't have to spend a lot of money later.
This also applies to teenagers. Surely their personal style must be indulged, but think about what you will do with the room once they leave the house
Step 3. Find a theme
Of course, you can combine nice colors and go for regular pieces, but a theme can make your life a lot easier. It allows you to have a predetermined palette of colors or a series of shades to work with; in addition, it will guide you in the purchase of furniture, toys and decorations.
Step 4. Create or choose a color scheme
Whether you're going to stick to a theme or not, you'll need to choose a color palette for the bedroom to look uniform and organized. Are you bad with colors? Make use of tools such as filing cabinets offered by paint and furniture stores, or search for ones available online, such as Adobe Kuler.
Step 5. Collaborate with your child
Always talk to him throughout the process and whenever you intend to buy a new item. You don't want to end up with an object that he hates: you will be upset and disappoint him. In addition, it is important to give him the feeling of having a say, because this allows him to grow and mature.
Part 2 of 5: Designing the Room
Step 1. Consider your child's needs
Think about how he plays, his age and how he could realistically use the space. It's easy to design the room of your dreams, but remember that children have very different needs than adults. His personality will also play an important role in deciding how the bedroom will be used and arranged.
- For example, you find it essential to have a bench at the foot of the bed, so that before going to sleep you put everything you need on it the next morning. However, your child would not use it.
- Another example. Does your child love to read? It is more important to offer him an area dedicated to reading, with a comfortable armchair on which he can sit, than to create a play area that he will never use. It all depends on your preferences!
Step 2. Try to take up as little space as possible
Unlike adults, children prefer to have free space on the floor, so try to guarantee it. A good way to do this is to give a double function to the different elements. A loft bed, for example, not only pleases children best, it also allows you to use the space below to arrange a chest of drawers or a desk, so that the rest of the room is available to play.
Step 3. Group elements according to their function
When arranging furniture in the room, it is a good idea to try to group them according to their tasks. For example, bring the chest of drawers to the bed (which are the most functional items in the room) and set up an area that will be dedicated only to play and reading, where you will arrange the toys and the bookcase.
You can also use the furniture to divide the room into smaller sections. Place the bed next to a wall and then arrange one or more bookcases to cover it, so you will "hide" it. Your child will love this secret space
Step 4. Choose the size of the furniture according to the age of the child and the room
Remember, you don't want to buy a huge piece for a small room. If you don't have a lot of space, don't occupy it recklessly by buying bulky beds and dressers that you don't really need. You should also keep in mind your child's age: a bed that is too high will not be comfortable for example.
Part 3 of 5: Boxes and Containers
Step 1. Take advantage of the space under the bed
You know, children mess everything up. If you want your child's room to always be tidy, it is important to get various boxes and containers while you shop to furnish the room. The space under the bed will allow you to keep several, just buy the ones that fit in without problems. You will be able to put aside toys, coats and blankets. Better yet, invest in a bed with drawers and you'll save even more space.
Step 2. Buy some shelves
Although your child is too young to be interested in reading, you should have plenty of books that you can read to him and enough space for the ones he will buy in the future. The shelves are also useful for storing other items, such as stuffed toys, dolls or personal items. Remember to involve him in the choice, so you don't run the risk of buying him furniture he doesn't like.
Step 3. Buy a toy organizer
It is a shelf divided into several compartments that is used to leave more space on the floor, and your child will appreciate it. As the years go by, she can recycle it to keep school things or clothes in order.
Step 4. Get a laundry basket if you don't have one yet
Place it in your child's room and encourage him to use it. This way, the floor will not be filled with clothes, and the child will have more space to play and do more.
Part 4 of 5: Encourage the Study
Step 1. Carve out some space to study
Your child should have a corner dedicated to homework and other school projects. This will help you eliminate temptations and distractions so that she can focus on this vital aspect of her life. With a dedicated space to study, you will help him develop good habits and understand that he won't have to think about anything else once he's seated in this corner.
Typically this space is created with a desk, but your child may prefer a soft rug, bean bag pouf, and folding bedside table
Step 2. Make sure there are no distractions
The study area should have as little as possible. This means that the toys should be left out and that the decorations should be discreet. Do not place this space near the door or window. It will also need to be well organized, with containers and boxes to keep everything you need in order.
Step 3. The desk area should be comfortable and make him comfortable
If the chair and table are uncomfortable, your child will begin to experience various aches and pains and will have less desire to do homework. Get a quality chair and desk, perhaps adjustable, so they will adapt to his growth.
Step 4. Do not put the computer on the desk
If your child is still small, it is best to pay attention to what they do on the internet, so the PC should be kept in a common area. Also, leaving him where he should be doing his homework can be quite distracting. Either way, it's best to buy a desk that fits your computer so that when it gets older, you can keep using it. Otherwise you run the risk of it becoming uncomfortable and you will have to buy a new one or have it studied elsewhere.
Part 5 of 5: Get Inspired
Step 1. Choose some bright colors
Room shades should be classic and bright, whatever theme you choose, so your child will appreciate them even when they're older. Teal, emerald green, white and red make up a good palette, ideal for both genders and all ages.
Step 2. Regarding the theme, you can choose the space theme
A room painted in dark blue with hints of silver scattered here and there will be welcome even if the child no longer wants this theme in the future, because you can easily modify it. The idea of space is ideal for a child, but it can be considered cool even when he is 16, provided he organizes everything well. Get items like a moon-shaped lamp, a bedspread with printed stars, rows of fairy lights surrounding the upper perimeter of the room, and other details that will even out the style.
Step 3. Another issue to consider is that of the sea
The aquatic style will appeal to many children, and it's easy to make small changes once they're older. Use colors like light and dark teal, light blue and some hints of green. This style is particularly suitable if the floor has been covered with a beige carpet. A couple of marine soft toys and a jellyfish-shaped lamp are enough to make everything uniform.
Step 4. You can also choose the theme of the trip
Stimulate your child's sense of adventure by giving him a room any explorer would love. Paint it with the soft colors typical of maps (off-white, light green, beige and maybe a few hints of red) and decorate it with globes, vintage suitcases, model airplanes and maps of railway routes.
Step 5. Another theme that you can easily readjust is that of nature
Shades of green and brown, with some hints of blue, can create the foundation of a bedroom that your child will love for years and years. It is also ideal for children who love soft toys: they will look great on it! Give it a touch of uniqueness by attaching stencils depicting natural images to the walls and spreading a round and blue carpet in the center of the room, which will be a sort of "pond".
Step 6. You can also choose the theme of the fairy tales
If your little girl would like to be a princess, don't paint the whole room pink, be inspired by a castle. Painting the lower part of the walls a grass green and the upper part a sky blue will give you the feeling of being immersed in the hills; tall gray shelves can be decorated to resemble towers, and a plush dragon placed in a corner can top it all off.
Advice
- Make a commitment and don't give up on this task.
- At IKEA you can find nice and inexpensive furniture. The children's area is full of ideas.
- Take a look at the sites dedicated to furniture to get ideas.
- If you have a teenage child, get them involved and create a room suitable for their age.
- Try to collaborate with your child to avoid tantrums and quarrels.
Warnings
- Don't go overboard with the decorations, unless your child wants to.
- If you don't involve him, he may not like the room. Ask him for help and listen to him.
