Children's Bedroom Design: Timeless Ideas To Consider
Designing a children’s bedroom can be as fun for you to do as it is for the kids to enjoy afterwards. Children’s rooms are a whole new ball game for colors, shapes, storage ideas, and furnishings. Coming up with creative ways to include the practical elements of a bedroom is a fun challenge.
You might even see how excited the children are when it’s finished, making the project rewarding. Whether you are looking for inspiration or considering a redesign, here are the things that you should know for designing a room that has everything a kid could want. The more innovatively you can combine fun and function, the better!
Make it a happy place
A child’s bedroom should make them feel content. Think unique color combinations, mixing fun patterns and incorporating some of their favorite animals or accessories in the room, which can easily be swapped out when they're no longer obsessed with aforementioned item.
Ensure there is space for creativity
In this bedroom we redesigned, we incorporated a reading nook, a cozy little corner in this bedroom, as a place that little ones, or mom and dad could lounge in during story time. This encourages learning in a relaxed environment.
Let Imagination Run Wild
Kids bedrooms are for more than just bedtime! Their rooms should be fun and inspire creativity as well. Turn the space itself into an exciting place to be, rather than just a room containing a few essentials. I’d like to discuss more high end ideas vs. the traditional "little kid" stuff.
You could build an indoor tree house that they can climb a ladder to get into. Paint their desk with chalkboard paint so they can show off their art skills! Make a building station that encourages critical thinking! Giving kids a creative space allows them to be imaginative and think outside the box. Parents lives will also be much easierif their children really enjoy being in their own rooms!
Make it cozy
Kids need to feel safe and secure, so fill your child’s room with items they can use to self-soothe, like a large soft blanket with enough weight to feel like a hug. Bedding, pillows, and rugs should be soft to the touch, so feel all materials before bringing them into the room.
Have fun with wallpaper! So many options are full of personality. In the coral bedroom shown above, we used wallpaper on the ceiling to draw the eyes up, and truthfully, mother wanted to avoid her daughter peeling the paper if it were on the walls. By installing it on the ceiling, it created an element of surprise.
So let your creativity go wild when it comes to designing your child's bedroom, they do after all deserve the most beautiful room in the house.
If you’d like to talk about decorating a child’s bedroom or you want to add a touch of luxury elsewhere in your home then contact designstiles now for a free consultation!
Cute Bohemian - Leighton's Big Girl Room
I'm so pumped to finally get to share this styling project I worked on with my blogger buddies turned friends in real life (FIRLs), Erika and Sabra.
A few months ago, Erika was working on transitioning her daughter's nursery to big girl room, during the same time that Sabra was working on launching her own photography business. While Sunday brunching one afternoon, we discussed collaborating on something together. We decided Leighton's room would be the perfect opportunity to teamup.
I came in to add some final touches Erika was looking for and get it photo ready for Sabra. The result was a Cute Bohemian big girl room for Erika's daughter, Leighton.
I think she liked it.
She's quite the artist too. Most of the art in her room is drawn by her.
So much cuteness and color. My kind o' room.
Check out Erika's blog for a list of all sources and see the room before as a nursery.
Happy Friday!
Interior Styling. What do You Mean?
Interior Styling. People ask me what that means and the best way I've been able to describe it thus far is, I come to your house and I move your stuff around. I still get the puzzled look so then I go ahead and say, it's like a decorator only it sounds cooler saying Interior Stylist.
Styling basically means, picture ready. I come stile like it's ready to photograph. It's the icing on the cake or the salsa on your taco, the way I see it. It's what comes after the design concept has been finalized and executed.
I often find that clients have the right accessories, they're just not being displayed optimally. Whether it be for bookcases, entry consoles, coffee tables or nightstands, people are stuck on how to accessorize. I live for accessories because I think they are the jewel of the home. They're what personalize your space and they're the easiest to hoard. I mean, move around. My favorite part about consulting at someone's house is creating different options for their trouble areas.
I did this recently for a young couple who needed help styling their apartment. They had the big furniture pieces but were still not fully happy with the overall look of their place. A trouble area was their entry console. I get the, "What should I put here" question and have found out that demonstration is the best way to exemplify.
Below are three distinct examples of restyling the same area.
Flower prints and rustic table were picked up while road tripping through Solvang. I say always bring home something you can decorate with on your travels. Look for unique textiles, pretty bowls, accessories other than refrigerator magnets and t-shirts you'll only wear to bed.
Table stayed the same and then I just came with three different stiled options, most of them just brought in from different areas of the apartment.
A lamp propped up on books for added height, the flower print is now leaning to create a layered look, and a dish atop a decorative box to place keys when coming home.
Here it's about color and pattern. The layered look is now created by double-ing up on the rugs. I used the basket to hold old records, but it can easily be used to place other personal belongings, or toys for kids or dogs, if you have kids or dogs. Baskets are great for anything, really.
In this last option I used a mirror. I like the idea of having a mirror near the entry because most of us rush out the door and a quick glimpse at yourself before you leave can help point out some hair or wardrobe mishaps.
I showed these images to TH and he didn't even notice it was the same area! I swear, I could come home with a purple sofa and he'd be like, did you get a haircut?
There you have it, three different looks, minimal money spent.
Happy Thursday!
Dish Towels
Check out some of these pretty dish towels that might actually make my sink look cute.
shop the dish towels: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
And don't forget to enter the HomeGoods giveaway. Winner announced tomorrow!
The Stylist's Eye
My favorite part about dissecting interiors photos is the styling. I could spend hours studying the techniques and making notes for future reference. I figured this would make a great new blog series, called, The Stylist's Eye, pointing out what my eye notices and now rather than having tear sheets all over my desk and desktop, I can post them here for easier access.
When coming across Interior Design firm, Jute, it was their laid-back, no fuss approach that had me eager to get styling on my next project.
These photos feel as if the person just left or entered the room. But I know the angle of every single item was strategically placed.
This image below displays a different angle of the same room, showing napkins instead of a book and recipe box. And notice how the pillows have been moved?
These shoes just casually fell to the floor. That's what we want you to think. I pulled this trick too. Here.
Again, a different angle of the same room. Check out some differences.
Cool, right?
Happy Wednesday!
images via Jute
Accessorizing and Styling
I just finished accessorizing and styling a family room for a young couple. The spare room used to function as their home office, but they decided to repurpose this extra room and now utilize it as a place to sit and watch some television. I suggested they remove the doors so it feels less like the bedroom it once was. I also recommended a sectional so they have ample seating in the small space.
A few items were already owned (the yellow tv stand was scored for $30!), and most of the rest of the items we shopped for together. All on a budget to create a cozy, comfortable room that now feels more homey.
A few before shots
After
A small, round coffee table was ideal for the space since the room was small and it balances off the rectangular shape of the sofa. It also picks up the circles of the area rug, ottoman and mirrors, creating movement. The pattern of the ottoman and area rug are also a nice play on scale. The area rug also brings in some color and pattern to the otherwise neutral room.
That's what I call affordable decorating.
Happy Thursday!
Super Easy Flower Arrangement
We had some guests over for dinner the other night and I wanted to make a simple floral centerpiece for our outdoor table setting.
After asking TH to pick up some flowers for me on his trip to the grocery store, he suggested I pick some roses from the garden.
The roses were pretty much all sunburnt so I kept things extra simple and snapped some basil, and wild flowers growing from a bush. This was the easiest arrangement I've ever made, taking no more than 5 mins to assemble.
To go with the garden theme, I put the flowers in a pot and voilà, an arrangement was made.
By the time I finished setting the table, it was way too dark to take any photos. And it wasn't anything you haven't already seen, so instead I styled them a bit and photographed them in our hallway.
Moral of the story is, save yourself some bucks and check out what you have growing in your yard before you spend money at your local flower shop or market. Simple flowers go a long way.
Happy Wednesday!
Sailboating
I saw the cutest little wood and brass sailboat at TJ Maxx a few months ago.
Even though it was no more than about 13 bucks, I walked away without making the purchase.
I still think about it.
At the time I justified not buying it because I didn't want it sitting in my 'one day' pile.
Silly me.
Now I've got sailboats on the brain.
They look good even in a house not near the water.
Happy Tuesday!
Spring Cleaned
Something happened to me after yesterday's post and I organized those shelves I mentioned.
I think someone put some extra caffeine in my coffee.
Um, yeaaaah, caffeine. That's what we'll call it.
Here's the messy before.
It's been like this for months and I've been telling myself to do something about it ever since.
I'd get annoyed every time I looked at it. But obviously not enough to fix it. Until yesterday, when my coffee was spiked.
The additional dose of somethin' somethin' made me ambitious because I even decided I should hand wash every single dish, and used some extra paper I had to line the backs, which means I had to measure and cut. And yeah, there's a seam in the gold paper because I got a little too excited and cut prematurely.
For some reason I've reverted back to 17-year-old me and am crazy for pink. I like to think I've matured since I now like pairing it with gold.
Even TH got inspired and said we may be able to redo our kitchen sooner than I hoped.
I'm gonna remember that, TH.
Happy Wednesday!
Foo Foo Dogs
What seemed like just a big trend when I started reading blogs over three years ago, has remained quite the classic accessory. Foo Dogs, I'm talking about you.
I still keep spotting you guys in current shelter magazines. Looks like you're keepers.
Here you are in the latest House Beautiful.Perfectly styled.
I like that you come in different colors too.
The Decorista
Small Shop
You really like to stand out.
Apartment Therapy
But sometimes you prefer to remain a little camouflaged.
moss eclectic
Back to blue.
Foo Dogs, we heart you.
Happy Thursday!