Children's small bedroom ideas – 18 space-smart designs
It's likely that your children's bedrooms will be small, which presents a tricky design challenge. We all want our kids to have a bright, uncluttered place to sleep, play and do schoolwork, but if space means you feel you have to choose function over form, these clever children's small bedroom ideas will offer you some easy inspiration.
'Often, the solution to children's small bedroom layout problems is built-in furniture that can maximize every inch of space,' says Lucy Searle, Editor in Chief of Homes & Gardens and mum of two. 'This is something we relied on when our kids were small and their bedrooms were space-challenged.
'However, it's an important lesson to learn that the furniture needs to be able to flex – they grow so quickly and their needs change just as fast.'
Here, we offer you a ton of ideas and advice so you can tune your kids' bedrooms to suit your child's needs and taste.
Planning successful small bedrooms, especially those for kids, depends on plenty of forward-thinking. Good storage, multi-functional furniture that serves a child’s changing needs, and imaginative décor are all key.
A balance between form and function will result in a hard-working small bedroom layout that stands the test of time.
BY JENNIFER EBERT. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SOPHIE WARREN-SMITH, LUCY SEARLE
You'll have been used, by now, to organizing a nursery, and applying the same principles to a child's small bedroom is just as important. Toy storage and bookshelves will be key, and if the shelving is adjustable, it can easily move from storing small kids' toys and books when they are young to schoolwork and gaming devices when they get older.
'When it comes to children's bedrooms, one of the most important considerations is organization. With careful and considerable planning, you can ensure that you maximize on the space available in even the smallest of rooms with enough storage to keep clothing, toys and other belongings organized, whilst leaving room for the bed and a place for study and play.
'By planning at the earliest stages, you'll be able to future-proof your child's bedroom with a strong foundation, only updating paintwork and general decor as your child grows and their interests change over time,' advises Emma Deterding, founder and creative director at Kelling Designs, who designed the room above.
Children's small bedrooms, especially shared bedrooms, need to make use of the walls as much as possible. The first step for a shared space, or one that can cater to regular sleepovers, is to consider loft beds. Beyond that, ensure any storage fitted goes from floor-to-ceiling to maximize opportunities.
'Bear in mind that floor-to-ceiling storage will make the room's footprint feel much smaller. If, however, you look for pale kids' room paint ideas, not only will they keep the feel light, but will give the illusion of space too. Blonde wood is the perfect choice of timber, and it looks great with pastel shades. A clever paint trick that gives an illusion of space is ombre, as shown on the closet doors. Look out for rugs that have multiple colors for extra interest,' says Lucy Searle, Editor in Chief, Homes & Gardens.
Being space-smart in children's small bedrooms means using every possible inch of space, and we love clever headboards that provide enough storage to give you back valuable floor space that might traditionally have been used for other furniture, as above.
'Our third guest room (above) is a vibrant and colorful small children’s bedroom, with a bright yellow armchair, complemented by blue and yellow soft furnishings and accessories.
'We worked with a number of upcoming artists to create a natural collection of pieces in various mediums that integrate additional color and interest to the space, playing with a clever and purposeful contrast between the angular and linear design and rounded and circular shapes within the art pieces,' says Laura Hammett, founder of Laura Hammett Interiors.
It's not all about storage, though we will come back to that. Designing kids' bedrooms obviously needs to take comfort – especially when they are little and you might be combining bedroom and playroom – and sound-proofing into account, this will become more apparent when you are looking for teenage bedrooms.
'Flooring is an important consideration for a child’s bedroom as it should help create a versatile room that is comfortable whilst also being a characterful space they love to spend time in.
'Although carpet ideas are typically considered first for a bedroom, both hard flooring and carpet can be suited to a child’s bedroom. Carpet adds comfort, natural insulation and is an excellent choice, being warmer than hard flooring and softer on the soles of feet. It also adds a little cushioning to soften any little trips from those learning to take their first steps,' says Punam Chada at Carpetright.
White bedrooms are always a great choice for small spaces, and the obvious solution for anyone looking for gender neutral nurseries, but consider the tone you choose carefully to make it feel welcome, and add color through accessories. This, also, will help you update the bedroom more easily and is a great choice for rented homes.
'White is the best option for a small dark room, it will instantly brighten and lift a space and you can then add color with accessories. Use a mid-toned wood for warmth and you can be contemporary with your choices – both the side table and book ladder have a modern feel,' says Jennifer Ebert, digital editor, Homes & Gardens
Rooms in the attic are often the template for children's small bedroom ideas, and the key to getting them right is to use color to make them feel cozy and welcoming.
Katie Lion, senior interior designer at Kitesgrove says: 'These attic rooms feel cocooning, so we wanted to highlight the subtle mustard tone in the headboard with pops of mustard in the cushions and blinds and punctuate these for added depth against the all green room.'
If you are going to do this, make sure that material has texture and depth: timber is perfect for this.
'It’s such a small space – I stuck to one material for all the surfaces because I wanted to keep things uncluttered and not too busy with many transitions of materials. I didn’t want a heavily striped pattern or something that would have overwhelmed this tiny room.
'Maple’s light but neutral color feels very organic yet still cozy. If he wants to play, with one finger you can push the bed so it goes completely flush against the wall and opens up that whole front of the room for a little activity zone,' says Ginger Curtis, owner and principal designer of Urbanology Designs.
Buy once and buy well.
'Kids grow so fast so it pays to invest in classic furniture that will see you through growth spurts and still hit the style stakes. Furniture you can paint, repaint and reinvent will give you flexibility as your child's tastes change,' says Lucy Searle, global editor in chief, Homes & Gardens.
'And, of course, once they have left home, these pieces of furniture can be repurposed for guest bedrooms so easily.'
Small bedroom storage ideas can be subtle, and can be about display, too, as in the space above.
'A built-in sleeping niche was the right answer for this pint-sized space. The bed appears to be recessed into the wall, creating a room within a room and making the most of the small footprint,' says Lori Anderson Weir, founder and lead designer at Anderson Weir Studio
Neutral bedrooms are ideal for enhancing small spaces, but for children's small rooms, you will always want to add color. Doing so through vintage finds is a great way to add character, too. Decorating with yellow and other uplifting colors helps to make the space feel perfectly suited to its young occupants.
'This small kid's bedroom in Toronto is tiny and I wanted to find a way to add some much needed storage and color to the space. Enter his camp trunk! It’s filled with all of his books (he’s an avid reader) while also serving as a bedside table and injection of color in an otherwise neutral room,' says Cindy McKay, founder of Cindy McKay Interiors.
If you can pare back the clutter, particularly anything that takes up floor space, in children's small bedrooms, so much the better. Whether you are looking for bedroom ideas for girls or bedroom ideas for boys, the built-under bunks above are the perfect design for beds for small rooms.
With plenty of drawer space below the beds, there is room for clothing and toys, while the headboard area has been given over to what might normally sit within bedside tables. The result: more floor for flow and play.
If your children's small bedrooms are also spaces for study, consider hidden desks. This one above by TG Studio is, without doubt, the best we've seen, disguising storage beneath it, and sliding back in place to be come a seamless storage and display space. We love the under-lighting, too, which will create a cozy glow at night.
If you are considering children's bedroom wallpapers, our advice would be to limit the pattern to a feature wall or area of the space. Doing so will allow you to update the room quickly and easily with just a single roll or two of wallpaper.
'The design above, enhanced with the wallpaper, also zone the room cleverly, with one area clearly for sleep, the other for study,' says Lucy Searle. 'This makes a child's small bedroom feel bigger than it is.'
Colorful storage not only brightens up small bedroom ideas for kids, but it is also a compact and practical way of storing toys and other bedroom accessories.
'Organizing a small bedroom is particularly important for small children,' says mum of two and Editorial Director of Homes & Gardens Sarah Spiteri. 'They need a combination of storage solutions: low, open shelves work really well for little ones who want to access their favorite toys regularly; higher shelves can be used for the display of treasured gifts, while anything that isn't so visually pleasing can be hidden behind closed doors.'
Built-in furniture is one of the most useful ways to make children's small bedroom ideas work. This clever bespoke design features bunk beds set into a wall with storage below and behind the beds. The upper level is accessed using stairs – while curtains provide privacy and sleep-inducing light levels for each child.
White schemes don't need to be ordinary, as the contemporary paint effect here proves. That aside, shutters are a great way to furniture children's small bedrooms. They provide the darkness and peace you need to encourage them to sleep through, while being visually minimal, help the room feel larger than it is.
Nook beds are ideal for maximizing the potential of a child's small bedroom (we love this idea for small guest rooms, too).
Teens will especially love this idea, as it provides them with a space for friends to sit when they come over, or a quiet nook for reading.
In children's small bedrooms, raising the bed up provides the perfect solution for maximizing storage, play and study space.
This room feels calm despite its small size with light and simple cabinetry and plenty of space for everything a growing child might need in a bedroom.
Find solutions for children's small bedroom ideas, and combine fun with function
It's likely that your children's bedrooms will be small, which presents a tricky design challenge. We all want our kids to have a bright, uncluttered place to sleep, play and do schoolwork, but if space means you feel you have to choose function over form, these clever children's small bedroom ideas will offer you some easy inspiration.
'Often, the solution to children's small bedroom layout problems is built-in furniture that can maximize every inch of space,' says Lucy Searle, Editor in Chief of Homes & Gardens and mum of two. 'This is something we relied on when our kids were small and their bedrooms were space-challenged.
'However, it's an important lesson to learn that the furniture needs to be able to flex – they grow so quickly and their needs change just as fast.'
Here, we offer you a ton of ideas and advice so you can tune your kids' bedrooms to suit your child's needs and taste.
Planning successful small bedrooms, especially those for kids, depends on plenty of forward-thinking. Good storage, multi-functional furniture that serves a child’s changing needs, and imaginative décor are all key.
A balance between form and function will result in a hard-working small bedroom layout that stands the test of time.
BY JENNIFER EBERT. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SOPHIE WARREN-SMITH, LUCY SEARLE
Find solutions for children's small bedroom ideas, and combine fun with function
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