Kids spend a fair amount of time in their bedrooms. Sure, they will be sleeping for a large chunk of this time, but having a special little place for them to play in (or for you to send them to when you’re sick of them) is so important for keeping the peace in the house.
I love it when my kids hang out in their rooms and do their own thing. It means I can get stuff done and they are keeping their mess contained in their rooms. Winning for all!
So, how can you refresh your kids’ bedrooms to make them modern, pretty but also livable – and sleepable? And without spending too much? Here are 10 super simple kids’ bedrooms styling tricks to add a bit of tasteful pizazz to your children’s rooms.
1. Choose practical furniture
According to Porter Davis Interior Designer, Koraly Fasone, solid furniture goes a long way.
“Select functional, high-quality furniture that the kids can grow with,” Koraly tells Mum Central. “Whilst race cars and fairy princess beds can be a real crowd-pleaser, they won’t last long as your child’s taste will change as quickly as they grow. It’s a good idea to choose neutral furnishings for the larger ticket items.”
2. Store stuff smart
The biggest problem with kids’ rooms is the clutter. Kids collect random stuff that somehow makes it into their rooms. Case in point. Yesterday I found a box of rocks hidden under the bed in my daughter’s room.
The easiest way to keep clutter under control is to ensure EVERY item has a home – a basket, a drawer, a place to sit on a shelf. The two main things, other than a bed, that your child will need – in-built storage or a dresser to keep their clothing and some sort of toy storage system – shelves, trunks, baskets, etc.
3. Two words: Kmart bookshelf
This affordable item ($35) is all you need to keep toys at bay. You can flip it on its side or keep it upright, add some cute baskets or place bigger toys directly into each little cubby.
Clever parents are adding little legs to the bottom to give it a bit of a lift. You can even attach it to the wall for free-standing storage (great for other rooms too, such as the laundry-room!).
4. Add an indoor plant (or three)
Hanging indoor plants are my all-time favourite thing right now and look so great in any corner, including a child’s room. However, you don’t have to go for a hanging or large plant. Even a little pot plant on a shelf or bedside table will add a bit of green to the scene.
We’ve got an easy guide on which indoor plants are (almost) impossible to kill too.
5. Unleash your child’s inner Picasso
“DIY artwork is a cheap and fun way to decorate your child’s bedroom walls. Encourage them to paint their own artwork on either canvas or paper and then get it framed and hung on their wall to make the space unique to them and also give them a sense of achievement,” Koraly suggests.
6. Pretty up the walls
Or just one with a feature wall. There are so many ways to do this but the easiest is to opt for a darker or brighter colour on just one wall in your child’s room. You can then pretty it up even more with wall stickers or EasyCraft wall panelling.
“Most good wall stickers will peel straight off and won’t damage the paint. Keep the base palette of the room neutral so that as the room adjusts to their changing taste, you won’t need to commit to a full makeover,” Koraly says.
We love the idea of a chalk feature wall too. How cute is this?
Geometric walls are also pretty funky and actually incredibly easy to do!
7. Have a variety of lighting options
“Just as you would for the rest of the home, think about the ways that your child will use their room throughout the day and plan for different types of lighting so they know when it’s time to play, and when it’s time to unwind for bed.”
Some suggestions? “Fairy lights and lava lamps make a space fun for kids and create a feeling of cosy ambience,” Koraly says.
“Bright overhead lighting and desk lamps are important for when they’re doing homework, and a bedside lamp is a great way to encourage bedtime story reading.”
8. Get a decent sized-rug
Not only are they great for adding a pop of colour and comfort to the room, but are also great at hiding stains in the carpet. You can spend hundreds of dollars on a decent rug but I’ve found both Bunnings and Kmart have heaps of cute kids’ room rugs for incredibly affordable prices. The one in the pic below, for example, is $69 at Kmart.
9. Pile on the pillows
Pillows make everything look so much cosier and kids love them! Sure, they are annoying to return to the bed every morning, but, they really do make a bedroom feel warmer. This is also the case for a soft throw draped at the bottom of a bed.
The fun thing about pillows and throws is that you can mix colours, patterns and sizes so it’s a good way to add character to the room. We love the new My Little Pony pillows (plus matching accessories) at Adairs Kids.
10. Most importantly, let their colours and style shine through
As kids get older, they are probably going to want to be more involved in the design process and adding little touches to make their rooms an expression of who they are.
“No matter how young your child is, they’re likely to already have a sense of personal style and know what they do and don’t like. Make sure you ask your child questions to help involve them in picking furniture, colours and decor so that their room can express their personality and interests,” Koraly suggest.
Okay, so it’s clean and pretty. Now, how do I keep it that way?
But so often kids’ bedrooms become cluttered and chaotic. I’m not just talking about the assortment of stickers and snack-wrappers, but clothing, toys, craft stuff, knick knacks, etc.
1. Allocate a pretty hamper for mess
Dirty clothes (or clothes they are too lazy to pick up, toys that need to be put back together, etc) all go into the hamper at the end of each day, to be sorted out either at the end of the week or earlier depending on how big the hamper is. Check out this hilarious Fuck-It-Bucket that inspired this idea.
2. Teach them to make their beds every single morning
A made-bed makes so much difference to the look and feel of the room. Get them into the routine of always making the bed before they start the day. In time they will be able to do a good enough job that you don’t have to re-make the bed after their efforts.
3. Have a designated messy corner
If your child insists on crafting in her bedroom, make sure she keeps the mess contained to a certain area. Have a spare sheet she can put down and make sure she keeps ALL sharpie pens AWAY from the walls.
4. No food allowed
No food means no crumbs and no hidden candy wrappers under the bed.
5. Limit the toys
Too many toys in a child’s bedroom is never a good idea. It will lead to more stuff to clean up and fights at bedtime. If you don’t have a playroom or play space outside the bedroom, keep some of the toys hidden in a closet and rotate them out every month. It will be like Christmas with a new box of toys to play with each time you do so.
