Designing a home around young children doesn’t mean compromising on style. With thoughtful planning, you can create spaces that are practical, safe and stimulating for children, while still feeling beautiful and cohesive with the rest of your home.
In this blog, we’re exploring the key things to consider when designing a home for young children.
Types of Spaces for Young Children
Children use different spaces in the home for different purposes, here are some of the key spaces to consider when designing a home for young children.
Family room
Starting with the space where everyone comes together, the Family Room. Family rooms are best for socialising, whether that’s watching a film, playing games or simply relaxing after a busy day. When designing a family room, comfort and practicality are key, so create a cosy space with multiple sofas or one that’s big enough for the whole family.
Playroom
Playrooms give children a dedicated space that encourages imagination and learning, as well as providing the perfect hangout for siblings and friends. Thoughtful storage and zoning can help create areas for different activities, making it easier to keep everything organised and allowing the space to adapt as they grow.
Bedroom
A child’s bedroom is more than just somewhere to sleep, it can become their own little space to develop their independence. Designing with their needs in mind, while considering how the room can evolve as they get older, can create a space that feels personal.
Nursery
A nursery should be a safe, calming and practical space for both baby and parent. Having everything needed for sleeping, feeding and changing within one room can make those early days a little easier, while comfortable seating and soft lighting can help create a relaxing environment for those quieter moments together.
Things to Consider When Designing for Small Children
When designing for young children, there are plenty of things to consider for safety and practicality reasons, which include:
Designing for Growth
Children grow quickly, so when designing their spaces, it’s important to think about how the room can adapt with them. Consider choosing timeless base colours and furniture that can grow with the child, while using accessories, bedding and artwork to bring in their personality and interests. This means you can easily update the room as they get older without having to redesign the whole space.
Storage & Layout
Storage is key when designing a home for young children, helping to keep everyday essentials organised and tidy. It’s important to consider the use of the room and create a layout that allows for plenty of space to play, while also providing easy access to the things they use most.
Zoning
Zoning can be a great way to create different areas within a child’s room or playroom, giving them dedicated spaces for each activity, which will promote a natural flow throughout the room.
It’s also important to remember that parents will use these spaces too. Particularly in a nursery, adding a comfortable chair for feeding, reading or simply spending time together can make the room work for everyone.
Safety & Practical Materials
Safety is an important consideration when designing spaces for young children. Think about details such as rounded edges and securing heavier furniture to prevent any incidents.
The materials you choose also need to stand up to everyday family life. Hard-wearing, wipeable and easy-to-clean materials can help make those inevitable messes a little easier to deal with.
Lighting & Environment
Lighting can have a big impact on how a child’s room feels and how it is used throughout the day. Blackout blinds can help create a darker environment for bedtime, while layered lighting allows you to adapt the room for different activities. Consider reading lamps, bedside lights and low-glow or night lights to create a softer atmosphere when it’s time to wind down.
Themes & Personalisation
Children’s rooms are the perfect opportunity to have a little fun with design and introduce their personality. Whether you opt for a gender-neutral scheme or a more playful theme such as ocean, safari, space or rainbows, there are plenty of ways to make the space feel unique to them.
Rather than designing a room around one specific theme, consider how you can introduce these elements through wallpaper, artwork, accessories and soft furnishings, making them easier to change as they grow.
Fun Inspiration for Your Children’s Room
There are so many ways to make a child’s space feel exciting and unique, here is some inspiration from our very own projects:
Secret Tunnels & Hidden Storage
During this project, we designed a secret tunnel in this young boy’s room that doubles up as a storage space. It creates a fun space for him to explore in his early years, while being designed to easily transition into useful storage as he grows up.
Cosy Reading Nooks
We created a lovely little escape within this girl’s bedroom for her to enjoy reading. As someone who loves reading, it was important for us to include a dedicated reading nook with comfortable seating, shelves for her books, soft task lighting and, of course, a spot for her cuddly toys. This cosy nook encourages reading and can easily evolve with her as she gets older.
Bookshelves with Ladders
For this little bookworm, having a bedroom filled with his favourite books was a must. He had always dreamed of having a room with a sliding ladder, so we designed a bespoke bookshelf that not only keeps his bedroom organised, but also brings his dream to life. The ladder adds a playful element to the room while making the books easy to reach.
Themed Children’s Bathrooms
This ensuite bathroom was designed to be shared by two little girls, so we wanted to create a space that felt fun and playful while still being practical. We went for an underwater theme, using waterproof themed wallpaper and adding fun accessories. It’s a great example of how a practical room can be transformed into an imaginative space for children to enjoy.
Playful Wallpaper & Murals
For this young girl’s bedroom, we wanted to create a space that felt personal to her while also being able to grow with her as she moved into her early teenage years. We chose a beautiful floral wallpaper, which created a stunning focal point, without making the room feel too young.
Whether your child dreams of a playful theme, a cosy reading nook or even a secret tunnel, we’d love to help bring their ideas to life. Get in touch with our team today.
Some suppliers who help us bring these Interiors Letta London | Lori UK Design | Man Made Furniture | Focal Glow
