If asked to design a nursery, our team will hands down say yes every single day of the week. We love the beauty in simplicity, yet the significance in functionality that each nursery needs in order to offer a safe space for our tiniest clients.

But, want to know what gets us more excited than nurseries? Big kid rooms. I often joke that if I could grow a business on designing kids’ rooms alone, then I would. There is so much room for playfulness, color, exciting patterns and the challenge of designing with the longterm in mind.

On average, “big kid” rooms cover the span of a child’s life from about age 2 to age 12. The length of time for a little one to love their space gives us the best kind of challenge : to incorporate colors, patterns and furniture that has the ability to grow with a child overtime, while still being a place is personal to each individual.

While creating our design plans for each kids’ room, we always consider a few key elements.

Are the pieces that I want to use items that are only specific to a current age?
In being mindful of the fact that kids grow up, we’ve learned it best to create a solid base and work from there. It helps to think outside of the box, like choosing a soft light blue color for a little girls wall color that serves as a backdrop or choosing an antiqued wood bookshelf for a little boys room that can last forever, and leaving more age specific items or patterns for accessorizing and layering. Changing pillows or small items on a shelf are a lot easier than changing out a bed or custom piece of art.
Does the space allow for functionality of the overall home?
Often times, guest rooms turn to kids’ rooms as families grow. When considering beds specifically, we recommend choosing a queen bed for your big kids’ room. Not only does it provide a bed that can grow with your little one, it also provides flexibility in sleeping arrangements for guests, should the need arise. Along with functionality comes cohesiveness. It’s important to design kids’ rooms with the overall cohesiveness of the home in mind; be it through natural elements used in furniture pieces or colors pulled through from other spaces, designing top to bottom is key.
Am I designing for a specific individual?
Just like us, kids want a space that feels fun, comfortable and secure to them. There are so many developmental changes that take place between ages 2-12. Kids are learning what they like, what peaks their interests and soaking in everything about the world around them. It’s important to create a space that includes elements of who they are becoming, as well as a place that they truly love coming to. With a solid base, there’s a lot of possibility to make small changes over time that continually make kids’ rooms a room they enjoy.