Inspiration

Shelley Ferguson’s top tips for creating the ultimate kids’ room

Article by Homes to Love

The Block NZ host and editor of Your Home and Garden, Shelley Ferguson, shares her top tips for achieving a creative kid’s room that’s full of individuality and personality. From encouraging sleep to adding fun zones and a sense of adventure, these tricks will have children falling in love with their bedrooms in no time

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1/ Encourage imagination

Don’t go too minimal when it comes to kids’ rooms – they need interesting objects and creative zones that encourage intrigue and imagination. For example, an explorer-themed room could have a station with a magnifying glass and images of insects, a desk complete with a globe and map collection, and shelves showcasing glass specimen jars filled with sand, soil and treasures from their own adventures.

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2/ Personal touch

Make your little one feel safe and loved in their room by adding pictures of their family, friends and pets. Display their own creations – showing you’re proud of them will make them feel extra special! To avoid everything looking ‘jumbled’, display features such as art in matching frames that complement the colour and theme of the room.

Turn a nook into a storage area with a cool trunk or vintage suitcase. Photo Todd Eyre.

3/ Put it away

Choose clever furniture designs that double as storage. Buy cute storage baskets, rollaway trundle storage for under the bed, and have a storage system in the wardrobe to maximise space, so that your child’s belongings have an allocated home. Encourage them to choose ‘special homes’ they like for all their toys, so they’re more likely to get involved in tidying them up.

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4/ Surprise, surprise!

Kids love nooks that create a special feeling of secrecy, surprise and intrigue. Create a secret passage, pitch a little tent, install a ladder to a little mezzanine or set up a hidden zone in an unused space like a cupboard or closet. Décor features like glowing lights add to the feeling.

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5/ Live and learn

Ensure the size and placement of the bed allows plenty of room for educational activities. If you have space add zones for these, such as an art station with an easel and stool, and a desk with a lamp, bookshelf and cute stationery. These are practical areas, plus you can style them up in a fun way to add design impact to the room.

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6/ Just relax

Décor and colour actually affect your little one’s mood and mind. Your child may want a room with cartoons covering every wall, but it may be overstimulating (and we parents know exactly how that scenario ends up!). If your child loves colours, choose dusky shades within the colour family rather than a rainbow bright. If they want a fun pattern, confine it to one area such as a wallpaper feature wall.

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7/ Easy updates

When it comes to big ticket room basics like flooring and paint, choose styles and colours that tie into the interior scheme of the rest of the house – this achieves a cohesive look. Then ‘layer’ your chosen children’s theme on top, using furniture, accessories, bedding and lighting to bring the look to life. This way, the room is easier to update once your child grows up and wants a change.

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8/ Encourage bedtime

Last but definitely not least – this one is simple but so important! Create a bed that your child is excited about staying in. Make the bed snuggly with good quality sheets, pillows and bedding and layer it with a throw, scatter cushions and favourite soft toys to cuddle up with. A custom-built or feature bed adds a sense of adventure. A nightstand beside the bed with a softly lit lamp and stack of favourite books signal wind-down time.

Words by: Shelley Ferguson.

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