It's a sunny Saturday morning and I'm sipping coffee, watching my two rambunctious kids gleefully racing toy cars across the brightly colored playmat in their renovated bedroom. The laughter echoing off the whimsical animal-themed walls transports me back to the planning phase of this joyful space a few months ago...
As a professional interior designer specializing in children's spaces, I've lost count of how many kids rooms I've reimagined into functional yet fanciful escapes tailored to spark young imaginations. Whether it's a newborn nursery or a pre-teen hangout, creating an inspiring yet practical environment where children can learn, play and dream is both an art and a science.
When I first met the Wilsons, their 5 and 8 year old daughters were sharing a very typical kids room – mismatched hand-me-down furniture, drab beige walls, and a random assortment of toys strewn about. Dad's "temporary" home office setup in the corner made the space feel cramped and cluttered. The girls were clearly outgrowing this room and craving a fun, creative oasis to call their own.
After discussing the Wilsons' design goals, budget and each daughter's unique interests, we put together a "wow" renovation plan to maximize this blank slate and inject some much-needed whimsy and organization. Today, I'm sharing 5 key ideas that transformed their kids room into a magical, multi-purpose haven:
1. Divide and Conquer with Split Zones
In my experience, dividing a shared kids room into distinct individual "zones" for each child creates a sense of personal space that's vital for promoting independence and minimizing conflicts. Plus, it allows you to let each young resident's creativity shine.
For the Wilsons, we designated one corner as an arts & crafts studio for their artistic eldest daughter "Lily" by setting up a kid-sized craft table, shelving for supplies, and a rolling cart for ongoing projects. On the opposite side, we created a cozy reading/hideaway nook for bookworm "Emma" by draping sheer fabric panels from the ceiling and tucking in a plush beanbag with string lights overhead.
An open area in the middle allows enough room for active free play and houses low-rise storage bins and cube organizers perfect for keeping communal toys, games and books neat yet accessible. Finally, we floated their twin beds along the windowed wall, leaving ample floor space and providing separate "lounge" areas beside each bed divided by a tall shelving unit.
Zoning Tips:
Use room dividers, bookcases or curtains to create visual/physical boundaries
Customize each zone with the child's name, monogram or favorite colors
Position activity areas away from sleep spaces to promote rest
Incorporate mobile storage pieces that can be easily reconfigured as needs change
2. Bring Magic to Life with Themed Wall Treatments
Every child has an cherished passion, whether it's dinosaurs, princesses, superheroes or animals. Highlighting that innate sense of wonder through immersive, themed wall decor is a guaranteed way to inject playfulness into a kids room and spark creativity.
After learning that Lily dreams of being a zookeeper someday, we decided to surround her art studio corner with a vibrant jungle mural teeming with friendly creatures like elephants, sloths and toucans. We even incorporated lifelike sculpted 3D branches reaching across the ceiling, which serve as hanging rods for displaying her art.
For Emma's reading nook, removable polka dot wall decals create a charming backdrop behind her canopy while letting the whimsical string lights be the star of the show.
The remaining walls are painted in a soft mint "zen" tone which subtly frames the themed zones and stays fresh-looking as the girls mature. To personalize each girl's space further, we stenciled their names in bold typographic patterns at their bed alcoves.
Wall Treatment Ideas:
Wall murals or wallpaper decals (myriads of themes/characters available)
Chalkboard, magnetic or dry-erase paint for doodling
Dimensional accents like textured paneling, 3D wall hangings or decals
Stenciled artwork, motifs or names
Whimsical lighting (string lights, lava lamps, etc.)
3. Smart Furniture Maximizes Space and Fun
Kids rooms have to strike an intricate balance between open room for rambunctious playtime and proper storage to contain the toys/mess. With some strategic, multi-purpose furniture choices, you can keep clutter at bay while creating more space for activities.
For the Wilson girls, we skipped basic dressers and opted for a pair of dual-use storage beds with bookcases and shelving units built right in. Not only does it eliminate the need for standalone dressers, but it also provides abundant storage for toys, clothes, books and keepsakes within arm's reach.
We chose mini beanbags over bulky rockers/chairs to maximize floor space, and added lightweight stackable stools under the craft table that can be pulled out as extra seating when friends come over. Their desks are attached to the wall-mounted shelving units, minimizing furniture footprints.
Finally, several large lower-cabinet units equipped with casters do double duty – they act as mobile craft/art supply stations, plus provide plenty of concealed storage to rotate toys in/out as interests shift. The rolling design also permits flexible reconfiguration of the room layout over time.
Smart Furniture Examples:
Beds with integrated storage, desk or trundle bed
Wall-mounted desks, shelving or fold-out tables
Stackable, mobile or nesting furniture
Convertible pieces like sofa sleepers or bunk beds
Modular storage units with adjustable components
4. Create Immersive Floor Designs
While walls and furniture act as a blank canvas to build around, the floor is one of the largest surface areas that provides significant opportunities to weave your theme throughout a space in a big, bold way.
For the Wilsons, we went with a dual surface approach – plush, stain-resistant patterned carpet tiles in the main sleeping area for comfort and warmth, and large durable interlocking foam mats in the middle activity zone printed with a colorful world map design.
The lightweight foam mats designate a defined "safe" play area for active games, building forts, or lounging with tablets while also sparking their curiosity and conversations about geography. Plus, the bright map pattern establishes a cohesive link between each girl's individualized themed zones.
Under Lily's art area we utilized rigid interlocking multi-surface floor tiles specifically designed to withstand paint drips, glue and other artistic messes while being a breeze to wipe clean.
Creative Floor Ideas:
Themed foam or carpet tiles (streets, world maps, playgrounds, etc.)
Soft fabric floor mats or sheepskin rugs for cozy lounge spaces
Rubberized or multi-surface floor tiles in messy zones (crafts, etc.)
Tape or stencil fun ground graphics onto surface (roads, fields, etc.)
Incorporate textural accents like faux grass or pebble mats
5. Encourage Self-Expression with Kid-Friendly Art Displays
Every child is a pint-sized creative genius just waiting to blossom. Surrounding them with easy outlets to proudly showcase their latest masterworks provides priceless encouragement for their blossoming skills and self-confidence.
For Lily's arts & crafts corner, we hung an angled dual-track display wall from the ceiling to effortlessly rotate and illuminate her framed artwork, photos and inspiration boards. We also integrated a tabletop drying rack, and repurposed chicken wire frames for displaying 3D sculptures and weavings. To keep her creative juices flowing, a colorful ribbon chandelier hovers overhead.
On Emma's side of the room, her reading nook includes a fun spinning art carousel mounted beside her bed to rotate through an entire gallery of framed drawings and paintings. For shared display space, we positioned a movable magnetic whiteboard/chalkboard easel in the middle to switch between coloring murals and hanging up collaborative works-in-progress.
Budget-Friendly Display Ideas:
Clothesline or hanging photo/art wires
Magnetic/chalkboard paint wall strips or boards
Pegboard or chicken wire grids to hang 3D crafts
Portable art display stands or rolling carts
Clip or binder art display rails
Whether you have rambunctious twins or creative singletons, designing a stimulating yet functional kids room is all about catering to their unique personalities. With some innovative zoning, themed decor, smart furniture and hands-on display concepts, you'll not only maximize space and storage but create an inspiring environment that nurtures their individuality, creativity and sense of youth every day.
As I sip the last of my coffee and admire Lily's newest animal mural blossoming to life beneath the jungle canopy, I smile knowing that this special space will nurture countless treasured memories of childhood magic and imagination. That's what kids room design is all about.
Post a comment
Comment List