Your baby is growing up before your eyes. In no time at all, the tiny baby that you brought home from the hospital will be starting school or moving on to yet another milestone. The moment that you decide that your little one is ready for a big girl bedroom is likely to be yet another wrench. However, it really needn’t be. Sure, your baby is growing up, but she’s about to embark on an entirely new adventure – one for which you can redecorate!
In no particular order, here are a few tips to help with your baby’s stylish bedroom makeover.
Choose a theme
That transition from nursery to a big girl’s (or boy’s) room is a great opportunity to re-think the space that you’ve been using up until now. While your nursery was likely to have been a haven of peace and quiet with a few storybook characters thrown in, your child’s bedroom can take more of your little one’s personality into consideration. Does she have a favourite character or franchise? Have you spoken about your little one’s preferred colour scheme or inspiration? Perhaps you adore the no-nonsense beauty of the Scandinavian design movement, or favour minimalism. Designing a child’s bedroom is a great excuse for your imagination to run riot, but don’t forget to consult your headstrong bubba!
Think carefully about colour
While nurseries are often havens for brash, primary colours and bold shapes, your little one’s big girl room is likely to feel much more muted. Rainbows of colour can make smaller spaces feel claustrophobic, and so it’s often better to choose mutual hues that will grow up with your daughter. What’s on trend right now? I gather my inspiration from sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, as well as interior design magazines and websites. Dusky pink, champagne shades, blush tones and grey are big news right now, offering little princesses the opportunity to grow into sophisticated divas before your eyes. These kinds of colours are timeless, and will work as your little one grows up to form her own opinions and style.
Embrace lighting
The chances are that you installed some blackout blinds and a dimmer switch in order to make your baby’s bedroom a little more cosy and restful. Well, anything for a good night’s sleep! Now that she’s older, your little girl may want to play around with light a little more. A pretty lampshade and a string of fairy lights are a great start. You could also play around with natural light, installing some beautiful bespoke blinds from The Shutter Store. Wooden blinds will allow you to control the flow of light and air into your baby girl’s bedroom with ease. What’s more, the presence of shutters is likely to make your daughter’s bedroom feel like it’s fallen from the pages of a fairy story. Is there a better way to ensure that her bedroom remains a stylish space for many, many years to come?
Make it fun and functional
Think very carefully about the furniture that you’re going to be introducing into your little one’s new bedroom, including her bed, storage space and study area. Now that she’s starting school, you might like to include a small desk and chair, and a reading corner with a beanbag or inflatable chair. Cabin beds and mid-sleepers are absolutely fantastic for bigger children as they gain independence and character; with plenty of room for storage and a cosy place to sleep, you’ll keep your little one’s room stylish and practical. Beds with a slide work even better, of course. Consider surface space for photographs and mementos, and use a toy box to keep everything in its place. There’s no reason why the bedroom can’t also be a playroom.
Play with textures
Textures are not only fun, but they’re also bang on trend. If your little girl’s bedroom has a wooden floor, consider adding a little warmth and comfort with a rug, or complementing a neutral carpet with a mat or throw in rainbow shades. A princess canopy or net turns any bed into a secret hideaway in an instant, while cushions, scatter pillows and soft toys will add character and fun. Consider hanging drapes or curtains (keeping those ties stored well out of reach, of course) and using different textures to create a small sensory corner. Despite her age, your little one will continue to learn and develop new skills and an understanding of the world.
I have chosen some fairly feminine ideas for this blog post since I have two girls. However, any of these ideas could easily be adapted for a boy’s bedroom or miniature man cave. Consider your child’s personality and passions, and the hobbies that they enjoy. This brand-new bedroom must be a reflection of the things that your little one holds dear, and a fun and functional space in which they will want to spend time. Gone are the days when a bedroom was simply a space to sleep; these days, we want our children’s bedrooms to work as playrooms, studies and dens. You should be able to achieve a happy balance with any of these stylish ideas – or perhaps come up with something of your very own. Happy decorating!
