Trust us: the little darling will someday - soon - scorn the
fuzzy wuzzy bear theme you so lovingly selected. Here's how to
plan for a bedroom that grows, from tot to teen, right along
with your child.
By Chuck Ross, Content That Works
All the talk about future college costs is bad enough. The full
force of parental sticker shock does not set in, however, until
it's time to shop for children's furniture. That's when this
parenthood thing really starts to look expensive. Cribs, beds,
changing tables, dressers - kids can outgrow furniture almost
as fast as they go through shoes. And all that redecorating can
carry some very grown-up price tags. Have hope. With some realistic
planning, you can easily design a space that grows with your
child, without forcing a raid on the piggy bank.
Thinking ahead will help ensure the room meets a newborn's
needs, but still forms the basis for both a toddler's playroom
and a teenager's retreat. By understanding how your child's
requirements will change through the years, you can make sure today's purchases
will meet tomorrow's needs.
Multipurpose planning
Taking the time to plan out a room's progression is
important for more than just monetary reasons, design gurus
suggest. For kids, bedrooms are more than just places to sleep, they also
can be both office and refuge. Parents get to spread these
functions throughout the house, but kids' rooms are often all-in-one spaces.
Recognizing - and making room for - these varying functions
can make a real difference in how your child does homework or entertains.
"I think one of the most important things is that kids'
rooms need to have zones," says Wendy Jordan, a Washington,
D.C.-based design writer, whose books include "The Kidspace Idea Book" (Taunton
Press, 2001). "It's confusing for kids to have no definition
in a room. Adults know what we're going to do when we walk
into a room, but kids may be overwhelmed."
The need to define particular spaces can be especially
important in newer homes, where super-sized bedrooms
can lead to a lack of focus, Jordan says. She advises carving out spaces
that are obviously intended for sleep, homework, hobbies
and other activities, to help your child concentrate on the particular
task at hand.
Entering a baby zone
Infants' rooms require only a few basic zones, and need
to address parents' needs as much as the child's, Jordan
says. A crib for sleeping, a place for rocking and, maybe, a changing
table are the basics. In addition, of course, a place
to put the accumulating piles of "stuff" is also essential. This is
where planning ahead begins.
Multifunction storage is key, says Kathie Robitz, editor
of "The Smart Approach to Kids' Rooms" (Creative
Homeowner Press, 2000). She's a fan of armoires, which provide quick access to
diapers and clothes, but can be transformed easily
to camouflage a television or stereo equipment for older kids. And, from a
design standpoint, a good-looking armoire can make
a great focal point, she says.
For toys and books, simpler is better at this age, Jordan
says. Big bins and open shelves make picking up
a breeze for parents. Such approaches are also easier for toddlers to manage
than drawers or cabinets, once they're old enough
to help. For older kids, shelving units might be re-purposed for books or
trophies, and maybe a toy chest could be painted
and used for sweaters or linens.
Changing tables may provide more options for adaptability,
as some are designed with drawers or shelves
to make them useful even after diapers are a mere memory. Some cribs, too, may
convert to juvenile-sized furniture, with removable slats and neutral
styling.
Elementary design
Once kids hit grade school, it's probably time to take
another look at their room. Now you need to
consider a space for homework, and maybe room for entertaining friends and hosting
sleepovers. Again, experts urge, think beyond
current needs when making investments.
"Kids grow so fast and their taste changes so much,"
says Eugenia Santiesteban, author of "Living
With Kids: Ideas for Family Friendly Interiors," (Rockport Publishers, 2003)
and an Elle Decor assistant editor". I think it's important
to invest in solid pieces. You should always
buy furniture you like, so it can always be used in other parts of the house."
"A new bed is often considered at this point. With this
purchase, you might want to think ahead
to teen years. For example, Santiesteban suggests, think about a double bed or
twin set instead of a single twin. This could provide options for sleepovers
now, and accommodate teen-age growth spurts later.
In addition, storage needs only increase as kids get
older and their interests develop. "Almost
every kid has a collection at some point," Jordan says. "They're going to want
some display space for the stuff they amass."
Teen expression
The next big room re-evaluation
point will probably be as your child
enters the teen years. At this point, he or she will likely want more say in
the room's design. Experts suggest giving your teens some
freedom to express themselves, within reason. "You have to let them take
some control over the space," Jordan says. "But put some boundaries in
place. If they want to paint the entire room black, tell
them they can paint one wall black." And the need for separate zones remains,
design pros say.
"They should have a space to relax and enjoy their music,
but there also needs to be a space
where they can work," Robitz says. "Teens are into grooming, too. If they don't
have their own separate bathroom, they may want their own little corner
for that kind of thing, too."
Giving kids a budget and allowing them to do some of
their own shopping is one way to
allow self-expression while maintaining control, Jordan says. She adds that yard
sales can provide plenty of creative, money-saving options for these young
shoppers.
Accessories are everything
Focusing on age-neutral furnishings leaves parents and
children with a range of opportunities
for personalizing a bedroom with paint and accessories. Spending the serious
money on furniture you don't have to replace can free up later budgets for the
linens, window coverings, pillows and picture frames that can make a
real decorating impact at a reasonable
price.
"New paint, new window coverings, new linens, those
are very easy things to do,"
Robitz says. "If you really want to be practical, don't buy the cheapest thing,
and don't buy things that have a juvenile look. You can make a room look like
it's made for a 2-year-old
with a nice wallpaper border."
Now, if only planning for college tuition were this
easy.
