Designing a room that grows with your child

 

When I was pregnant, I remember I just had to find out if I was having a boy or a girl. I needed to know so I could design the room!  I was having a girl!  

 

As a designer, I had so many ideas!  It was such fun working with all the tradespeople I knew to create the perfect girl nursery.  I had pink and chocolate balloon shades made with ruffle trim, beautiful pink and chocolate plaid and floral bedding with chocolate silk bows that had rhinestones on them.  My faux painter painted huge pink botanicals, (or as most would say flowers) on the walls.  It was heaven in a nursery.  

 

As my daughter grew she began to develop her personality…..she wasn’t really a pink floral kinda girl.  I remember thinking that maybe a nursery shouldn’t be designed with so much effort. Maybe it was better to wait until the child is a little older and can help make those decisions.  

 

Children’s tastes change. So do adults for that matter.  But kids go through so many phases, from infancy to childhood to adolescence.  Many times I have seen rooms with trucks, unicorns, or baby animals and they call to me to change them.  Parents don’t always realize how quickly a child can outgrow those themes!

 

When we moved my daughter out of the nursery, it pained me to paint over those beautiful botanicals. All I could think about was the memory of being an expectant mother and designing that room. I’m not sure why they never were liked by my daughter.  Turns out, she hates pink and is more of a science and nature, no-frills kinda girl.  

 

Now, as we had into her summer before 8th grade, she gets to design her own room.  One that will take her through high school.  I made that deal with both of my girls-  summer before 8th grade, we will work together to design a room they want. 

 

The average frequency to change a child’s room is twice.  First as babies or around 3 and then again when they are around 9.  Finding the sweet spot that allows both child and parent to be happy is tricky.  It is their room but in their parents’ home.  

 

So, how do we best achieve a room that grows with them?

 

Purchase furniture that will grow with your child.  Baby furniture is so cute, but in a few years, you will be back at the store buying more furniture.  Instead of a smaller sized dresser for all those cute baby clothes, buy one that your child can grow into. A desk or dresser can easily be used temporarily as a changing table.  There are so many cribs that will turn into a toddler and then a full-size bed.  Investing in these pieces once will save money and headache buying multiple times.

 

Want to learn more about designing a room that grows with your child?  I share my advice from my experience as a mom, and pro tips as an interior designer.  You can find it in my webinar on Eventbrite