Creating spaces with room to grow
Whether you are decorating a nursery to welcome a new addition to the family, or updating an existing room to better suit your child’s personality and age, decorating children’s bedrooms can be unexpectedly stressful.
What works well one year, might not be appropriate the next, and a child’s taste can change as quickly as their favourite colour or cartoon character. Striking the right balance between practicality, style, and flexibility is key to creating a space that grows with your child - without needing a complete overhaul every couple of years.
To help you get it right, we’ve turned to Matt, Head of Interior Design at House of Sonnaz. With a wealth of experience designing timeless, functional spaces for families, his top tips will help you create a bedroom your child will love now, and still feel at home in for years to come.
Decorating a child's bedroom without a defined theme can be a wonderful creative opportunity. By avoiding age-specific motifs or "on trend" cartoons you can create a space that evolves as your child grows, from toddler through to school age and beyond.
Here are a few of my favourite suggestions:
Keep the walls simple and let the ceiling do the talking. Introduce a tented ceiling to add drama and a sense of whimsy. One of my personal favourites Pierre Frey offer a fabulous collection of fabrics. This soft architectural touch brings charm to the room without over powering the overall aesthetic. This also works great at disguising a ceiling of differing heights and angles.
Bring in a touch of individuality with creative curtain poles. One of our favourite suppliers, Todd Knight offers an endless array of options. I particularly love their hollow acrylic poles, which can be filled with playful items like dolly mixtures, LEGO bricks or shells to create a personalised look. Alternatively, a bespoke painted pole with hand decorated finial and rings can introduce colour and craftsmanship with elegance.
Stick to timeless patterns like stripes and checks. These classic designs are a smart and stylish choice for children's rooms, and work beautifully across blinds, curtains and even pelmets. For a touch of personality consider adding a decorative trim or border. It can be contrast piping, a pom-pom edge or a tailored braid; small details that can elevate the fabric and tie in with the rest of the scheme.
A mural can be a stunning focal point. This is especially true if you are considering wallpaper. Cole & Son offers a wonderful selection from enchanted garden scenes to theatrical opera house designs, perfect for sparking imagination without feeling too youthful or dated over time.
The key is in combining practical choices with playful, bespoke details. With the right balance your child's room can feel magical and personal while still being stylish enough to grow with them for years to come.
If you're starting from scratch or updating a room to grow with your child, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Get in touch - we’d love to help you design a space that’s as playful as it is practical and future-proofed.