decorating a child's small bedroom Source

I have first hand experience of how to create a child’s bedroom in a very small room. What is currently Miss R’s room, is a very tiny room indeed and we’ve had to be very creative over the years in how we’ve used the space. Now she’s almost 6 and it’s going to be her room for the foreseeable future it’s working out well. I thought it might be useful to document some of my top tips for creating a child’s bedroom in a small space.

Major Demolition

If there is any option to remove anything structural from the room take an apportunity and do it. We had the old water tank and airing cupboard in Miss R’s room and when we installed a new combi-boiler it was a great chance to remove the water tank and demolish the cupboard. Yes, we had to find space to store the towels but it was a small price to pay for gaining extra space in the bedroom and for turning into a much ‘squarer’ shaped room.

Bespoke Furniture

Look around for companies that will build bespoke furniture for the room. Local carpenters are always handy and can often create drawer and shelving space for the room to make the most of the available space. Building cupboards into awkward, odd-shaped corners of the room will allow you to really fill the room, and these solutions don’t have to be expensive.

Clever Beds

Think carefully about the type of bed you buy as this is often the largest item that goes in the room. There are lots of great options that you can use from clever cabin beds to beds with second mattresses for guests and sleepovers. We actually made a foolish mistake and spent money on a lovely iron bedstead that looks great but actually isn’t that practical. At the moment we can’t justify changing it but I suspect it’s something we’ll look at updating in the not too distant future.

Toy Storage

I know this is a subject we tend to talk about a lot on the blog (or it seems like we do!) but it’s so important to spend a bit of money and think about the best way to store the toys that your child owns. Baskets, boxes, cabinets and cupboards are all available in lots of different materials, shapes and colours so do spend some time hunting out the right sort. Make sure under-bed boxes will actually fit (another reason why the iron bedstead needs to go!). And don’t just limit yourself to items sold specifically as toy storage. We had an awkward space next to the wardrobe that was too small for most cupboards, but we were able to fit in a tall, thin bookcase. Bolted to the wardrobe it made great storage for puzzles, games and pretty storage boxes and looked like a natural extension.

Modular Wardrobes

I am a firm believer in the flexibility of modular storage systems and we’ve used them extensively in both girls’ bedrooms. The outer carcass may be a fixed size but you are usually able to build the interior to suit you and your room. Children don’t always need the hanging space that adults do so think about adding extra shelving, pull out drawers or baskets that will be able to hold toys, clothes, boxes of Lego and bags of dressing up. The beauty of this type of storage is that it can be altered and adapted to suit the changing requirements of the room as the child gets older.

So there you have some of my top tips for making the most a child’s small bedroom, but maybe you have some more? Do let us know in the comments if you have any other tips.

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