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Across many of our Remodel and eDesign projects, one of the things I enjoy designing for are kids’ room. Ideas often come to me for kids’ rooms thanks to my own experience with our own home.
I have 2 kids: a girl and a boy, and their own lifestyle needs and preferences are as challenging as an adult’s—and also quite unique. Add to that the now very common challenge of more people living in compact spaces, like condos and tiny homes.
So I wanted to do a roundup of some of the kids’ room ideas in condos and small homes that we have done these past few years. Here’s hoping you get a few ideas from these room designs too!
Common challenges in designing for kids' rooms
Designing kids’ rooms can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Here are some common obstacles that homeowners (and even interior designers and decoratos) often encounter:
1. Limited Space: This needs no further explanation. One of the most prevalent challenges is working with limited space, especially in condos and small homes. Finding creative solutions to maximize every inch of the room while still maintaining functionality and aesthetic appeal can be tricky.
2. Storage Needs: Children tend to accumulate a lot of toys, books, and clothes, which can quickly clutter up a room if not properly organized. Designing adequate storage solutions that are both accessible to children and visually appealing can be a challenge.
3. Safety Concerns: Safety is paramount when designing kids’ rooms, especially for younger children. Ensuring that furniture is securely anchored to the wall, window treatments are cordless, and there are no sharp edges or choking hazards requires careful consideration and planning.
4. Growing Needs: Kids grow fast, and their rooms need to grow with them! It’s tricky to design a space that works now and later, but custom architectural services and even our interior design packages can help. We can offer ideas that change as your child does. Picking furniture and decorations that easily go from baby to teen years can help your child’s room last a long time.
5. Personalization vs. Longevity: Balancing the desire to create a personalized space that reflects the child’s interests and personality with the need for a design that will stand the test of time can be challenging. Finding ways to incorporate elements of personalization without committing to a theme that the child may outgrow can be a delicate balance.
6. Creating a Restful Environment: Designing a room that promotes restful sleep can be challenging, especially if the space doubles as a play area. Finding the right balance between stimulating play elements and calming sleep-inducing features is essential for creating a harmonious environment. Beyond the furniture layout, air quality plays a vital role in a healthy sleep space; specifically, in smaller or more humid homes, using specialized air purifiers that destroy mold and other airborne irritants can significantly improve the room’s atmosphere and ensure your children wake up feeling refreshed.
7. Sibling Sharing: In cases where siblings share a room, accommodating the needs and preferences of multiple children in a single space can be challenging. Designing a room that offers each child a sense of individuality while fostering a sense of togetherness can require creative solutions.
8. Budget Constraints: Designing a kids’ room on a budget can be challenging, especially when factoring in the cost of durable furniture, quality bedding, and safety features. Finding affordable yet stylish solutions that don’t compromise on quality can require resourcefulness and creativity.
Now let’s take a look at some of these ideas for kids’ rooms from our own portfolio.
Kids' room idea #1: Elementary-age, girl-boy siblings
We created designs for this old 1980s bungalow, in which one of the rooms was converted into a bedroom and study for two, elementary- siblings who are of different genders.
While both kids are elementary age, one is only 6 years old, and the other is 10. Their interests are quite different, so we went for a color scheme that would accommodate for their varied and growing interests.
Single bed frames are small enough to fit a small, narrow room. We were still able to fit very small, 20cm-wide side tables as nightstands, so that each child could have his/her own reading lamp. Above their beds, we placed a custom neon sign in their preferred letters.
In lieu of a drawer chest between the beds, we went with a bookshelf. Only the 10-year-old girl needed a desk, so we placed a bench on its opposite side, with storage underneath for more toys and kiddie belongings.
A bench is a flexible piece of furniture, in that when little boy grows up and may need a desk of his own, the bench can easily be replaced with a matching desk like his big sister.
At the other side of the room is a massive wardrobe, with each kid having their own separate closet module. A set of multiple hooks by the door provide parking space for their bags, jackets, and other school belongings.
Kids' Room Idea #2: Shared space for pre-teen boys
This was a very small bedroom in a 2-storey condo unit that was to be shared by two pre-teen boys. Despite the unit having two floors, every room was incredibly tight, with massive built-in wardrobes already in place.
Clients wanted a very neutral palette for their kids’ room, but we went with colored accents in red and blue, like the chairs, lamps, and beddings. To scrimp on space, we naturally went for bunk beds, but because the two boys normally have cousins or classmates sleep over, we accommodated an extra bed via a pullout from the bottom bunk.
The built-in wardrobe actually had two separate closet modules with interior shelves. So we improved on these by adding upper rods for hanging shirts, and the bottom layer had pullout pants racks.
We designed a combined desk unit for two, with each desk having its own built-in shelves for school materials and supplies. Drawers between the desks provided more storage space, whether for school or other extracurricular activities. (If you want, you can also add a few curated toys for 12-year-old boys or your teens to liven up the space.)
Kids' Room Idea #3: Accommodating siblings' shared interests
We designed this narrow room for two teenage boys, both of whom liked basketball and played music.
Our clients requested lots of storage units, but we didn’t want to fill the whole space with cabinets, or else the whole room would have looked bulky and boxy.
We created spaces for the eye to rest from too many cabinets by incorporating the boys’ shared interests, particularly in basketball. We accommodated a centrally positioned wall with a basketball hoop, which they could shoot hoops in from either bed positions.
Speaking of their beds, we designed this custom bed with two wardrobe modules at the bottom. Each wardrobe had a pullout racks; this way we could fit as many of their clothes as possible without sacrificing too much space.
Thankfully this kids’ room had higher than standard ceilings, so we were able to accommodate the top bed bunk. However, for the sibling who was afraid of heights, we created a single bed by the side of the window, which fit his own private nook. Each bed had a wall-mounted shelf lamp, which they could as reading light and a spot to park and charge their mobile phones.
Thanks to their interest in the sport, the boys had a lot of basketballs scattered about. So we designed a custom, wall-mounted ball storage, which they could easily grab from and return. A store-bought shoe cabinet was placed below for their many pairs of shoes.
Kids' Room Idea #4: A toddler and a teen's shared space
Small rooms become more difficult to design for when the occupants have quite a large age gap between them.
For this particular room, we needed to design a space that was to be shared by a teenage girl and her 1-year-old sibling.
In order to physically separate their spaces, but still provide some opportunity for storage, we employed a standalone shelf as a divider.
We created a nook in the corner for the baby’s crib, and designed a wardrobe and wall-mounted cabinets for her. Once she grows out of her crib, they could get another single bed and place it parallel to the divider shelf. They could then put a slim dresser under the wall-mounted cabinets to really maximize the space.
As for the older siblings’ bed, we positioned it in front of the window so that the curtains could subtly frame the bed as like a headboard.
By the window, we placed a long, built-in desk with drawers. It was narrow enough to not take up too much floor space, but long enough for a teenager to spread her school stuff around while studying.
Kids' Room idea #5: A long and narrow space for 4 pax
Now this room in one of our previous Remodel projects was a pretty unique space, in that it used to be two small rooms that we converted into one, long and narrow kids’ room.
Scratch that: It wasn’t strictly a kids’ room…it was a room to be shared by 4 people—2 adults and 2 kids, specifically.
Naturally in most small bedrooms, bunk beds would work. But because the room was quite narrow, we needed to have the bunk beds and the mattresses custom-made.
Our clients also wanted the bottom bunks to be safe enough for their very-young kids to climb onto, so we removed the usual platforms or legs for these beds.
While there were two wardrobe modules on the other end of this room, we still needed to put storage units for clothes, toys, and other belongings.
The entire wall near the window accommodated these low, store-bought drawers and shelves. Using low pieces of furniture was intentional so that we don’t cover up the windows, and also balance out the heft of the custom bunk beds.
Pullout basket bins stow toys away neatly, but provided the flexibility for the kids if they wanted to bring their toys to another part of the condo.
Need help in coming up with unique ideas for your kids' room?
As you start gathering ideas for your child’s room in a condo or small space, remember that every challenge is an opportunity for creativity and innovation.
By embracing clever storage solutions, prioritizing safety, and balancing personalization with longevity, you can create a space that not only reflects your child’s personality but also nurtures their growth and development. With a little imagination and careful planning, even the smallest of spaces can be transformed into a magical haven where memories are made and dreams take flight.
It also goes without saying that regular decluttering is needed in order to maintain your children’s spaces and keep spaces clutter-free (and you feeling less stressed!). There’s no point in designing spaces for your kids if you don’t teach them the values of cleaning up, and letting go of items that they no longer have any use for (or even, to accumulate less).
If you need further inspiration or guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can book a free 15-minute discovery call if you are interested in availing any of our design services, specifically our Remodel service or our eDesign services.
We can also get on a paid, 1-hour online consultation, in case you just want to bounce around ideas first for your children’s rooms.
Click on the button below to figure out which of our interior design services are a good fit for your needs. We offer a variety of services that fit different kinds of interior design needs and budgets.
3D Renderings by: Camyl Besinga, Julienne Hidalgo for Gal at Home. Photos by Camyl Besinga.
For full transparency and clarity, please note that this content was created with the use of Artificial Intelligence, you can view our full AI Use disclosure here. This article may also contain links to the author’s or their clients’ websites, which are included for reader reference.
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