10 hug-worthy ideas to transform kids’ bedrooms

Kid bedroom ideas to maximize their space.

By Houzz April 6, 2017

Whether it’s a snuggly spot to read, a tepee hideaway for a snooze with a favorite pet or a wall of maps to inspire imaginary travels, any of these fun bedroom decorating ideas may delight your child and even earn you hugs and kisses (or heartfelt thanks from a teen).

1. Set up a book nook

Photo by Learn’ique: Design-to-Learn – Search modern kids’ room design ideas

Little learners will love to read in a comfy place where they can spread out and loll about. For this reason, position seating close to the floor — a squishy beanbag on a warm rug will suffice. This will set the scene for a relaxing and leisurely reading session. Keep toys packed away to help youngsters concentrate during story time, and make sure you include a library full of books as the main feature of the nook, no matter how makeshift.
Rebecca Interiors & Design by Numbers

2. Erect a permanent campsite

Photo by Rebecca Interiors & Design by Numbers – More modern kids’ room photos

Set up a tepee in a corner of the room, which can do double duty as an adventurous place to read and a hideaway for when your child craves some time alone. Portable kids’ tents are ideal choices for both reading and retreating. This is because they are calming and seem to always create a cozy, cocoon-like atmosphere. As they are also attractive to pets, it won’t be uncommon for your youngster to find a welcome and fluffy friend curled up inside.
Benedict August

3. Map out a wall of wonder

Photo by Benedict August – Look for contemporary nursery pictures

One way to brighten up a room is to wallpaper an entire wall with a map of the world. Pint-sized explorers will never tire of finding their country or pointing out exotic realms and far-flung places that they learn about at school. A map is also a great way to keep track of any travels someone in your family is undertaking, and can even inspire your tiny tot to travel in the future.

Give your kids the travel bug with maps Julie Ranee Photography

4. String up a study station

As some kids will balk at having to sit up at a desk to complete homework, go with the flow and make their space more fluid and fun. A suspended chair or hammock can be where they hang out to study — a laptop can easily be propped up on a cushion or their knees — and can also provide extra seating for when their friends come over. This may be a real hit especially with older kids and teens.

Hobus Homes

5. Paint a dreamscape on the ceiling

Photo by Hobus Homes – Search contemporary kids’ room pictures

Launch your kids’ dreams into orbit with a vibrant, out-of-this-world mural painted on the ceiling. The one pictured here was done by hand and cleverly incorporates the central light as the sun. This was done by painting the sun’s rays around the pendant, then hanging balls painted as planets in expanding orbits around it. The imaginative use of upper space in this bedroom provides a whimsical way to inspire sleep and dreaming each evening.

Jennifer Crabtree Design

6. Drape decorative pompoms

Photo by Jennifer Crabtree Design – Discover eclectic kids’ room design ideas

Bright pompoms can add a punch of color and festive fun to a playroom, and even older children will love them. Make a mobile from a string of pompoms, thread them through an open headboard or drape them across a window ledge. If you feel like getting crafty with your youngster, why not make your own paper pompoms? Wind and Willow Home

7. Create clever toy storage

Photo by Wind and Willow Home – Look for transitional kids’ room design inspiration

This low and practical shelving unit has plenty of baskets in easy reach for busy toddlers, to encourage them to tidy up their toys after play. The natural woven baskets are soft on little hands, and their nubby weave makes them easy to grab and throw toys into. The unit is not bright or “fun,” but let’s face it, not every element in a child’s room has to be colorful for it to get a thumbs-up from the kids.
HC Interiors

8. Mount a guitar rack

If your teen likes to play guitar but keeps it stored in a case, he or she will dig this cool rack that puts instruments on display. It’s a custom-made design that features molded hands affixed under a floating bookshelf; the hands hold the necks of the guitars for storage. Next to this, a small box has been hung on the wall to store an amplifier. a-sh

9. Be playful with lights

Photo by a-sh – Look for contemporary kids’ room design inspiration

Here’s a fun idea: Incorporate lighting into a bedroom mural. In this fun playroom, a storefront has been created using yellow tape on a white wall, while the lightbulbs have been outlined in black for extra impact. What’s more, these lights could easily be adapted into different wall art as the child’s interests develop over time. Etch Design Lab

10. Create a gallery of artwork

Provide a fun focal point by hanging up your child’s artwork clipped to thin wires. The clips mean you can easily rotate the artwork whenever your little one creates new illustrations for you to exhibit.

Original story by Susan Redman for Houzz

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