The Art of Play: Designing Children's Rooms to Sleep and Play In

I love seeing children’s faces when they are experiencing something that thrills them. Their cheek to cheek smiles and giggles of pleasure are priceless. That is why as interior designers we get such joy from designing children’s rooms that they love to live and play in.

Designing Children’s Rooms That Children Love

Designing children’s rooms that nurture, comfort and encourage play takes a designer that makes time to get to know what the child they are designing for likes and dislikes. I asked one of my talented designers, Jenn, who is a mother of two kiddo’s to share her thoughts on designing children’s spaces. (By the way, all of the rooms in this blog are designed by our designers).

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Jenn

Nurture out-of-the-box thinking

One of the things Jenn love most about kids is their lack of filters and constraints. So she likes to nurture out-of-the-box thinking in children’s spaces. She encourages this with unexpected details and places to let their imaginations go wild. These details can be a curved floor transition, a hanging chair, or hidden tunnels and hiding places.

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Kirsten.

Providing chalkboards or whiteboards allows for an immediate creative outlet, and Jenn usually offers art wires or magnetic surfaces to display completed pieces of art. She also think it is essential to ensure proper light and, if possible, a view, so it feels like the sky is the limit for their amazing little minds.

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Joe.

**Jenn’s favorite children’s room quote is, “Play is the highest form of research,” by Albert Einstein.**

Reading Nook designed by Designer Premier designer Cass.

Jenn shared that children can feel the love in a space, and when they feel safe and inspired, they thrive.

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Jenn.

Working with multiple Children when Designing Children’s Rooms

I asked Jenn, her design approach when working with families with younger children and multiple children. Jenn’s approach depends on how many kids and their ages. For example, if she is designing for two young kids, it can be hard. They want different things, but it needs to feel equal, and sometimes they fight. So she makes sure to give them equal but different options on concept pages to choose from – usually two choices each. Differences between rooms are something like the same duvet cover, but different color.

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Joe.

With older sisters, their personalities are often already different and defined, so it’s a matter of deciding on acceptable options with the parent, and then presenting those options to the kids

Room designed by Designer Premier designer Lovedy.

They love developing their identity with colors, themes and incorporating items of interest. It is a boost to their well-being.

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Joe.

Children spend a lot of time in their bedroom. They use them for sleeping, playing and working, so their space should be a reflection of their little personalities. I love the built-in recessed reading nook Jenn designed for the bedroom below.

Room designed by Designer Premier Designer Jenn.

As children grow into young adults they require more grown up spaces.

Room designed by Designer Premier designer Erin.

Colorful, imaginative, and unquestionably cool

Room designed by Designer Premier designer Joe.

Need a little help designing your kid’s room?

Designing your children’s rooms will be rewarding when you see their ear to ear smile, but they can also overwhelming. You may want to consider hiring a designer to help with the significant and even the small details (these are the details that make a room look pulled together and finished). Our designers have experience in working out tricky space plans, they know where to shop for unique things, and that can save you a lot of time and energy. A professional designer will cost some money, but it will be well worth it. Have a child with special needs? https://www.designerpremier.com/design-a-space-thats-adhd-friendly/ Wondering which colors improve sleep? https://www.designerpremier.com/the-best-colors-to-paint-a-bedroom-to-improve-sleep/

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