The smartest children’s bedroom ideas incorporate multitasking designs and clever colour schemes that can be easily adapted and updated. Interiors editor Nicole Gray shows you how.

Make the room multifunctional
- Colour Paint is a quick and cost-effective way to define different areas in a room. Try tranquil shades such as pale blue and grey for sleep areas and brighter shades for spaces to play in.
- Flooring Chalkboard floorboards and artificial-turf carpets are a fun way to break up a room, as are patterned rugs in different shapes and sizes, which can be changed around easily.
- Corners Nooks in children’s bedrooms tend to get overlooked as awkward shapes, but they can make cosy reading areas when decorated with cushions or beanbags.
- Lighting High-contrast, adjustable reading lamps indicate working areas whereas a string of fairy lights suggest sleep. Animal-shaped lights or neon slogans are perfect for play areas.
Put the fun in functional
Cupboard, £299, mustardmade.co.uk
Ice-cream wall shelf, £55, amara.com
Giraffe height chart, £89.99, wayfair.co.uk
Teepee, £115, bobbyrabbit.co.uk
Cushion, £25.95, birdkids.co.uk
Play tower bed, £1,185, cuckooland.co.uk

Play with colours and details
- Consider the palette. Strong shades such as bright pink and yellows may be what they are after now, but that could change within the space of a week. Choose colours that can evolve with your child, such as pale shades and neutrals, and bring in bolder colours through cushions or artwork.
- Storage can be fun as well as practical. The latest trend for children’s rooms is custom-built bed designs that lift the sleeping area off the floor, giving space for essentials beneath. Gltc.co.uk sells a selection of playhouse-style beds.
- Make the most of textiles. Piles of cushions create lounging areas and are great for building forts and dens. Layering rugs looks stylish and also helps protect floors from spills.
- Don’t overthink your design or worry about it looking perfect – it’s primarily a space for having fun. Consider a chalkboard wall for them to draw on, and opt for matt washable paints that can be wiped clean easily.

Stylish ways to zone
Climbing ladder £249, ajproducts.co.uk
Hanging planter, £9, sassandbelle.co.uk
Storage basket, £95, cuckooland.co.uk
Bookcase, £92.99, wayfair.co.uk
Kids chair, £124, en.smallable.com
Storage basket, £12.99, hm.com
4 ways to future-proof your child’s room
- Buy a good-quality bed frame. It will be a staple for years, so consider designs that can be repainted and customised to suit changing tastes. A bed incorporating storage will help cut down on clutter.
- Decorate with pegboards and chalkboards rather than spending money on artwork. Children’s tastes change rapidly so paintings or drawings can be swapped around with minimal effort.
- Invest in a well-made chest of drawers. Outfits can be changed up to five times a day, so you will need a durable set of drawers that can withstand years of wear and tear. Loaf.com offers a great selection.
- Use accessories to ring the changes. A new cushion cover, pattern bedlinen and throws are an easy way to update a room and can instantly transform a space without costing too much.

Details that make a difference
Lamp, £36.50, maisonsdumonde.com
Rattan headboard, £235, tobsandror.com
Bedlinen, £53.95, scandiborn.co.uk
Print (without frame), £18.95, desenio.co.uk
Wall light, £69.99, lights4fun.co.uk