We all want our children to spend their time in a bright, wide and uncluttered bedroom that encourages creativity and learning. Worry not if you only have limited space to work with. When arranged properly, even a small bedroom can have big potential. Here are some great tips on how to decorate kids bedroom to make it look and feel much bigger than it is.
Contents
How to Choose Wallpaper for Bedroom That Visually Enlarges the Space
Wallpaper can be a small room’s best friend as it adds character without taking up any space. However, choose the wrong design and you can make the room feel smaller, which is the last thing you want. With that being said, it’s crucial to pick a wallpaper style that has the power to visually enlarge the space.
But first of all, you may be wondering – “Is wallpaper coming back in style”? Wallpaper was a trend that dominated in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s and then gradually fell out of favour. But that all changed in 2018 when the ’90s started to have their revival and brought back many of the 90’s trends in fashion and interior design, including wallpaper. In fact, Pinterest placed wallpaper as one of the top 100 trends. And its popularity is likely going to continue into 2020 and beyond.
Since it’s is such a big trend currently, it means that there’s a huge variety of kids room wallpaper to choose from. For instance, a wallpaper in soft, light colours will reflect light around the room, making the space feel brighter and roomier. Pastels are some of the best colours when it comes to opening up the space and bringing more light to it. On the other hand, avoid dark colours as they absorb light and have the opposite effect.
Kids room wallpaper with stripes is another great option for enlarging the space visually. And it makes complete sense. After all, that’s why we avoid wearing pants or shirts with stripes when we think we’ve put on some extra kilos, right? So, if you feel like the ceiling of the room is too low, you can make it appear higher by choosing kids wallpaper with vertical stripes that draw the eye upward. On the other hand, if the room feels too tight, you can make it appear wider with a kids room wallpaper with horizontal stripes. In both cases, for the best effect look for wallpaper for kids with thinner stripes.
Use a Balanced Colour Palette
Small rooms can get easily overwhelmed by excessive use of colours, leaving them feeling cramped. For that reason, consider sticking to a balanced colour palette of three colours at most that you will apply throughout the room, starting from the wallpaper to the bed linens, rugs, drapes and similar items. Pick a single colour that you want to dominate, preferably something that’s light, like for instance white or pastel blue, and use the other colours merely as accents. Also, it’s best to stick to furniture in a neutral colour such as white, black or brown and with a simplistic design that won’t additionally clutter the space. Keep in mind that toys and other objects aimed at kids are brightly coloured and patterned, which means they will also add the final look of the room.
How to Make It Look Bigger with Furniture
When purchasing furniture for kids bedroom, try to pick pieces with a smooth shape and which feature legs. When the furniture is elevated off the ground, more of the floor is visible which helps create an airy, open feel. Not every piece of furniture needs to be legged, but make sure that at least one of the bulkier elements is. This can be the bed, the wardrobe, the bookshelf, or the nightstand. Also, it’s worth considering buying furniture for kids rather than adult-size pieces as this is also one way to increase floor space.
A great tip is to go for a bed with a thin but sturdy frame which is simple, stylish and doesn’t clutter the space. You can also choose a bed without a headboard which will expose more of the walls. But if the room is for multiple children, a bunk bed is the obvious solution.
In addition, cramming too much furniture into a small room can create a claustrophobic feeling. Because of this, make sure to only stick to the basics. For instance, children’s clothes won’t require a full-length hanging space, which means a half-wardrobe, half-drawer option is a great choice. Another way to avoid placing too much furniture is to pick pieces that are multi-functional, like for instance a nightstand with drawers that can also double as a storage unit, or even a small desk at the same time.
Prevent Clutter with Smart Storage Solutions
The more clutter in the room, the smaller and tighter it feels. So, make sure to prevent clutter by providing enough solutions for storing things. A great idea is to use floating shelves for organising toys and storybooks. The fact that these shelves are off the ground means that your child won’t be able to reach the toys easily and make a mess. Plus, when floating shelves are placed higher up, it also gives the illusion of a taller wall. However, to keep the bedroom safe, make sure that the shelves are securely installed on the walls. And just in case, avoid placing them above the bed in order to reduce the risk that something from the shelves tips over and falls on your child while sleeping.
Use Light Strategically
Remember, in the conquest for making any space look bigger, darkness is your biggest enemy. So, instead of having a single chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, use several different fixtures to flood the room with light. When the lights are turned on, this will draw the eyes around the room, which creates the illusion of more space. Try to buy lighting fixtures which can be placed at different levels in the room. In other words, create a tasteful mix of ceiling lights, wall lights and desk lamps.
Downlights are a great choice for overhead lighting in a small room. As opposed to pendants that make the space feel compressed and cluttered, downlights have a sleek, flushed finish that makes the ceiling appear taller and helps open up the space. Using vertical lighting fixtures such as wall sconces and desk lamps can create vertical lighting paths that draw attention to the height of the space.
You can also use strip lights to add an artistic backlight around the bed’s headboard or on the inside of a bookshelf. In addition, this will also give the illusion of extra depth. Obviously, if your kid is very young and just getting used to sleeping alone, a nightlight can provide a comforting glow and also serve as an additional lighting feature in your scheme.
When you buy lighting fixtures, make sure that they have the same finish such as powder-coated aluminium or brushed nickel. Similar to how a uniform colour palette enhances the space, picking light fixtures with the same finish also helps reduce the visual clutter.
