The Spring School holidays are here! But with the spring weather being unpredictable outdoor activities might be off the cards. You probably don’t want an unproductive few weeks inside on devices (as happy as many kids would be with this option) so how about a fun creative bedroom make-over!
As kids get older chances are their ideas on how their room should look will change, so why not have some fun with it these holidays? While some will confine their creative urges to plastering the walls with posters and stickers, others may want to go further with painting the walls, rearranging furniture and updating bedding. Here are some tips and ideas.
Three key ingredients for a successful child / teen bedroom makeover
Storage, storage and storage! Ok so that’s one, but seriously, with the amount of activities many kids get up storage is a must for keeping sports items, homework projects, fashion aspirations and tech in check! Storage comes in all forms, hanging, drawers, wall space etc… so explore the options.
How can you make the space work best for them?
Ask them. And then really assess what kind of kid they are, how they live and how they operate. Let the room work with how they use it, rather than how you as an adult dictate what should be in the bedroom. Do they need a place for homework or do they share a workspace elsewhere in the house? Do they need a ‘dump zone’ for sports gear? Would a seating area near the window be suitable for day dreaming and relaxing with their friends? Or is a ‘gaming pit’ with mates something they see as a must have?
What are the essentials for a kids bedroom makeover?
A desk, with multiple drawers (even if they mostly do homework in another area in the house) it’ll come in handy for reading and other projects; adequate wardrobes, but maybe for only hanging the bigger items like coats and sweatshirts on – drawers to stuff things into are just as good as hanging when your a kid and lets face it, anything is better than the floor. Consider if it’s time to upgrade the bed too – especially for growing teenagers.
How much say should kids have in decoration?
It depends on their age, but a lot if they are in the tween to teenage range, it is their bedroom makeover after-all. But within the overall vision and style of the house and of course as long as it’s not detrimental to the potential re-sale of the house in the long-term. Sit down and create a list of wants, needs, wishes and go from there. Set a budget at this stage to give realistic expectations if its all out new furniture, curtains and bed or just a fresh coat of paint or just a clean up and new bedding. Suggest repurposing items with a lick of paint or new accessories like throws and pillows. Sometimes just moving the furniture around can have a massive impact.
Decorating your teen’s room: where to start the bedroom makeover
– Chances are that if your child is in his or her early teens, there will be a request for a makeover coming. Start taking notice of things you like about teen rooms in home magazines, websites and social media. Suggest that you both share a pinterest page and start pinning ideas and inspiration now.
– This is your child’s chance to shine and with ownership of the project they may assert some independence, so always make sure it’s a collaborative effort. If they ask for something out of your comfort zone (like black walls) think about options and also research examples of how this could work. Dark walls, for example, could look amazing as long as you furnish and dress the room with light and colour in mind. Or compromise on a feature wall.
– Natural light and ventilation are important points to consider for any growing body. Task lighting is also essential – make sure study and reading areas are well-lit.
– Make sure you set a budget for your makeover and ensure you stick to it. This age group is brand and trend aware, but brands cost money and trends come and go!
– If space allows try to give the room ‘zones’ for sleeping, studying and, chilling out with friends.
– Show and display personality by storing awards, photographs, personal mementos. If space allows get creative with storing larger items as if on display. For example if they surf, mountain bike, or ride skateboards install brackets to the walls to hang their gear up in a creative way. Almost like an interactive art installation!
Finally a word on keeping the room clean.
A strategy is to provide them with enough bins for non food trash (you don’t want things rotting away – food scraps should always go in the kitchen) and laundry bins for clean and dirty clothes, as well as a desk with more than one drawer. Also allow for a junk drawer or box that periodically gets sorted out.
Given that you’ve got their ‘buy in’ and they had lots of input with the new look they should have some pride in their refreshed area and what to keep it presentable – even for the short term.
And always remember that in failing that, ensure the door closes without obstruction – and then keep it closed… hmmm maybe not technically a ‘strategy’ for keeping the room clean, but sometimes ignorance is bliss! And as they say, “You have to pick your battles.”
Good luck and happy Spring School holidays!
