Renovating a Child’s Room for the Growing Up Phase

Children grow up too fast. Before you know it, babies turn into toddlers and then quickly into young children. While transitions are tough at every age (for both parents and children), one of the most important transitory periods in your child’s life is the growing up phase. A child’s home environment should be catered to his/her current needs. As your little one becomes an older child, their bedrooms should become a comfortable and personal space that helps them through one of the biggest transitions in their lives. Here are some of our tips and tricks to help your renovate your child’s room to accommodate the big kid growing up phase.

Redecorate

Depending on your child’s personal tastes, now might be the right time to ditch the themed bedroom. While cartoon characters and wall decals might have been appropriate for your children when they were younger, many older children want to be seen as adults. Redecorating their bedroom at this stage is an important step towards adulthood, so keep this in mind when choosing colour palettes and design styles. While you can never go wrong with neutrals, it’s always a good idea to take your child’s wishes into account and perhaps even allow them to help with repainting, wallpapering, and any other major decorating jobs required. 

Choose grown up furniture and storage

Grown up bedrooms, if renovated well, will be able to stand the test of time. Plus, your big kid will probably be spending lots of time in this space, so making sure the room is stocked with furniture and storage that suits his/her needs is essential here. A well-made, sturdy bed and matching dresser and side tables can be used for years and will still be appropriate after your child moves out. Another important furnishing element to consider is a functional desk and comfortable chair since we all know how much homework—and web surfing—your big kid will be doing over the next few years. Finally, if you have space, a futon or couch for relaxing and occasional (approved) guests will complete your furnishings for the big kid bedroom. 

Make it accessible

As children grow into young adults, accessibility becomes less about safety and more about propriety. An accessible big kid bedroom should contain most of the same things as an adult bedroom, with a few small changes. Comfort is at the top of most children’s priority lists, so make sure the heating and cooling is at the right level, and be sure to stock up on soft blankets and large cushions for lounging and resting. If your child is into video or computer games, consider installing a gaming station or computer area—just be aware of internet safety and don’t be afraid to set limits on your WiFi and monitor their screen time as necessary. You can further customise your big kid’s space according to his/her interests and personal taste. 

Accessorise

Most parents can vaguely remember the painstaking and thoughtful process of decorating and accessorising the nursery all those years ago. While you might have been able to choose decor pieces and accessories that suited your design tastes once upon a time, the customisation of your big kid’s bedroom should be left up to the children themselves. Establishing a personal identity is an essential part of growing up, so encourage your not-so-little children to choose photos, mementos, and other decorative pieces that are important to them and that make them happy. Remember that they’re not quite grown up yet, so you might have to step in and help put the finishing touches on the room if you want to have a chance of seeing it completed. 

Written by: Kaitlin Krull

Kaitlin Krull is a writer and mom of two girls living the expat life in the UK. She enjoys writing for the air conditioning installation experts at Modernize with the goal of empowering homeowners with the expert guidance and educational tools they need to take on home projects with confidence.