It happens to all of us at some point - your child has outgrown their current decor and their room has limited space. Is it time your kids room gets a new look? One that is trendier and more functional without requiring a lot of space does take a bit of planning but is easy to achieve.
The first thing you need to do is write down the tasks the space must do. (and yes, write it down on a piece of paper). Even if you think writing down a place to sleep seems silly it is a major factor in designing a well thought out room. Examples are: sleeping, study area, a place to hang with friends, playing games, etc. Now take that list and order them of importance - this will vary depending on your child. While one child's list of importance may be: sleeping and playing games another child's needs may be: sleep, studying and drawing; you get the idea. If two children share a room you will need to combine the two list into one so that the room functions for both. Once you have a list of what the rooms requirements are measure the room and make a rough sketch of the room (don't worry you don't need to be Picasso; you just need to be able to draw lines.) For each wall you draw write down the measurement so you can get the overall size of the room. One important factor many parents overlook and omit in their drawing is the placement of television, phone and electrical outlets - make sure to mark these on your room sketch. The outlet placements help determine what needs to be placed in that particular space. As an example if a TV outlet is on one wall and you only have 32" of clearance a 46" entertainment center or dresser just won't fit.
The most important piece of furniture is the bed and should be the first item you decide upon. If the room is very small and you need space for a desk you may decide to use an all in one bed that has a built in desk area or possible a daybed with or without a trundle. Daybeds give you more room for other items such as a desk, a play area for toys or an area to play electronic games with friends. When two children share the same room clothes storage can create an additional problem therefore furnishings like hip lockers or chests with seating are wonderful choices as they give the room more functionality. Cube desks are the hottest thing now and really save a lot of space - kids of all ages think this is just way too cool. In your planning do not neglect the available wall space above beds, desks and dressers this is great space for shelving that can be incorporated to fit the rooms overall decor design and gives you more storage for books, decorative accessories and other collectibles. With a bit of pre-planning your kids room can utilize all the available space without looking cluttered and one your child will like spending time in.
