Children's rooms that grow

DESIGN YOUR CHILD'S ROOM TO WITHSTAND FADS SO THAT IT WILL LAST THEM FROM CRADLE TO RAVE

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Just as you've finished cleaning the paintbrush, ironing the new curtains and assembling the desk, you hear: 'Can we buy one of these/I didn’t think it would look like this/My BF has just painted her walls pink...' and your heart sinks. Children are prone to changing their minds daily, so how do you plan for a bedroom that will last a little longer in the popularity stakes? We asked three experts - two designers and the director of a children's furniture brand for their expert advice.

ASSESS THE PROBLEM

'Kids accumulate a lot of things,' says Alex, 'so multipurpose furniture, such as beds with built in drawers, wall-mounted shelves and storage benches is key.' Lisa agrees: 'If you don’t have a spot for everything that can be easily tidied by your child, the room will be constantly messy. Likewise, teenagers need somewhere to put their “stuff”, so it doesn’t end up on the floor. If you can afford it, invest in bespoke storage, but if not, off the peg can be customised to look amazing.' 'We often envision a single bed, a study desk, storage for clothes, space for toys and an easily accessible book display in a child's bedroom,' says Joanna. 'Unfortunately, space may not permit all these elements so consider how to work around a room's limitations. Try using shorter pull-out desks or utilising the upper sections of the walls for storage.'

GET IN THE ZONE