When these sweet clients contacted us about a space for their kiddos, we were more than happy to help. Kids rooms are our very favorite, and a great opportunity to really have fun in a space.
If you’ve been reading for a while, you may know we think the best spaces are a little DIY, a little store bought, a few flea market finds, and a bit of everything thrown in for that one of a kind look. Home owners need systems in a real, functioning space. Because it’s more than just ‘the pretty’.
This space had a lot of super high functioning needs for a wide age range: with four kids from teenager to toddler, they were looking for a space for crafts, game playing, computer use, a homework area, movies, and a general hang out for friends.
And we were up for the challenge in cooking up some ideas. Here’s a few of the befores…
So without further ado, here’s what we came up with: A creative kids space.
The Paint Color
1. We love the idea of taking down that chair rail + wallpaper in their space, to give those walls a super fresh start. This color in a nice eggshell.
The Media Wall
2. This is a little DIY that requires the least amount of building as possible. But it gives your kids a place to watch television, get on the computer, craft, do homework, and store their goods, all in one. With a limited space that has to work hard, a customized, DIY approach is the very best to utilize that wall to it’s fullest.
The furniture:
To stretch their budget further, and fully utilize their space to their needs, we recommend some customized legs for the desk area are a great start for building some furniture. You only need some wood cut to size at your local home improvement store for a table top, and placed like the plan you see, there’s great idea for a versatile work space. If they’ve never built anything before, it is probably best to get someone knowledgeable to help with specifics based on their space. This is a good start on where to begin.
Painted white, this entire set up is a major money saver, adjusted specifically to their measurements and needs.
The wall:
Natural wood planks, with painted brackets like our tutorial here is just a matter of hanging. We recommend a bracket in the middle for those longer shelves to prevent bowing, along with finding a stud, or using an anchor for hanging. Keep it from becoming too heavy, but it’s a method we’ve used for years in our home, and it gives us great results for storing the smaller things. It’s literally just a process of painting and hanging, with planks cut to size at your local home improvement store. A simple stain gives them a great contrast on those walls with the white furniture, and warms it all up with a sweet rustic look.
We figured a mounted television was a great way to go if they have that option. It saves desk space, and it’s not likely to get messed up or cause a distraction when it’s up and out of the way during homework hours. ;}
Seating
3. Stools + Poufs: We love the adjustable stools for a great little seat that also completely stows away when not in use. We also loved the way that industrial look with warm wood completely changes the look of the “modern” desk with a nice contrast. And the poufs stow away nicely underneath the desk or on the floor for additional seating for movie time or craft time.
4. Sofa:
We have a few alternatives, but starting with the pricier option: This sofa from PBteen is something we caved and purchased a few years ago.
We love the storage base option for their space with extra storage, which is something they can really use. And the top in this color + finish is nice and neutral and will last them for years. We and our children {our oldest is 9 and there are five of us} sit on this regularly and play video games together. It cleans up easily and we have had a nice personal experience with it. In this space, we just feel they could use a nice, investment piece to last for years, to sit on and enjoy.
Pillows:
We love bright colors and lots of fun in children’s spaces. We thought these striped pillow covers were a great place to star. This great teal color brings in a fun jewel tone to keep it from getting too pastel, And this brightens it up.
As far as pillow covers – We usually go armed with a coupon to my local craft store to pick up some fillers – it helps save moolah just to be able to stuff them with what we already have around the house, too. For a luxurious option- Feather fillers-they’re amazing, and maintain their shape longer. Just a good option to keep in your back pocket.
Art:
5. They sent us a quote they liked, and we loved it so much, we made them some art, which should blow up nicely over the ‘sofa’ area. We would love to see it in a nice chunky rustic frame like this. {In a larger size} or a nice flea market find repurposed to hold the new art – the possibilities are kind of endless. There’s plenty of how to’s on our site for frames, as well.
We have it for everyone: Get it here ;}
Rugs:
6. It’s Kilim, and gives a nod to the southwestern vibe {where they live} with a bit of a twist, in bright colors for the kids. We love it layered with a natural rug for lots of cushion under those little feet.
Storage:
7. Baskets for the floor under the window area would be great for larger toys and items that will store away to make floor space. We love these bright finds at great prices here and here.
Lighting:
8. We think their chandy is great, but if they’re anything like us, they may be hitting their heads on it. We found this light here + love the simple ambience it brings to the space, especially to reflect more of that awesome green.
**Please note: Out of respect for our clients, we no longer share all of our sources here. Thank you for understanding.**
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We hope they like some of the items we picked, and that it gives them a great jumping point to begin! We think these little solutions should go a long way for your sweet family.
To read more about our design services, check out the details here!
We’d love to hear from you.
Have an inspired day!
Jackie says
Have you owned a urban outfitters rug? How do they hold up?