I hope that Vol. 4 of this blog series gave you new insight into your kid's bedroom. I pray that you have transformed your thinking from "just a kid's bedroom" into this room is a place of nourishment, purpose, imagination, cultivation, and rest for my child. It is a place in our home that goes beyond the four walls into a place that matters and shapes my child. My kid's bedroom is a place that needs to have an intentional, purpose-driven design....
But, wait...where do I even start?!? Oh look, it says "START HERE"! Well that's easy enough; let's get going and learn how I can take this new way of thinking and actually implement a purpose-driven kid's bedroom design.
(Okay that may have been a little corny, but I promise the content below is going to help you!)
START HERE: Questions to Ask
The first step in designing a kid's bedroom is simple, be curious & start asking questions. You want to get to know your child in a deeper way in order to create a space that supports them. Here are a few questions to ask to get you started:
What part of your bedroom do you like?
Is there something about your bedroom you don't like?
What do you love to do in your room? Or what would you love to do that you can't? (Give them some ideas like reading, painting, music, playing house, cuddling stuffies, etc.)
What are some of your favorite things? favorite colors?
If you could do anything all day, what would it be?
What are some of your favorites: books, toy, clothing? Why?
How do you feel in your bedroom? How do you want your bedroom to feel?
Is your bedding and pillow cozy & comfortable for you?
What type of things do you like to bring up to your room to hide away?
Which rooms do you like & why? (show them some pictures of kid bedrooms from Pinterest)
Have these questions lead to more questions with the goal of simply getting to know your child. If they are under 5 years old, answering questions may be tough. In this case, observe them. What do they play with most? How do they play? What makes them smile? How do they show love? What book do they have you read over and over and over again? You can gain a lot of insight through simple observation.
The Impact of Empathy Exercises
Now that you understand your child a little more, it is time to do a little more intentional observation with them. The impact of running through an Empathy Exercise can uncover ways a room is used or thoughts about a space that never came to mind while answering questions. In the basic sense, the word empathy means to understand. I take clients through Empathy Exercises for each space before designing it to gain a better understanding of who they are, how the space is currently used, and the current feelings that come up about the space (both good and lacking feelings). For example, for a kid's bedroom I would take note of all the activities that my child did in their bedroom. From waking up in the morning to playing stuffies with their sister to stomping to their room to cry after being told no to the night-time reading, prayer, & song routine. I would then take this list to my child and ask, "What are some of your thoughts running through your head while you do this (insert activity)?" I would then note the feelings and thoughts for each activity. Finally, I would ask my child if I missed any activities, feelings, or thoughts they have while in their bedroom.
How-To Guide to Intention Statements
Wow, you just learned A LOT about your child! I want you to take a step back and just relish in all this amazing insight you have now. Not only will you use it to create a space that is theirs, but you can now use all this information to love on them even more. You know so much more on what makes them who they are - what a gift!
But let's get back to why you are here: designing a purpose-driven kid's bedroom. The next step is to develop an intention statement for your kid's bedroom.
intention: an idea that you plan (or intend) to carry out. It guides your planned actions. If you mean something, it's an intention. Your goal, purpose, or aim is your intention. - vocabulary.com
An intention statement speak intentions into the space. How do you want your kid to feel here? What activities take place? How does this space support your goals for your kid? Give the room a purpose, a meaning, and a vision. I find it helpful and easier to start with words before I get to the pretty stuff.
Here are a few examples from clients:
Each intention statement will put words to each child's unique room. Let go of perfection (I know it is there mama - I speak from experience. #thestruggleisreal ) and just start typing. Sometimes, I find it helpful to grab a coffee, my notes, a notepad, & a pen, head to the space I am working on, and just start writing. I open myself up to just be inspired. Don't make it difficult. I promise mama - you've got this!
Let's Get the Mood Right
It is finally time to put together our first visual of our kid's bedroom design. I know it has been a process to get us here, but I promise, your design will be so much more when you take all these steps before putting together a design. It will be a more supportive bedroom, a more intentional design, and more of a success with all the feels when you finally reveal it to your child.
I use Canva to pull together my mood boards (and yes, it is a FREE tool). I start with my standard template and then, with my intention statement at the top guiding me, I begin to fill in pictures that bring the intention statement to life. Some of the pictures may actually be inspiration for the room and end up in the space, some will convey the feelings or activities of the space, and some may be different textures I want to bring in. The key here is to remember, this mood board is NOT your selection or concept board. It is a graphical/visual representation of your intention statement to guide the selection process. Here are a couple places to find inspiration:
Pinterest & Google Images (obvious answer)
Pages from a favorite book
Nature
Movie sets
Fashion or toys
Once you have a good set of images begin tuning them in and checking back that they fit well with the intention statement. You also want to keep in mind that you want your kid's bedroom to last for many years. When I develop a kid's bedroom design, I design it keeping in mind where the child is now and how they can grow into the space as a teen. For instance, I will choose a timeless wall color and stay away from characters (except maybe an occasional pillow). You want to design a room that transitions easily so you don't have to update the space every 5 years - it is possible and achievable! Your kid's bedroom design can last from age 5 - 18 years old, if you are intentional. Heck, the bedroom I designed for our fourth girl will last her from nursery to graduation, so I speak from experience. Gone are the days of feeling like you don't even want to start because you thought you would just be re-designing every 3-5 years!
Once you have the images of your mood board set, you will then start to develop a color palette for your kid's bedroom design. Canva has an easy-to-use tool that helps you see the different colors within the images you selected. This tool aids you as you pull together a color palette to start the design from. Here is an example to get inspired with:
Now It's Time for the Fun!
The moment is finally here! You have done so much great work in preparation to now design your actual kid's bedroom. Using the Intention Statement and Mood Board as a guiding star, start to pull in furniture selections, paint colors, and accessories for the room. As you pull together the images, check back, does it align with your intentions for the space? Also, does it align with the financial investment you want to have for the space? While you are pulling in the selections, keep a running list in (nerd alert) Excel that has the image, details, web link, price, and any other pertinent comments. This way you can see that total amount, adjust accordingly, and have the links ready to shop. Trust me, it is better to go into a space refresh with a PLAN before just heading to a store and getting to the register with a dropped jaw or having to run around doing a million returns...that you never actually do anyway, and, in turn, waste your precious financial resources. When you have a plan, you know your investment, you know that the end result will fit your intentions, and you can find rest in the fact that you are showing so much love to your child in designing a purpose-driven space for your unique child. It is a kid's bedroom design that is uniquely theirs to grow in, to find rest in, and to have an unbounded imagination in. You are one AWESOME mama!
What are You Waiting For?
So, as the question states: "What are you waiting for?" Be the hero in your child's journey through childhood. Provide them a space that is more than just a kid's bedroom. Create a kid's bedroom design that is a place of nourishment, a place of purpose, a place of imagination, a place of cultivation, and a place of rest. Create a purpose-driven, intentional kid's bedroom design because it will matter to them! It is one of the backdrops in our home that will hold so many childhood memories. Do you want those memories to be filled with a dull canvas of thrown togetherness and a chaotic scene full of overwhelm? Or do you want those memories to be filled with a beauty and continuous joy? The choice is yours. Choose to be the hero mama!
Yes, I am passionate about this transformed (maybe unpopular) way of thinking about kid spaces, and I hope that through this post you can see a clear path ahead to creating your own kid's bedroom design. But if it is still a little murky, that's ok, let me be your guide on this new path. I know it can be a little intimidating at first. Connect with me, email me, or simply comment below! Let's get you started on moving forward on your child's unique bedroom design this summer.
I hope this post helped guide you on how to start your kid's bedroom design. That is gave clarity amid the overwhelm that it can sometimes be. I would also truly appreciate it if you shared this story on your social or with your mama friends through a text. Simply click the share icon at the top of your browser. Empower our village, spread the love and create a movement of purpose-driven children spaces starting NOW!
If you didn't catch Vol. 1 - Vol 4 of this story, click below as I guide you into how I created the Sisters Collective and how you can create your own Kids Collective for your child:
Vol. 2 {Sisters Collective: The Hidden Functionality}
Vol. 5 {Kid's Bedroom Design: Start Here}
Thank you so much for taking this journey & adventure with me! I have so enjoyed our time together. I hope you have learned something new, been inspired to think a little differently, and are ready to start your own adventure. Until next time, mama...
- Becky
Lykke Haven Design is a full service, purpose-driven interior design firm serving families in West Michigan. Having 4 littles of my own, I know how to create a home among kids that is filled with a continuous joy! We work with beautiful families from Ada, to Grand Rapids, to Holland (and the occasional out of state). Our mission is to create Intentional Interiors curated with a Meaningful Mission that Cultivate Connection. We do this through a process driven by Human-Centered Design. We would love to discuss your next project and how we can help.
Check out our services or schedule a Meet & Greet below!