Creating Fun, Functional Youth Bedrooms

Design your child's bedroom with both organization and playtime in mind.

by Jane Kitchen

Kids have stuff, and lots of it. The challenge in any child’s bedroom is how to come to a happy medium where the child feels as if the space is her own fun, personal space, and the parents feel like the clutter is under control. Taming your child's room and making it a special, yet practical, space is easier than you think.

Get Your Child Involved

Interior designer Lyn Peterson suggests involving your child in décor decisions from the start. “Go to the library and get out one of the many books on decorating children's rooms,” she says. “That and a pile of Post-its and you will have done your research. Share this with your child. Let them lead. You follow and edit.

“Involve your child in the decorating,” Peterson continues. “You are creating building blocks for them … Give your child a few acceptable choices and then mean it when you say they can pick.”

Display Fun

For kids, creating a fun space often means having all their things out in the open—ribbons, trophies, art, books, collections, and photos of their friends. Today’s youth bedroom collections feature details that take that into account.

Mirrors with corkboard are great for tacking up photos or ribbons; desks with hutches or bookcase headboards are perfect solutions to show off a collection; under-bed storage contains clutter and creates more wall space for artwork or posters; and rolling drawers can handle basketballs, toys or clothes.

Creating Order

“Storage is key for functionality,” says interior designer Shalena Smith, who specializes in youth bedrooms.

Rather than deep toy boxes that quickly become cluttered, Smith prefers open shelves with different size crates, boxes or baskets, and suggests adhering a picture on the outside of the box of what should go on the inside. Older children can even draw their own pictures. Even a child who doesn’t know how to read will have fun cleaning up and organizing, says Smith, because clean-up time becomes a matching game rather than a dull task.   

Another area that can easily turn from wasted space to storage space is under the bed, says Smith. She particularly likes captains beds, which come with built-in storage under the bed, and are fun for kids to climb up. “And as an added bonus, you don’t have to spend money on a dust ruffle,” she laughs.

For older kids, Smith loves loft beds, which allow room for sleeping on top and whatever else you decide is needed underneath: a desk and study area, lounging area for video games, or extra drawers for storage.

“Furniture can create organizational opportunities in the child’s room,” adds Glenn Prillaman, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Stanley Furniture.

Small Spaces

“Kids rooms are not always big, and they need room to play,” says Almog Lieber, president of Berg Furniture.

If you’re designing for a small room, Lieber suggests you look for pieces like loft beds or captains beds that pack in the most functionality in the smallest footprint, and also provide a fun environment for your child.