Children's bedroom trends

[RVS1]

I have been asked to write a piece about trends in Children's bedroom design but I'm at a bit of a loss. The reason that I was asked is because I make something for Children's bedrooms (not saying what because I don't want you to think I'm trying to advertise - which I'm not)

I don't want to decline as it was nice to be asked. Any ideas? What's the fashion? Disney? Superheroes? Oak? White minimalist?... or is it a mute question because 'twill always be pink/blue?!!!

Any response would be so gratefully received. Thank you all.

Reece.

I go on Pinterest a lot and there is tons of inspiration on there for decorating tips for childrens rooms.

From my own limited experience and the stuff ive seen on Pinterest I would say that kids rooms are becoming less branded, and far less gender specific. My own daughters bedroom is grey and green, for example.

Mumsnet will probably only give you one or two variations on a style, so id recommend looking on some.other forums too, to glean a broader range of responses.

The "in trend" style at the moment is scandi, neutral, with colour injected in the form.of arty accessories (paper pom poms, home made mobiles etc) - however this is Pinterest telling me this.

Yes they are more grown up. Less garish.

I second looking on Pinterest...

My baby's room is pink pink pink, but kind of by accident as we were gifted bedsets, curtains etc...

My 3 year olds room is very floral with a lot of green. Kind of kitschy I guess... I love it.

Purple is the new pink (judging by what dd and her friends like).
My kids of both sexes are also v keen on fancy coloured lighting (and I can't help suspecting this may be a good way to go - could decorate fairly neutrally and then use light to colour it, so it's easier to change when they get older).

Gender neutral, primary colours and greys. Bold prints.

I am looking at the moment as when we move, I will finally get to decorate my children's bedrooms.

For girls, butterflies seem to be popular, as does fairies and princesses. I have also seen strings of little lights.

Some nice wall art in your chosen theme. Wall stickers seem to be a big thing. I like these because you can decorate neutrally then change the stickers when they are older. This is quite popular.

Boys seems to be dinosaurs, football, pirates, lego, cars/vehicles.

It all seems to look more grown up with some childrens themes added. I also like white furniture and from looking at pictures, this is popular. I have also seem a fair few pictures with wooden flooring but I always prefer carpet in a bedroom.

I have also seen one wall with a wall mural on as well, that can look nice too.

Look on pinterest and also on apartment therapy - they have a section on kids' rooms, loads of slideshows. I'd say that retro/vintage is a big trend. Quite minimalistic rooms with vintage pieces of furniture/books/toys/posters, tissue paper pompoms. Rooms generally white with colour coming from the toys/accessories
Definitely not disney etc.!

I need inspiration for my kids rooms - the girl's being the hardest! She loves pink (she is 8) Any links to these pinterest pics? The ones I see on pinterest are really over the top canopies and frilly bedlinen and always pink and green. I love just pink and white but need to find how to avoid it being bland - can't bear hot pink or green (with pink) hate lilac too! Furniture is white and there is pink gingham bedlinen. What lampshade and curtain colour can I do? Walls are f&b calamine. Any new kids shops out there besides GLTC, Aspace ?

My boys room looks much better light taupey beige coloured walls and thinking of star curtains with navy and red and beige stars.

Much as I hate bland rooms I also hate the staged looking ones that look as if the kids had no choice in the decor

'It all seems to look more grown up with some childrens themes added.'

Yes, this.
Where a few years ago it was all more childish through and through, at the moment the ideas seem to be about ways to personalise a fairly neutral basic scheme so it will grow with the child and you won't have to redo as soon as they approach their teens.

Dalai have a look on Vertbaudet - french website which does really lovely bedroom stuff for kids.

Also, Zara Home and H&M Home.

I can't claim t as 'fashion' but my nearly three year old has requested a "spacey" bedroom when we move. Apparently it should have blue and white walls, curtains with planets on and stars and rockets on the walls. Oh and a light switch (he keeps checking with me that his new room will have a light switch...!)

This is translating to one very dark space themed blue wall with decal stickers and likely a light grey on the other walls as I find white too stark and am sick of magnolia after years of renting. His furniture is likely to be 'grown up' solid wood that will last years, we're currently toying with the idea of a small double instead of a single bed too. Having asked around this seems to be more common too.

There a re a couple of things I'm really looking forward to doing one is using black board paint (think I might do a framed board for his room then the middle of the fireplace that has no fire). And this paint for the ceiling.

Thanks mynameIsKenAdams!

Defo scandi style with Ingela P Arrhenius style pictures . And those felt animal heads on the wall (see Bodie and Fou website).

Wall decals

Dd's room is like a forest and ds's like space

Oh and sillhouette style decals.

Just redone ds's room from baby to little boy. I guess its quite retro. He loves space so we have a mid blue wall (warm blue) with a solar system mobile and glow in the dark stars on it. The other walls are light grey with long 'shaker' shelves with pegs beneath fitted at his height. He's got his books and stuff on them with his mask collection and odd things hung from the pegs. His bed, an old school desk (mine from 1978 when they shut our school and my dad, then an antique dealer bought all the furniture!) and a scuffed chest of drawers are the only furniture. I wanted it to look like a proper little boys den so while its been 'done' with intent its not 'styled' at all.

I've decorated both dds bedrooms in the last 6 months but they are a little bit older 13 & 10 so I'm not sure if that's much use for you but....

13 yo dd wood floor with pale blue walls, white fluffy rug, white voile panels hung as curtains with strings of crystal beads hung over the top, she also has a pale blue blackout blind the same colour as her walls. Pale beech and white furniture, white bedding with pale blue and silver scatter cushions -she also has a chandelier type light shade which was the inspiration for her room (because I'm strange)

Dd2 has the same wood floor
White furniture with cath kidston inspired bedding in pinks and blues
Multicolour stripe rug and pink gingham curtains
She has soft pink walls and pink and purple fairy lights around her headboard

They have beautiful rooms, it's just a shame no one can see due to the fact they use their floors as both wardrobes and dirty washing storage!!!

hi
12 year old dd has pale pink walls, paris style quilt cover, pictures of shoes/handbags, fairy lights above the bed, oak floor with massive silver rug, silver grey and blue curtains and silver and blue cushions.

14 year old ds has cream blind, new York skyline quilt cover and picture, oak floor, striped rug, light grey walls.

they both picked most of it themselves
they both have huge wardrobes/storage and a desk with shelves/cupboards to hide all their stuff.

Yep, scandi-ish white walls with brights here. dd2's room has lots of pink (she's at that stage) but I've mixed it up with orange and reds. dd1 did have lots of pink, but now likes blue, so I've gone with turquoise with bright pink mismatched patterns to accessorise (lots of Indian designs use these colours, and mid-European 'gypsy' style, fading down to almost duck egg blue).

That makes it all sound very designed, but the truth is I just painted their rooms white and update with cheap accessories and cast-offs as they get older. I look out for vintage stuff at car boot sales (like a beautiful painted dolls cost in dd2's room, and a Lloyd Loom chair and matching bedside table in dd1's). I also paint their wooden furniture for a quick update.

I think the fashion is probably don't-try-too-hard; themed rooms, murals, matchy-matchy textile sets look OTT to me. And I don't like stuff that looks like it's designed specifically for children.

Another one with white walls and lots of colour elsewhere. I'm not planning to change her furniture for ages. It's mostly cheap bits that I've painted bright colours and then I change the knobs to make them look nicer. She's got a stripy rug in rainbow colours.

There's lots of different colours and patterns in her room from the curtains, cushions, bedding, etc. I think it works though. It's certainly cheerful.

I am toying with the idea of painting the walls grey as her room is in desperate need of a paint job. I think it would look nice against all the colours.

Depends who decorates it - the child themselves - a mum with a good eye or a dad in a hurry !! Lol !! Most kids have more techno gadgets now - and expect more than kids did even 10 years ago ! Lots expect a large flat screen tv ( well the over 10's ) and some like mini fridges for drinks and snacks somewhere to chill with their mates ! Less bookshelves more power sockets ! ( it's a shame really!) good luck with your written piece !! Hope it all goes well !

Thank you all very much for your great replies. Very interesting and loads to work with. I only wish I had been more creative with my nickname... Honourable mentions to Foxdongle, 17leftfeet and crapbag!

Well, there's a worrying trend for children to have double beds in their rooms. My DD asked for one last year. She's not a teenager yet. She's about 4'10 and she wants a double bed.

I had to laugh.

Why is it worrying?