Many principles with which you design a nursery also apply when furnishing a nursery (toddler or small child). For many children, the bedroom is now also a playroom. Toddlers and small children are able to say what they do or do not want. That makes furnishing and choosing an interior so much fun. The interior must also be according to their wishes, and it must become a children’s room where they want to play and sleep well.
The requirements for surfaces are at the furnishing of a children’s room for toddlers and small children the same as for a nursery. Where the interior of a nursery is still sweet and soft, you can turn out a bit more rugged when decorating a nursery.
Curtains
Curtains and blinds should still block out as much light as possible. This is especially important in the summer, when it is early and late light. Machine washable fabrics are useful, but they should be wrinkle resistant and tumble dry. So: washable, cleanable and removable for the nursery!
Children’s furniture
It’s time to replace the crib. A cot is a scaled-down version of a single bed. It is close to the floor and the sizes of the bedding are different. A normal single bed can also be used in teenagers and this requires standard bedding and offers plenty of storage space under the bed. A bunk bed saves space and is therefore ideal for small rooms or when children have to share a room. When children share a room, they can sleep in bunk beds, but they do need their own space. A room divider or screen are then ideal. A loft bed offers space under the bed, but is not suitable for children under the age of five. The choice of a bed depends on space, budget and use. Shortage of storage space can be solved by a sofa that offers a lot of handy hidden space. At the Gamma and the like you will find many of these types of benches with storage space. A simple bed offers possibilities for decorations. You can easily paint a pine bed in a fun color and you can cover the headboard with fabric or make a new headboard with a certain theme (for example: carved out of wood a fairy, lighthouse, car and then painted in the right colors).
Storage space
Because children are gradually getting more things and toddlers and young children also want to play in their room, storage space is important. Some things can be stored in wardrobes and cupboards, toy boxes and chests of drawers. They will want to put other things down. You can make hooks on doors and hang fancy clothes and toys in cloth bags. A tulle or net curtain hammock can be used to store toys, as can boxes covered with fabric. Keep storage space low so that the toddler or young child is encouraged to put away their toys. Safety comes first, so don’t store things too high, prevent the child from climbing. Do not place furniture near a window, and choose furniture with hinges with a safety device against closing. Keep tidying up toys yourself, in order to make other toys more accessible, this ‘innovation’ stimulates the child to play.
Carpeting
The floor covering must be easy to keep clean and dirt-resistant. Laminate is ideal for toddlers and young children. Available in many types and colors, it is easy to install and provides a clean and safe play area. There are plenty of nice colorful rugs that are suitable for the floor in a children’s room. For children with asthma, this is a better choice than carpet. Stains are less visible on a floor covering with a pattern or a texture.
Lighting
The lighting must be bright and placed high in order to play safely. For children who don’t want to sleep in the dark, you can buy a small night light that plugs into the socket. A table lamp is versatile and has beautiful fantasy designs on it, but make sure that no cables hang down and put socket protectors on the sockets.
Walls in the nursery
Many paints are removable and resistant to scrubbing. This is important for the bottom part of the wall. That part will have to endure a lot. Many types of paint can be applied without primer and are available in quick-drying, non-smelling lacquers. With blackboard paint you can transform walls and doors into a blackboard. Drawing on a blackboard suits toddlers and young children well anyway. There is also magnetic paint in fun colors, luminous paint and paint with texture make the most creative walls possible. The choice of wallpaper for the children’s room is just as extensive as with paint. Choose from pre-glued horizontal strips of wallpaper, strips along the ceiling, movable motifs, removable, washable and easy to remove. You can further decorate the wallpaper with templates and stamps. Wall paintings are great fun for the nursery. You can transform the room into a themed room (princesses, knights) in an inexpensive way and it is useful to use up paint residues. Keep it simple, paint is great for decorating. A stripe of yellow and a stripe of blue and you have a beach. Children can also help you make a wall painting. Have them draw a fish, make a handprint. If the result is not 100%, it doesn’t matter, it’s their drawing and their room, they’ll love it.