Great Kids Designs for Creating a Space of Their Own

Practical yet fun and creative — it’s the kind of design you want for any kid’s room. The final form a kids’ design takes is really up to the personality of the child and the budget you have to invest in decorating. Some styles grow with the child better than others and if cost is a concern, those types of designs are the best choices. Otherwise, the sky is the limit with designers increasingly creating furniture that is just as cool and stylish as what mom and dad have to choose from. Here are some different kids’ designs to inspire your furniture purchases and interior design options.

Colorful Pieces

Great Kids Designs

Whether designed specifically for children or not, home furnishings in bold and bright colors will definitely appeal to this age group – as well as to adults. This occasional table by Ian Cochran is a great example because it is a bold red and constructed a bit like a puzzle. The rounded edges make it super kid-friendly and the thick elements meant it will hold up well. It’s also a very cool table that is not at all juvenile.

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While these inflatables are designed for general use and are great for those who move frequently, they are also a fabulous choice for kids rooms. The Yomi inflatables include chairs and small sofas and as long as you can keep anything sharp away from them, they are a durable and easy-care choice for kids, especially teens. Spills are easily wiped up and you don’t have to work about kids putting their feet on the furniture.

Teen Appeal

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For older teens — especially in a family living space where they spend time gaming – stylish pieces like these low-slung chairs are perfect. Produced by Ligne Roset, they are casual but with a very up-to-date design that will be a favorite among teens as well as parents. They’re easy to move around and are ideal for pulling around the TV for movie night or video games. These chairs are a major upgrade from some of the other versions of similar styles available for kids and teens.

Related: 10 Best Bean Bag Chairs for Kids To Sink In Comfortably

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Bright lively colors make these tables from Ercole Home perfect for kids spaces. The round pie-slice designs, fun colors and mosaic construction distinguish them from basic styles. This also makes them durable and easy to clean. They’re also suitable for any room of the home, so if they fit your color scheme, you can add them to the living room or family room and not have to worry about the kids.

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When gangs of friends descend, there’s often not enough space for seating, but this fun little rocking stool/ottoman from Pedro Salgado can solve that problem. It’s compact and if you’re not using it to rest your feet, it can be used for seating. The wooden handle makes it easy to move around at will and super versatile. Plus, the adults can very easily grab them for use in another space too.

Just Plain Fun

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You can’t ever go wrong with a hanging chair or lounge because it’s something the whole family can enjoy, not just the kids. Whether you install it indoors or out, this type of seat is heavenly for napping, reading or sharing secrets with a best friend. This one is by Zavotti and perfect for a patio, porch or backyard. If you want to get your kids to spend more time outdoors, this is one really fun element in your box of options!

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What child – of any age – wouldn’t love a swing in his or her own room? The rocking motion is so soothing to humans and it can help alleviate stress. Create a little corner or fun setting with this swing by Marta Menente and your child can imagine all kinds of pretend scenarios, fueling the imagination and creative play.

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For something more than a little bit different but oh-so-appealing to children, take inspiration from this room designed by artist Katie Stout. The riot of colors, images and textures are a real flight of fancy for kids room and could inspire all kinds of artistic dreams and fantasies. While it’s not a traditionally styled room and might make some parents say “yikes,” it will undoubtedly be a favorite among the youngsters.

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Why not have some fun with a kids room and install art that is pure fantasy? These giant mushrooms are part of the Afreaks Collection from the Haas Brothers and are really inspirational for what you can do in your child’s room. Talk about firing up the imagination! Large sculptures or pieces of furniture that are super whimsical are always a great idea.

Outdoor Furniture

Kids love pint-sized version of adult furniture.
Kids love pint-sized version of adult furniture.

It’s summertime and you want the children to enjoy the outdoors as much as you do, so adding a pint-sized version of some patio furniture is a good way to go. Kid-sized pieces are not only easier for them to navigate but some theories say that it can also help foster independence. It’s also really cute! This set from Fermob, for instance, includes a colorful cafe chair and an outdoor table that is perfect for picnics, outdoor art projects or any type of play. Add a kid-sized rug and you have a stylish outdoor room perfect for the little ones.

Colorful outdoor pieces are scaled for kids but still appropriate for an adult.
Colorful outdoor pieces are scaled for kids but still appropriate for an adult.

Kinder Modern, known for the sophisticated designs in petite sizes that it sells, teamed up with Mexa for a line of outdoor pieces. An adult could certainly have a seat on this, but it is intended to be kid-friendly with its bright colors and unique design. No worries about standing or climbing on the furniture with this. The playful and durable piece is just perfect whether they want to sit back and lean or lie down with their legs up in the air.

Unique Decor

Whimsical decor makes a bedroom special.
Whimsical decor makes a bedroom special.

When it comes to creating a design for a kid’s room, look further than the wall decals and mass market decor items that are all too readily available. Or, use some mass produced items with designs of your own. This ceiling decor from Virtus Vanilla of Italy that is made up of umbrellas with little figures hanging from them is a good example. This is an easy type of decor scheme to implement because the items are easily purchased. It’s just a matter of creativity and a little work. If the room has a theme, look for other types of items that could be used to make up a fantastical ceiling or wall. This kind of interior is great for kids because it fuels imagination and daydreaming, both really important childhood experiences.

Convertible Cribs

New models of cribs convert to grow with a child.
New models of cribs convert to grow with a child.

It won’t be long before a newborn outgrows his or her crib, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy a new bed. Convertible cribs, like this one from Romina, has four different conversion stages that can easily grow with a child. The mattress can be set at three different heights and the crib also converts to a day bed if you so desire. While these types of furnishing may cost more as an initial investment, in the long run, they save both money and time you would spend shopping for new furniture. Different styles are available that are gender neutral or more targeted at boys or girls.

Creative Bed Designs

A bunk bed is one of the most popuar for children.
A bunk bed is one of the most popuar for children.

What child doesn’t love a bunk bed and this design from Virtus Vanilla is a little girl’s dream bedroom. The fun ladder design leads to the bed on the upper level that is surrounded by a pretty, scalloped upholstered wall. The underside of the bunk is a little living area complete with a pink, princess-style table and a seating ledge that runs around the edge of the space. Add in the ottomans and a matching cat-shaped chair and it’s a complete fantasy room for a child. Even if this exact set isn’t in the budget, it’s full of inspiration for creating something similar.

Having a sitting area of their own is good for children.
Having a sitting area of their own is good for children.

Next to the bunk bed is the sitting room collection that can also grow with the little girl lucky enough to have it. The daybed is headed by a plush design that features animal, tree and flower shapes and is accented with fun bolster pillows. In a baby’s room, it’s perfect for mom to relax while nursing and in an older child’s room, the daybed works for a sleepover friend. The lounge chair is ideal for snuggling up with a good book — at any age! If the child truly outgrows the motifs on the upholstery, it’s a simple thing to have them recovered in a more mature style of fabric.

Updated color palettes work for older children.
Updated color palettes work for older children.

Decorating for an older child can make use of more sophisticated color palettes. This kids’ room by Tumidei is done in a muted collections of green, pink, yellow and a pop of orange. The decor is plenty colorful but not too juvenile.  The big, bold wall design allows for neutral bedding, which pairs well with the green platform bed. This style of furniture is easily repainted as the child grows and wants to redecorate the room. It’s a whimsical design that is uber bold for a child.

Beds for Tweens and Teens

Teen girls often want a larger bed.
Teen girls often want a larger bed.

Just as surely as your child outgrew the crib, they will definitely outgrow childhood decor and want something a little more mature or trendy. This is the time you might need to spring for new furniture as they will definitely not want anything that resembles furniture meant for a child. If you are lucky, some things can be revamped or repainted, and the room will just need new decor. While this larger bed has a headboard covered with butterflies, the print is not juvenile and can appeal to older girls. The matching bedspread highlights the print, but it could be swapped out for a plain style to downplay the pattern.

Urban, gender-neutral styles appeal to teens.
Urban, gender-neutral styles appeal to teens.

For a teenage boy or girl with an edgier personality, a basic black and white color scheme with pops of color is an easy way to transform a kids’ room. The bed in this room by Gautier is modern and includes a trundle drawer and the graphic design comes from the rug and wall covering. This is the easiest style of room to do for teens because it doesn’t require all new furniture. It’s easy to incorporate pieces you may already own into a more monochromatic style of interior. The urban style of decor appeals to many teens and is gender neutral.

Fun Adult Styles

Some types of "adult" furniture are great for kids.
Some types of “adult” furniture are great for kids.

The right pieces of “adult” furniture can also be used in a kids’ room and these poufs and ottomans from Balier Italia are a good example. Part of the Tato Collection, these can be seats or footrests. They’re made from CFC-free polyurethane and have two slits that keep the elastic fabric in place. The covers are removable, which makes them easier to clean, and they come in different colors. Despite being from a regular collection, they would be great in a child’s space, and would definitely still appeal to older tweens and teens.

No matter the age of the child, there are plenty of options for creating a kids’ room that has imaginative elements and style. Purchase specific designs or use these as inspiration for making your own interiors that kids will love to love to call their own!