Your 10 best children’s bedrooms

Decorating a child’s bedroom is about finding that delicate balance between fun and practical. The room should allow space for children to play and grow, while also offering plenty of storage for toys and belongings. 

Shelley Ferguson explains: “Children’s bedrooms are a great place for grown-ups to experiment design-wise as we can be more creative; however the style of the room should still be led by the child’s needs and interests.”

We invited realestate.co.nz followers on Facebook to share pictures of their children’s bedrooms. 

Here are our top 10 picks, submitted by real mums and dads: 

 

Zara created a minimalistic nursery for her little one, featuring greenery for colour and an eye-catching rug from Dapper Mr Bear. There’s lots of floor space for bubs to play, which Shelley Ferguson says is key: “Sometimes kids just want to rumble, roll around, or lie on the floor and daydream. Whatever their age, try to achieve a room layout that allows this type of important play”. 

 

Amanda’s daughter’s lovely bedroom features an adorable wardrobe door decal. Plenty of shelving means accessories and toys can be both displayed and tidied away. “Children’s bedrooms are a great opportunity to be brave with colour, creative with design, and to get DIY cred with the family,” says Shelley.

 

Lauren’s little guy has a perfectly polished nursery, featuring lots of temporary accessories that can be easily switched out as he gets older. If you want to ensure the space fits in with the rest of your home, Shelley recommends that the basics, like paint and flooring, are consistent with other rooms in your property. “Then let your little one inspire a theme that can be layered on top, and easily changed as they grow.” 

 

However, if you are keen to make a statement in your child’s room, paint can be a wonderful way to do this. Rebecca’s husband used test pots from Mitre 10 and some masking tape to create this gorgeous mural in their newborn son’s bedroom. Big statement pieces like this “add a sense of adventure and create a room kids are keen to hang out in” Shelley explains.

 

Rachel’s five-year-old daughter loves rabbits and horses, inspiring this pretty-in-pink bedroom. Allowing your child to be part of the design process can be exciting, Shelley says: “Use your child’s likes and interests as a guide and choose a range of designs you think they’d like, that you can also live with. Then, let them choose from that selection.”

 

Sierra’s little hero has a bedroom filled with Kmart goodies, with yellow and black as the theme. You’ll thank yourself later for designing a space that encourages bedtime, Shelley says: “The snugglier and more comfortable you can make your kids’ bed, the more likely they are to snooze off in a cloud of comfort.” 

 

Mum Aeronwy’s creative use of shapes and textures adds personality to this very sweet little nursery. “Up the cuddle-factor with a throw, a couple of scatter cushions and your child’s favourite soft toys” advises Shelley.

 

Aimee’s little one, age two, has a retro-inspired bedroom with a fox theme. Repurposing furniture, like these re-painted drawers, can be a cost-effective way of adding a statement piece to your child’s room. 

 

Ash’s two boys, Luca and Archer, share this elegant monochrome bedroom. Keeping the colour palette simple means you can dress the room with accessories, which can be swapped out over time as your child’s interests change and grow.

 

Kirstine used adhesive vinyl plank flooring to create texture around the walls of her son’s room. She mixed two colours of recycled paint to create just the right shade of midnight blue. If you are renting and unable to paint the room, you can add a touch of style with funky pillows or throws, like Kirstine. “If you have a little more to spend, let your child help choose some new linen. You could team printed sheets with a coloured duvet or vice versa” Shelley explains.

Read all of Shelley Ferguson’s tips to style your children’s bedroom here.