Safety Comes First
A child's room is where they climb, jump and pull on drawers, so safety is not a detail. Check every piece against this list:
- Rounded edges and corners on the desk, bedside table and bed, especially anything at the child's head height.
- Wardrobes, chests of drawers and tall bookcases anchored to the wall with brackets; a child may use open drawers as a ladder and tip the piece onto themselves.
- Drawer stops that prevent drawers coming all the way out, and soft-close hinges that protect fingers.
- Low-emission paints and finishes suitable for children's furniture, and good ventilation for several days after new furniture arrives.
- No small detachable parts that could be swallowed, and no dangling curtain cords near the bed.
- Covered sockets, and no bed under a window that is not secured.
Furniture That Grows With Your Child
A child's needs change roughly every three or four years: from a small bed and play space, to a study desk, to a teenager's room. Keep the big pieces neutral and let the childish theme live in small, easily changed items.
- Choose the wardrobe and bed in calm designs and colours that will still work in the teenage years.
- Put cartoon characters and bright colours into bedding, rugs, wall stickers and art, which are the first things to change.
- Prefer a height-adjustable desk and a wardrobe with hanging rails that can be raised as clothes get longer.
- A 120 cm bed instead of 90 cm will serve for more years if space allows.
The Bed: Single, Bunk or Twin?
A standard single is 90×190 or 90×200 cm, and a small double 120×200 cm. When two children share a room, you have three options:
- Bunk bed: frees up a lot of floor, provided the top bunk has guard rails on both sides, a fixed ladder with wide treads, and enough headroom between the top mattress and the ceiling for the child to sit up. The usual advice is that children under six should not sleep on the top bunk.
- Two separate beds: best when the room allows, giving each child their own space with a shared bedside table between them.
- Trundle bed: a second bed slides out from underneath, practical for small rooms and sleepovers, and disappears during the day.
Storage Within the Child's Reach
What a child cannot reach, they will not put back. Design storage at their height:
- Low shelves and light open bins for everyday toys that they can pull out themselves.
- Under-bed drawers for seasonal toys and spare clothes.
- The upper part of the wardrobe for things parents control.
- Low wall hooks for the school bag and daily clothes.
- A front-facing bookshelf that shows the covers, which encourages reading more than spines alone.
The Study Corner
Once school starts, the desk becomes the most important piece in the room. Place it near the window for daylight, but not directly facing it, so glare does not tire the eyes. Ideally light should come from the side opposite the writing hand: from the left for a right-handed child.
- A desk 100–120 cm wide and about 60 cm deep holds a book, a notebook and a device.
- A chair that lets the feet rest flat on the floor or on a footrest, with knees close to a right angle.
- Keep the desk as far from the bed and play area as you can, so the child separates study from rest.
- A shelf or board above the desk for the timetable and current books only, not the whole library.
Rooms Shared by Siblings
When brothers, sisters or twins share a room, each one needs something of their own. Split the room into two mirrored halves where possible: each child gets a bed, a bedside table, a defined part of the wardrobe and a shelf with their name. Distinguish them with bedding or cushion colours while keeping the furniture matched, so the room does not feel divided. If the age gap is large, share the sleeping zone and give the quieter study corner to the older child, with a desk lamp that will not disturb the younger one going to bed early.
Colours and Lighting
Calm wall colours such as beige, soft green, pale blue and warm grey help sleep and stay appropriate for longer. Put strong colour on one wall or in accessories. Light the room in three layers: general ceiling light, a directed desk lamp for homework, and a dim night light that reassures a child afraid of the dark without keeping them awake. Blackout curtains help with sleep in summer when daylight lasts longer.
Before You Build
List what your child needs now and what they will need in five years, and draw the room to scale on paper before buying. At Arti Design we make children's rooms to the actual size of the room; wood, fabric, colour and finish are approved with samples before production, and our own team handles delivery and installation.
