Tips and picks for creating a child’s room or play space you’ll both love

A child’s room is an opportunity to have fun and get a little creative. Unlike the more formal spaces of your home, a toddler’s bedroom, playroom or teen hangout is an opportunity to reflect your child’s personality.

“Kids’ spaces are our absolute favorite to design, because we can be more whimsical, bold and joyful than anywhere else in a home,” says Rachel Buxkamper, owner of Tate Studio. “We layer vibrant colors, playful wallpapers, bold patterns and meaningful motifs.”

But durability is also key. When choosing furniture, designer Emily Summers sources pieces that balance practicality with thoughtful design. “I look for items that can withstand everyday wear while still contributing to the aesthetic of the room,” she says. “Rounded edges are especially helpful for little ones. I pay close attention to the weight and stability of smaller tables or accent pieces to ensure they won’t tip if a child pulls or leans on them.”

For thoughtful and beautiful ideas, read on.

Select furniture that can be used for years to come.

“I gravitate toward furniture that can grow with the child, such as a well-made dresser that begins as a changing station and later transitions into a toddler or teen room,” says Summers. “In many of our projects, we design custom dressers through our trusted millworkers to ensure long-term usability and tailored proportions. However, for accessible retail options, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn Kids offer well-made dressers that can function as changing stations and adapt as the child grows.”

For example, the classic Jenny Lind dresser from Crate & Kids can easily be turned into a changing table with the matching Jenny Lind changing table topper and contoured changing pad. Once the child has outgrown the changing station, the timeless piece can easily be repurposed. Pottery Barn offers similar pieces, like the Fillmore eight-drawer dresser and topper set, or the more feminine Rosalie style, which comes in dusty rose. “Kids’ spaces offer a wonderful opportunity to be playful with pattern, color and scale,” says Summers.

Designer Ashleigh Graber says a wall-mounted headboard, like the one from Ballard Designs, makes it a breeze to transition from a toddler bed to a larger bed. “Because this headboard does not have any hard backing to it — it’s like a structured 5-inch thick pillow in a headboard shape — it is so light, so installing it takes no time.” Bonus: You can even send it with your child to college.

Buxkamper also considers longevity and flexibility when she’s choosing pieces for a child’s room. “We love nurseries that can transition to toddler rooms or playrooms that evolve into hangout spaces for older kids,” she says. “Pull-out sofas or daybeds with storage are great examples of pieces that grow with a family.”

Some daybeds have a trundle, which can be great for sleepovers. Plus, daybeds are multiuse. “They offer seating, lounging, reading and extra sleeping all in one footprint,” Buxkamper says. For retail options, check out the linen daybed with a trundle from Wayfair or Ikea’s Hemnes daybed with drawers.

“Every child’s bedroom needs a plush chair to cuddle up for storytime,” says designer Roz Murphy. “The Abingdon chair from CR Laine is one of my go-to choices for bringing style and comfort.” The perk of a well-made chair is its longevity, transitioning from nursery to toddler’s room to a teen’s space. You may consider reupholstering later to ensure longevity and accommodate a child’s evolving personal taste.

Opt for creative pieces that encourage engagement and expression.

“We’re seeing a real shift toward immersive, imaginative play environments: spaces that spark creativity rather than just store toys,” says Buxkamper. “House of Noa play couches are a perfect example.” Kids can build forts, obstacle courses, reading nooks or entire imaginary worlds. Parents love them because they’re stylish and blend into thoughtfully designed rooms.

Summers also loves to design with modular sofas, her favorite being the Mah Jong design from Roche Bobois. The sofa offers endless combinations with options that include straight backs, corner pieces and seat cushions. Each piece is button tufted and padded. “Many items in kids’ rooms need to be adjustable or smaller in size, which opens the door for creative solutions,” says Summers. “For example, modular seating that can be stacked, separated or lowered to suit different ages and activities. These environments allow us to be imaginative while still designing with longevity in mind.”

Modularity can extend to storage. Picks like Eket wall-mounted shelves from Ikea or Muuto storage systems allow kids to show off their personality in a playroom or bedroom. “They can be grouped in different arrangements or hung on the wall in an interesting way that doubles as functional art,” says Graber. Children can fill them with collections, a favorite book series or framed photos of family, friends and pets.

Play tables offer spots for creative expression, as well. “I love multifunctional pieces, such as a child-size table,” says Murphy. “This piece is essential for any child’s bedroom or playroom, perfect for puzzles, arts and crafts, and more.” West Elm’s Daisy play table has a scalloped edge that adds a whimsical and feminine touch to a space.

Make it last with durable furniture and hard-to-wear fabrics.

“Safety and durability should always come first,” says Buxkamper. “But durability is often misunderstood, especially the term performance fabric. When designers say performance, we mean solution-dyed acrylic or polypropylene from brands like Perennials, Revolution, Sunbrella or Crypton. These are fabrics that are bleach cleanable and can withstand serious wear (even a black Sharpie) without losing color or integrity. Many mass-market fabrics sold as performance simply have a topical coating that wears off.” She also suggests cotton performance velvets, which are resilient and budget friendly.

“A pull-out sofa in a true performance fabric turns the space into a sleepover zone later on while also providing a comfy spot to watch videos or read stories,” she says.

Graber agrees that stain-resistant and performance fabrics are a must. “No need to let a spilled juice box or a rogue marker ruin the fun,” she says.

Graber recently installed a client’s playroom with a pull-out sofa upholstered in performance fabric. “It will also function as a guest bed when extended family is in town,” she says. “This ensures the room is always looking spectacular for both functions.” RH’s Maxwell and Williams Sonoma Home’s Ghent sleeper sofas can be ordered with Perennials performance fabric.

The designer also gravitates toward wool rugs in kids’ spaces, like a Jill Zarin hand-woven option. Though wool may cost more, it will last for years. “Wool is soft underfoot and one of the easiest types of rugs to clean, which makes [it] a great choice for a kid’s space,” she says.

Express your child’s personality with custom designs.

“Kids have the best imaginations,” says Graber. “I love to hear what they are hoping for in their spaces and then come up with a design scheme that we imagine will further inspire them in their own space for years to come.”

For a young girl, Graber designed a custom daybed with curtains for a stagelike effect. “Their daughter loves acting, and we designed the bed to function like a stage, for when she and her friends put on plays,” she says. “When not acting in the plays, the space becomes the perfect spot for sleepovers, with a trundle bed also pulling out from underneath.” Get the look with the ruffle bow canopy from Pottery Barn Kids or a tassel canopy from Lilly & Lula.

“Kids (and parents who are kids at heart) usually have strong opinions about what they love, and translating their interests into a space that feels magical is the best creative challenge,” says Buxkamper. “One of our favorite examples is a rock-and-roll-themed nursery where we reupholstered an upholstered-back crib in a fabric featuring lines from poet Robert Burns. It completely changed the tone of the room and made the crib a showpiece.”

If your budget doesn’t allow for a custom upholstered crib, you can find beautiful options such as the Crate & Kids Waveland and the Joseph Altuzarra Sphere from West Elm. “Most cribs look nearly identical, so an upholstered-back crib is a fun way to bring personality into a nursery while still prioritizing safety,” she says.

If you’re remodeling or building a home, Murphy recommends adding a spot for a child to sit, read or relax. “I often recommend including a window seat to enhance any child’s room design,” she says. “Implementing soft fabrics, such as velvet, can result in an elevated look while also providing kid-friendly comfort.”

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