Woodland-Themed Toddler’s Room Is Ready to Grow Up With Her
A designer shows how to create a versatile kid’s room that can evolve as interests change
Punch Up Wall-To-Wall Carpet
Bekkerus layered a bright and cheerful heart-patterned rug over the room’s beige carpeting, bringing a rainbow of colors to the floor. “I recommend adding an area rug in just about any bedroom that has beige wall-to-wall carpeting,” she says. “It makes the bed pop and adds color.” Make sure the rug is large enough in relation to the bed. “One and a half to 2 feet beyond the sides of the bed is an easy way to gauge it,” she says.
Give the Child a Cozy Spot
“I love to give kids a little nook, hideout or other cozy space,” Bekkerus says. Here, it’s the small tent just large enough to curl up in with a book or to visit woodland stuffed animal friends.
Browse Houzz photos for kids’ space inspiration
Bekkerus layered a bright and cheerful heart-patterned rug over the room’s beige carpeting, bringing a rainbow of colors to the floor. “I recommend adding an area rug in just about any bedroom that has beige wall-to-wall carpeting,” she says. “It makes the bed pop and adds color.” Make sure the rug is large enough in relation to the bed. “One and a half to 2 feet beyond the sides of the bed is an easy way to gauge it,” she says.
Give the Child a Cozy Spot
“I love to give kids a little nook, hideout or other cozy space,” Bekkerus says. Here, it’s the small tent just large enough to curl up in with a book or to visit woodland stuffed animal friends.
Browse Houzz photos for kids’ space inspiration
Make the More Whimsical Moves Impermanent
Bekkerus designs the permanent features of a room to be versatile, then makes themed items easy and inexpensive to switch out in the future.
Here, felt garlands and flags decorate removable birch tree decals. A charming birdhouse nightlight covers an outlet intended for a future wall-mounted TV.
Find wall decals
Bekkerus designs the permanent features of a room to be versatile, then makes themed items easy and inexpensive to switch out in the future.
Here, felt garlands and flags decorate removable birch tree decals. A charming birdhouse nightlight covers an outlet intended for a future wall-mounted TV.
Find wall decals
Create Inexpensive Art
Bekkerus mounted bird- and insect-themed flashcards on pink mats and put them in ready-made frames. The theme and color can be easily changed later.
Give Little Ones Storage They Can Access
The shelving unit gives the toddler some independence. “She has so many little toys,” Bekkerus says. “The low drawers and bins in these bookshelves are perfect for them.” A piece like this can help a child form the good habit of picking things up and putting them where they belong.
The room is ready to grow with its occupant, and its bones are versatile enough to adapt to future needs and styles.
More
See more photos of this home
Learn how to create and use Houzz ideabooks
Browse kids’ furniture
Bekkerus mounted bird- and insect-themed flashcards on pink mats and put them in ready-made frames. The theme and color can be easily changed later.
Give Little Ones Storage They Can Access
The shelving unit gives the toddler some independence. “She has so many little toys,” Bekkerus says. “The low drawers and bins in these bookshelves are perfect for them.” A piece like this can help a child form the good habit of picking things up and putting them where they belong.
The room is ready to grow with its occupant, and its bones are versatile enough to adapt to future needs and styles.
More
See more photos of this home
Learn how to create and use Houzz ideabooks
Browse kids’ furniture
Room at a Glance
Who uses it: This is place for a toddler to sleep, dream, read and play
Location: Perham, Minnesota
Size: 156 square feet (14 square meters); 12 by 13 feet
Designer: Sara Bekkerus of Skapa Design
As the family who lives here was having their new home built, interior designer Sara Bekkerus helped them design the interiors in a way that showcases their personal style.
They used Houzz to share ideas and inspirations along the way. “I often have new clients create ideabooks of decor and ideas that appeal to them in order to get a good idea of their taste and preferred style and the general direction they would like the project to go,” she says.
For her clients’ 2-year-old daughter’s room, things were tricky, as a toddler’s favorite color or character can change on a whim daily. We asked the designer to show us how to work with a family to create a special room that will suit a child today and then grow up with him or her.
Find a Versatile Theme
In this case, the house is surrounded by lovely woods and a lake, and the young client loves animals and the outdoors. This gave Bekkerus a good jumping-off point: a woodland and its cute, cuddly denizens.
“As a rule with kids’ rooms, I try to stay away from storybook themes or characters, because children grow up so fast and their interests are constantly changing. Instead I try to find something that’s timeless,” she says.
Because plans for the room of the toddler’s older sister included a vaulted ceiling, the designer wanted to give this room a sense of dimension too. She added a shiplap wall and chose a standout wallpaper for the ceiling. Designed by artist Juila Rothman, it transformed the ceiling into a sky full of birds and clouds.