How to create a room that sparks your kid’s imagination
For a while there it seemed like the only way to decorate a creative kids room was to go all in on a theme: the circus, the jungle, outer space. But a child’s imagination is infinitely more powerful than anything a theme can conjure on its own.
“Kids bedrooms are one of my favorites,” says designer Sarah Sherman Samuel, who recently worked with West Elm to build the ultimate kids’ room in our New York studio (pictured right and above). “Leaving their room more open-ended leaves room for more imagination.”
The problem is that a schedule jam-packed with activities and no shortage of screen time on any number of devices leave very little space for kids to dream. “Overwhelming a child with too many choices and too much stimulation might inhibit their ability to think creatively,” says New Orleans designer Hattie Collins. But a kid’s room can become a sanctuary, encouraging imaginative thinking without inundating little brains. We talked with Hattie and New York designer Courtney McLeod of Left Meets Right Interiors about how to create a kid’s room that sparks imagination. Here are five takeaways.
“Kids need way less than we think they do.”
1. Don’t shy away from color
There are two approaches to decorating with color in a kid’s room: start with a neutral base to create a blank canvas for bright bursts, or go big and bold as the base with neutral moments for a visual break. But whatever you do, don’t leave the rainbow out of the creative process. “Color has a way of stimulating your mind and brightening your mood, which leads to creative thinking,” says Courtney. “Kids respond really well to color and offbeat patterns—much more so than adults.” Choose bright hues in accents like lamps and wallpaper, then keep furnishings neutral. Or do the inverse and pair neutral walls with colorful bursts on the rug, bed frame or art.
.
2. Remember that less is more
You know how kids have rooms full of expensive toys and only want to play with cardboard boxes? “Kids need way less than we think they do, and we tend to overwhelm them with toys and games and puzzles and books when, in reality, they just need an edited few to choose from,” says Hattie. So don’t go overboard with the gifts—or at the very least, keep most of them hidden away in stylish chests and storage bins, then rotate them every few weeks. “I regularly do a toy edit where I donate what’s not being used and cycle toys out and in. This helps them get excited about something new and sparks creativity.”
3. Encourage the arts in inviting spaces
Your child may gravitate toward specific activities, but be sure to include areas for lots of different modes of creative interpretation. Reading nooks, art tables, music corners—these give kids a place to let their imagination run wild. Including staging areas like play kitchens and grocery stores can also spark role playing and inspire original dialogue. “Every child has an imaginative side that manifests itself in different ways—sometimes through drawing and music, other times through elaborate block structures,” says Hattie. “Having a bedroom that fosters that creative spirit gives them a space where it can grow on its own terms.”
4. Everything can spark a creative moment
Hattie has a secret trigger for imaginative play: greenery. “Plants, especially faux ones, are a really great creative conduit for children,” she says. “They can be used to create a dinosaur forest, decorate a teeny kitchen, play hide and seek with little Lego men, and so many other things.” For a kid’s room in Brooklyn, Courtney festooned an accent wall with a graphic text bubble detail inspired by comic books. “My goal in designing kids’ spaces is to create an environment where they feel they can truly be themselves—like their own little sanctuary to allow them to dream and grow,” she says.
5. Don’t be afraid to take risks
“Nothing original ever came from staying in a comfort zone,” says Hattie. So if you’ve got clean-lined furnishings and unfussy curtains, take a chance with a busy wallpaper or unexpected art. Just make sure that it’s a true reflection of your kid’s interests and personality. “The most important element for creativity is the confidence to truly be oneself,” says Courtney. “When you get it right, the way a kid’s face lights up is like nothing else. It is the absolute best feeling.”
Read more
Want even more kids’ room inspiration?
Discover designs that everyone in your family will love.
Heather Taylor makes classics cool again
The LA-based purveyor of home goods mastered the art of pattern play.