KIDS ROOMS: 10 Reasons IKEA is fab for your Kids!
Decorating our children's bedrooms is one of the most fun design tasks we can look forward to. Unlike other rooms in the house, it is a space wholly for them. It is an opportunity where imaginations can run free, and we can create a unique and wholly child-centred space. Read on for 10 fantastic reasons why IKEA furniture is a great choice for your children's bedrooms, as well as some inspirational photos from one of my favourite Instagram accounts, Style Poetry, whose interior style is always exquisite!
1. Budget Friendly
I'm fairly convinced that the number one reason many of us shop at IKEA is because it's budget friendly, and price is a consideration for most families. Added to this, we're likely to find a solution to our 'problem'. And with so many options available, it’s quite easy to find something that suits. When you also consider the price, IKEA is impressively hardwearing; an important consideration for young families, as we’ll discuss below.
2. Safety
Children's furniture needs to be safe. This really must be the most important consideration for all parents. Toddlers are known for their ability to scale furniture and younger children are often very active when playing. The last thing any parent wants is for an accident to happen. IKEA has very strict safety standards, especially when it comes to furniture. Many of their pieces also includes attachments so that shelving units can be fastened securely to walls.
Cupboards store items not used every day, while baskets make for easy tidying
3. Kids grow up fast!
From cot to toddler bed to single and beyond, our children's needs change a lot faster than we'd maybe like. What works for toddlers will quickly feel babyish for your six-year-old, and your ten-year-old might not appreciate having all their toys on display when friends come round. IKEA furniture is often quite versatile, allowing for these changes throughout childhood without needing to completely refurb children’s entire bedrooms.
4. Brilliant storage solutions/small spaces
Might be stating the obvious here, but it's worth mentioning again. IKEA are fantastic at providing families with suitable storage options. Young children often have a lot of stuff. Toys, books, cars, LEGO; all can be found a home within your home with the right pieces that suit your needs. Many of their shelving units can also adapt to changing needs, such as the Trofast, which can house open-ended toys during toddlerhood, before adding some little cubbies to store collections of hot wheels, LEGO, dolls clothes, and puzzles. No matter the size of your home, IKEA will have just what you need to keep the chaos in order.
Picture rails and a small wooden frame allow beautiful books to be displayed with easy access
5. Environment/Pass it on
I know IKEA often has a bit of a 'fast fashion' reputation when it comes to furniture. It does sometimes feel like a dirty secret, in that many of us do it, but don't like to talk about it. Over the years, I have bought pieces as a bit of a stop gap. But I've also found that some of those items have proved to be incredibly versatile and hardwearing. It's also been easy to pass them on to charities or on neighbourhood Facebook groups, or on Gumtree (especially if you’re happy to give it away free). By passing items on, you are reducing the environmental impact such purchases have and someone receives a useful item without needing to buy it. It’s a win-win for all. IKEA has information on their website on what steps they take for greater accountability and environmental protection. It’s always worth reading if you have concerns about purchasing from them.
6. Kids are Messy
Fact. In addition to the fab storage solutions mentioned above, one of the added benefits of having low-cost furniture is that you're less likely to have any emotional attachment to a BILLY bookcase compared to great-aunt Mable's antique dresser. Kids like to put stickers on things and have been known to draw on any surface available to them. IKEA offers furniture children can use the way they want to, without causing parents to weep. I should mention here that I don’t advocate giving children free reign to trash your house. Rather, there should be a balance where they’re able to have a little freedom with this sort of thing. Kids need to be able to make mess when they play. I know that sticky handprints on walls and felt-tip marks give us all moments of grief from time to time, but my son’s collection of stickers on his IKEA bookshelf doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
Having toys on display makes it easy for children to see what they have, the baskets keep things organised
7. Invest in important things
This will be different for every family, and rightly so. I'm a big believer in investing money in things children wear and use a lot, and experiences. Supportive footwear, comfortable sleepwear, brilliant books and long-lasting toys, a really good quality mattress and bedding. In my humble opinion, the things we buy for our homes should add to our comfort and ease of living. They should make our homes places where we can relax and enjoy our time together. Things should last, but there are times when we'll outgrow certain items and that's OK too.
8. Mix high + low items!
If you're working with a budget in mind (and let's face it, most of us are!), the beauty of buying less expensive furniture frees up more of your budget for those unique pieces that really pull a room together or add a unique focal point. It could be a special lightshade, or a framed print of a favourite interest, beautiful bedding or a reclaimed armchair. There are no rules to how you create your children's bedroom. Only that it feels right for your family.
The versatile KURA bed frame, seen here in this shared boys room
9. Add personal touches
It's the personal touches that really make a home. The first painting your child brought home from nursery, a favourite teddy, the beloved collection of books, photos of cherished moments, such as their first day of school, and mementos from family holidays. For me, a child’s bedroom is both magical and bittersweet, as we watch them grow from babyhood through to teenagers. The fabric of a family’s life is woven throughout the home, but a child’s bedroom is a celebration of them and them alone.
10. Let your kids own their bedrooms!
Bedrooms are incredibly important to children, and especially young people. They should be a place where they feel safe and are able to express themselves. You may not agree to painting their walls a vibrant shade of red but compromising with a red bed will do wonders for having your child feel seen and respected. Providing them with the right kind of storage to house their treasured collection of objects will mean more to them than having a vintage dresser they’re not allowed to touch. This is an opportunity to work together and is an important process in your relationship that will serve you both well as they grow up.
Have I missed any other reasons why IKEA can be a great option for your family? Share with me in the comments below.