How to design a bedroom that will grow with your child

Designer nurseries are trending, but practicality and longevity are parents' priorities. We talk to organisers, designers and parents

Sat, 06 Apr, 2024 - 18:07

Carol O’Callaghan

Aspirational designer nurseries filled with task-specific furniture is not necessarily the way to go according to Galway-based professional organiser Niki Bowman of Simplify & Sort.

Tempting as it is to splurge, especially with the first child, it isn’t of long-term value, she maintains. “Babies need less than you think,” she says.

“We’re worried about not being prepared and buy into all the marketing.

“Mums buy cute things but they serve no purpose — after a year it becomes clutter. I see homes with children six or seven years old but they still have the changing table.” Focusing on practicalities, Niki prioritises storage behind closed doors.

“Piles of clothes on shelves can be easily overturned,” she says. “Labelling drawers means everyone knows where things go. Usually, mums are the ones who put everything away. Labelling means if dad is doing it or anyone else, they know where to put things.”

For a mix of play and practicality, the Bloomingville Dennis rug from Stork & Co offers comfort underfoot and a game.

Dublin-based PR consultant and first-time mother Hannah Saunders welcomed baby Brody last year. She also advocates for avoiding things that don’t have longevity.

“The newborn phase is the shortest,” she says. “People spend so much money on rocking chairs and nursing chairs. Think of investing in pieces you can use around the house. You can feed your baby in any chair as long as the back and arms are comfy.

“Buy a cot the baby grows up with. You can get a bit creative and buy a baby changing unit that looks like a nice chest of drawers.” But having an aesthetically pleasing nursery for both parent and baby was important to her too.

Hannah Saunders' nursery is mainly neutral with a blend of comfot and practicality. An open hanging rail means clothing is clearly visible, and an armchair provides comfortable seating when feeding her baby.

“I chose the colours to work with the rest of the home,” she explains. “Bouclé fabrics and Farrow & Ball colour with teddy heads on the walls and coloured prints. It’s relatively neutral if another baby comes along.

"For now, it’s nice to have a room that feels calm and not cluttered but if Brody wanted luminous green in a few years, I’d say yes.”

Sophie Cafolla, co-owner of children’s gifting and interiors boutique Stork & Co in Donnybrook, Dublin, highlights the convenience of co-sleeping.

“Having one beside the bed means it’s easier for night-time feeds,” she says.

But once the baby moves into the nursery, a mix of practicality, comfort, longevity and fun are Sophie’s considerations.

“The first thing you need is a cot, a nightlight, storage, and a nice rug. You need things that spark imagination in kids but work in the home in terms of aesthetics, items that stand the test of time and that can be passed down to a sibling.”

Focusing on longevity when buying and decorating a nursery is cost-effective and means the nursery grows with the child.

Safety, however, is something Sophie and her business partner obstetrician Vicky O’Dwyer take seriously.

“Go for established brands,” she says. “You see a lot of recalls of sleeping bags. Use a fitted sheet for the mattress so it stays in place. We advise against cot bumpers and we have an app that tells you if the temperature suits the baby’s grobag.”

Kerry-based mother of three Catheriona Cahill took the creative route when planning but with practicality as a priority which means her eight-year-old son’s room has evolved since babyhood.

“I wanted the room to grow with him so I wouldn’t be spending money all the time,” Catheriona says. “The cot went down to his sister. A small Ikea bed went through three kids.”

For the first-time parent, she offers practical advice. “Blackout blinds are the most important thing, 100%,” she says. “Storage is hugely important, and low lighting somewhere in the room so the baby goes back to sleep easily.

"I went for wood floors purposely so I could wash them easily, with a rug for comfort near their bed.”

As her child grows, the original nursery design by Kerry parent Catheriona Cahill remains fresh and relevant.

With an eye for creativity, Cathriona opted for plain white walls which she decorated with easy-to-remove dot stickers she bought online and lots of framed pictures. To make the rooms appealing as the children grow, she makes simple changes from time to time.

“I change the pictures in the frames as they get older and I change the rooms with the seasons and for Christmas," she says.

Small seasonal changes keep a child's bedroom interesting and fun. A Christmas theme is implemented by Catheriona Cahill.

"I’ll hang a Christmas wreath above their beds and have a little Nordic-style tree and Christmas cushions. I wanted them to have a room they wanted to go to, whether they’re playing with a Barbie or reading a book.”