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Updating Kids Furniture and Improving Kids Bedroom Accessories

Many parents use this time of year to buy new kids furniture or splash out on some snazzy bedroom accessories to update their child’s bedroom – summer’s over, autumns here and it’s not quite time to start the Christmas Shopping.

With the start of the new school term and  kids moving from nursery to primary, or primary to secondary and then on to 6th form college, many children feel their bedroom should reflect their new status.

Out goes the baby furniture and in comes Peppa Pig, only to be replaced a few years later with a girly feminine, princess bedroom or a rugged boys hang out decorated with skateboards and lizards. These types of changes are quite easy to make and a new look bedroom can be created in a couple of  hours.

When 2 year old Imogen outgrew her cot and her themed under sea nursery, and chose Peppa Pig as a replacement, the whole renovation only took a few hours and cost less than £150.
(Imogen only needed a new bed as the nursery wardrobe and chest are cream and will be able to be used for many years, so athough expensive at the time, they are an investment and will save money in the long term)

Peppa Pig Toddler Bed – £69.95 Single Duvet – £14.95 Peppa Pig Go Glo Light – £19.50 Bedroom Rug – £7.95 Waste Bin – £7.95 Bedroom Border £7.95 Bedroom Stickers £10.70

(the cushions, sling bookcase and Bedtime Trainer Clock came later)
and she absolutely adores her Peppa Pig Bedroom and bedtime is a doddle.

The major change takes place when the children reach the ripe old age of 13 onwards and then want a definite say in how they want to decorate their bedrooms, this is the age that bedrooms become teenage bedsits and the kids need  to impress their boy friends and girl friends, need somewhere to chill and do their homework – and this can prove expensive.

Be warned though, this is also the age they start to listen to music VERY VERY LOUD, play their console games VERY VERY LOUD – so if you can sound proof their rooms – I’ve heard egg boxes do a grand job – this will save a lot of shouting and wear and tear on the eardrums.

If you played safe and invested in a good quality white or wood effect bedroom suite, and they have a decent sized bedroom, then it can be quite cheap to update the room with some well chosen bedroom accessories, painting the walls and, maybe, accentuating one wall with wallpaper or with giant, contemporary wall stickers.  New bedding, a lamp, rug and stickers can go a long way to creating a ‘new’ room, throw in a few bean bags – cheap seating for mates  -  and this shouldn’t set you back much – even less if you visit Ebay, Gumtree or your local car boot.

Unfortunately many kids bedrooms are quite small and cramped or have to be shared and need quite a lot of creative thinking to provide each child with their own ’space’.

If the kids have outgrown their junior pink and blue bedrooms, and want something ‘cooler’, there is a great selection, especially online with bedroom suites available in black, grey,  silver and red, which include storage, computer desks, tv and games units to match the traditional beds, wardrobes and chests.

If space is limited there are some very innovative kids beds available, with plenty of units – cupboards, desks, truckle beds and storage – tucked away beneath, or high sleepers with custom built play areas underneath the sleeping area, which would give each child a definite space to call their own.

Which ever path you choose – updating or renovating – be sure to include your child in the discussion and try to accommodate their wishes – within reason, teenage years are all about compromise – they’re far more likely to look after their bedrooms and furniture if they’ve chosen it rather than it  being forced upon them – especially if they’ve decided to go the goth route and have black, black and more black !!

Have Fun