I’ve said it before but I LOVE designing kids’ rooms. I feel so honored be play a part in giving a kid a space in which to thrive. I love getting to know them, their wants, their needs, their ideas. It’s special.
One of my clients has a son who is very inventive. He loves to tinker (future inventor, that one). I had the privilege of designing his bedroom and incorporating a workspace as well as a “lab” for experiments and exploration!
A kids’ workspace isn’t just for school work; it’s a place to let the mind see how far creativity can go, a place for imagination, and for working on things they love to become the person they will eventually be. It’s sacred ground. And I want to honor that by giving you some tips on creating a truly great kids’ workspace.
Designing with change in mind
Before sharing kids’ workspace items I highly recommend, I want to briefly chat about how fast kids grow and change. Nobody talks about this in the design industry! Kids’ designs are frozen in time, in a way, which is the exact opposite of the nature of a child. So I like to do things differently.
I like to present designs to my clients that also take the future into consideration. I like to make sure their design will work with them over the years. A design that is perfect now at age 10 will need to be tweaked when the child hits 13, and so on and so on. The biggest thing I focus on when designing kids’ spaces is: change.
I like to make kids’ spaces as maneuverable as possible. The main thing I focus on is giving a child the ability to change something themselves. I like to give kids multiple options for where they sit, where they read, do homework, craft, hang out, wind down for bed, etc. They are given ultimate freedom within their own walls.
Meeting a child’s needs in this way makes room for independence, creativity, and sense of self. Their room is their personal domain! I mean, they really don’t own anything (lol), so their room is super sacred to them.
Kids' Workspace Design Ideas
Rolling cart
This will house everything from arts and craft supplies, to calculators, to snacks. Kids are mobile and my philosophy is that their spaces should reflect their urge to move and change. Mobility will serve them better than anchoring pieces to the floor.
Multi-purpose board(s)
MY FAVORITE. Every tiny client I’m fortunate enough to work with, I ask about their routines, hobbies, and likes. I like to create a functional and also creative solution for everything from to storing their various tools to displaying their creations. I love peg boards for tools and supplies, and cork or magnetic boards to display their art creations and personal treasures.
Pro tip: I love installing a peg board above a kid’s bed to create a nook. They can store their nightly reading or coloring materials, a snack, etc. Everyone loves some quiet time while settling in for the night, and creating a little nook is something my kid clients love having.
Standing desk with wheels
This is also a great hack for my small space clients. Traditionally, a desk is a beefy item that is stapled to the wall, but the modern workspace is fluid and mobile, not cumbersome and stationary. Most kids have laptops and tablets from school and are working with mobile technology…so why give the a stationary desk where their only option is to stare at a wall? Opt for standing desk options with wheels. You would be surprised at how much a tiny change of scenery–even within the same room–will help.
Bean bag chair
Build it and they will come. Isn’t that the saying? If you want to encourage reading and non-screen activities, create a nook! A bean bag chair is just a super fun seating option that can be used for anything from reading to hanging with pals.
Flat weave rug
If you’re working with mobile items in your kids’ workspace, a flatweave rug is your best bet. They also wear better than their fluffier counterparts. And…Legos won’t get lost in their fiber. There are many washable options now! So don’t worry about the rug getting dirty.
Plug-in sconce
Another favorite that I’m always presenting clients with littles. A plug-in (or hardwired) sconce is far preferable to a table lamp–in my opinion:-) And I’m just a stranger on the internet lol. Here’s why I prefer sconces over table lamps: the light is diffused and much softer. If you have a mobile workspace, the plug in sconce paired with a floor lamp is your ideal lighting situation.
Pro tip: I also love to install plug in sconces right next to a kid’s bed–piggybacking on the peg board idea of creating a nook. They can have their reading or coloring that they can do as they tire themselves for sleep and can just turn off the light without getting up.
Personalized art
Kids’ rooms should be FUN and designed with a sense of whimsy and abandon (my philosophy). Getting wood or metal frames and then filling them with personalized art with their favorite characters, players, games, etc is a really great way to help them “own” their space. The more ownership they have on their spaces, the more empowered they feel and the more likely they will be to take care of their things.
Open shelving
Every single kid I have designed for has expressed a desire to have their creations on display. They are proud! Open shelving allows for the ultimate creative expression: they can stack their favorite books, display their prized possessions, and curate it all at will.
Key Takeaways
- Mobility is your friend
- create “zones” for different activities
- allow for spaces to have many different functions
- personalize it allllll
My focus with interior design is to also focus on lifestyle design. So some of these items like personalized art might not make sense in an article about kids’ workspace design. But it all fits together as part of a whole. Everything works together to create a kids’ workspace that WORKS. Try some of these out and let me know how you and your littles feel about them!
PS: you might also be interested in an article I recently wrote explaining how (and why) I design kids’ rooms!