A boy’s bedroom is his safe haven from adults, where he can become anything he wants to be, from pirate to astronaut, from deep sea diver to train driver. Enabling your son to have a space where he can be all these things as well as do his homework, sleep and hang out with his friends is really important for his welfare and development.
Unfortunately, as parents, we often lack the creativity to think of ways to provide more space in the smaller rooms of our houses, and end up providing a mere yard squared for our children to play in (which often becomes so cluttered with toys that they’re playing on a mountain of Lego).
So the trick is to use the space you do have more wisely to create the largest area for work and play in a boy’s room that you physically can. It’s time to look at the room you’re working with and calculate what is currently inefficient and how it can be better organized.
Try these ideas:
Think Vertical
Rather than just considering how much floor space you have, why not look higher. The room also has space to the ceiling, currently occupied only by air, which used creatively, can create space for varying levels of activity. This can be done in two main ways, using a loft bed, or more excessively, a mezzanine space.
1. Loft Beds
The great thing about loft beds is that they elevate the bed, creating more floor space for your son to play in. With their own supporting frame, they create a cut off space in the room which can be utilized as a specific work area by placing a desk in it, or something more adventurous.
Why not build a ‘gang house’ front to fix to the loft bed, to create the illusion of a tree house, and a private are under your son’s bed for him and his friends to play. Alternatively, you could place a tent or tepee inside for the same effect.
Additionally, some loft beds come with storage in the frames, such as little drawers and cupboards, giving you more space to hide away clothes and toys.
2. Mezzanines
Mezzanine floors are a little more hard work but pay off enormously in the long run. You can either create a whole new floor using expensive builders, or you can create the illusion of a floor using two tall shelves with wood resting in between.
This gives a solid platform for either a bedding area for your son, or a secret hideaway for him and his friends to play in. By bringing the bed all the way off the floor, it frees up all the floor space for alternative usage.
Hiding Things Away
One of the main floor space-eaters is storage. Wardrobes, shelving, cupboards, drawers; all these types of storage require floor space and therefore reduce the area your son has to play in. Getting imaginative with storage is the best way to find a solution to keep everything neatly in its place whilst still providing legroom for your son to have fun.
1. Under the Bed
This is an age old trick but finding a bed which allows for storage underneath can be a Godsend. Whether it’s plastic boxes or fitted drawers, this provides you a hideaway for clothes and/or toys, meaning less clumpy drawers and wardrobes to reduce space for play and creativity.
2. Alcoves
Creating n-wall alcove storage can be expensive but gives you more room to play with for storing your son’s possessions. By getting rid of the wardrobe and opting for something built into the wall, you’re freeing up more area on the floor and providing a neat finished look to the room.
3. Wall Shelving
Get your bookshelves off the floor and on to the walls. As your son grows older, he will inevitably need space for his books and school work so having shelving in the room is usually a must. However, large floor bookcases take up room where a train set could be laid.
A Look at the Less Obvious
1. Chalkboard Paint
Using chalkboard paint on your walls, cupboards and other furniture creates extra space for your son to explore his creativity. If you cannot viably remove the wardrobe from his bedroom, give him space to create football murals or animal doodles on it with chalk!
2. Fold up Furniture
Fold up furniture allows your son to ‘put it away’ when he’s not using it. For example, you could fix a fold up desk to the wall for his homework, which he folds away when he’s finished to create more floor space for play. No hefty desk legs in the way!
3. Spare Bed
If your son enjoys having friend’s round, keeping a spare mattress is always a great idea for a sleepover. Unfortunately, this looks messy. There are several beds available now featuring an under-bed drawer, which when pulled up, creates a double bed for two to share.
4. Defining Zones
By separating areas of the room using colors, wallpaper and dividers, it creates the illusion of more space. If your son knows by visual example that the plain looking area is for homework, the football-looking area themed from www.nfl.com is for play, and the soft area is for sleep, you’re creating a whole world for him in one room.
Creating that essential room for your son to enjoy his bedroom will create a healthy and happy child who’s not afraid to explore his creativity. Limiting space puts boundaries on his room for growth, whereas opening that to him will enable him to ‘think big’.
Just remember that although creating floor space demands imaginative ideas, the room still needs to run in a functional manner.Make sure you ensure there is everything your son needs to keep his room tidy and carry out all day to day tasks.