by Plainenglish

Created on: February 17, 2009

If you make the right choices, the furniture you buy for your child's room could last until they are off to university and beyond. There is a temptation to buy everything in miniature, especially when furnishing a babies room, but it really doesn't pay off in the long run as your child will outgrow these pieces in no time. Instead consider pieces that 'transform' to cope with their changing needs.

Choose full size pieces for drawers and wardrobes. You can use the extra space when they are babies to store linens and towels or perhaps store your own out-of-season clothing. Wardrobes with adjustable and removable shelving are perfect as the hanging space required for your child's clothing will grow with them. Its a shame to have lots of wasted space when their clothes are so little, so an extra shelf which can be removed at a later date is perfect. Make better use of the space by compartmentalizing with baskets and boxes. These can be used to store smaller items of clothing and toys. If you require a changing table, try to find a separate top that will sit on top of your drawers andcan be removed later when your baby is out of diapers.

A cot that transforms into a small child's bed will last until they are around four years old. At this point you will need to buy a full sized bed. With this in mind, it can be just as economical to buy a cot that doesn't double up as they tend to be cheaper and will need to be replaced soon anyway. The benefits of a smaller bed is that it transitions your child from cot to bed as they are smaller and lower to the ground. If you opt for a regular single bed, you can buy a guard which can be attached to the side to stop them rolling out.

Shelving and bookcases are essential for storing your child's books and trinkets. You can get some beautiful pieces - I found a dolls house shaped bookcase for my daughter's room. This is unlikely to last her into her teens but makes a lovely feature in her bedroom. Storage is an important part of designing a child's room and can be achieved with a variety of options - a wooden blanket box at the foot of the bed, under bed storage, hat boxes on top of the wardrobe, baskets and stackable containers. The blanket box will have a number of uses over the years and is an excellent investment.

The finish of your furniture is important. I would opt for a painted wood as this can then be updated over time to suit your child's age and taste. Pastel's look great in a nursery but this can be updated to a crisp white when the child is older.

So when choosing your child's bedroom furniture my advice is to think of their storage needs now and in the future to get the best value for money over time.

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