It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time, and few accomplish it after the age of six. ~ John W. Gardner and Francesca Gardner Reese
Once your children grow older, they naturally want their own rooms. My daughter, who is 8 years old, and her brother, who is 6 years old, slept in the same nursery room until earlier this year. They shared a room because my husband and I believed they would comfort each other at night, which was one of the best decisions we made.
As they grew older, bedtime became frustrating. Rather than comforting each other at night, my children played with each other for hours. I was afraid they were not getting enough sleep. Splitting them up seemed to be the solution, though we were worried they would be scared alone.
One night, I couldn’t take their playing anymore. It was nearly 10 o’clock on a school night, and I told them they were each getting their own rooms to stop the nonsense. Instead of being threatened by the change, they were excited. The next morning, all they talked about was what they wanted in their own bedrooms.
Planning
I researched inexpensive to moderately priced bedroom sets and beds. My children’s old beds were too small and cheaply made. I wanted a classic look that would last well into their teens.
Luckily, I found the Captain’s Beds for kids. I had never heard of a Captain’s Bed, but I liked the bottom drawers that came underneath the bed. Most models come with a choice of 3, 6 or 12 lower drawers that are easy for children to reach. They replace the need for a dresser, and you can put anything you like in them.
I presented my picky children with a few choices that my husband and I had preapproved, and both our children wanted the Captain’s Beds. They immediately began imagining what they would store inside those drawers.
We chose a natural wood stain that matched our bookshelves, and we believed it would go well with any wall color. My daughter wanted a princess room, while my son begged for a fire engine-themed bedroom.
Assembly
My husband and I painted the new bedrooms with low V.O.C. paint, which has less toxic fumes. We chose light yellow for our daughter and green for our son. We wanted happy, bright colors that would last beyond their current phases.
The children went to my mother-in-law’s for the day, and we painted the rooms quickly with rollers to prevent brushstrokes. Two good coats of paint created rich, even colors on the walls.
To create the themes the children wanted, we added wall decals that can be easily removed. Once the paint dried, each child pressed their chosen decals onto the walls. For the princess room, my daughter had decals of a tiara, a wand and the word, “Princess.” My son put up fire engines and street signs in his room.
We assembled the solidly constructed Captain’s Bed in each room quickly, to our surprise. It took about an hour to finish each bed, and we completed both of them the same day. We don’t frequently put furniture together, but the plans and instructions were simple and straightforward.
Each bedroom got its own matching work desk, which were also easy to assemble. Desks are important for children because they need quiet, private space for their homework.
Finishing Touches
Since the theme was “princess” for our daughter, we glued rhinestones onto a plain lampshade to add some bling. My mother sewed curtains and a duvet cover from fabric my daughter chose. With the leftover fabric, I sewed throw pillow covers, which we stuffed with fiberfill.
We hung shelves onto the wall of our son’s fire engine room, to display some vintage fire trucks that my husband played with as a child. My mom sewed his new curtains and duvet, and I made more throw pillows.
The children chose three pieces of their artwork to be framed. We bought inexpensive frames from the craft store, which made their art pieces look professional.
Once the new bedrooms were finished, we had a family celebration. We pretended we were at an art gallery opening, looking at all the framed artwork and newly appointed rooms.
Our son and daughter were so excited the first night to sleep in their own bedrooms and beds. We felt we had made the right decision separating our children into their own rooms.
About the Author
Christobel Edwards has worked in marketing and sales her whole life. Last year to her excitement, she became a grandmother for the first time. Like any grandmother, she enjoys buying anything her grandchild fancies.
She recently purchased a wooden bunk bed with stairs. It is convenient and fun for children. Christobel is based in London, England, and she enjoys world travel.