Kids' Spaces: Ideas and Inspiration

Close your eyes and picture your favorite place as a child. If it was your bedroom, playroom, nursery, or even an adorable bathroom all your own, you likely fondly remember treasured knick-knacks, wall art, and colors that made the room special.

We bet you had a big part in shaping the decor of that space and your personality could be seen from the floor to the ceiling. Now that you're an adult, you're probably thinking of ways you can bring together the character of your home and include the preferences of your little ones, resulting in kids' room ideas that are too-cute-for-words and on-trend to boot.

From colors to organization to keeping your tiny tots safe, here's our one-stop-shop guide to kids' spaces.

When it comes to kids' spaces, we recommend that you start with the most important area first: the bedroom. There are so many kids' bedroom ideas nowadays, weaving in decor and thoughtful touches that will last for years to come.

You can absolutely go the traditional route with blue or pink color palettes, art choices, and patterns, or you can opt for something modern, and go with a gender-neutral palette that reflects your child's favorite color instead. Green and blue are certainly calming shades that go with anything, while yellow and white will lend an airy feel to the space. And if you want to give the room a bit of edge, consider bringing in shades of black.

And yes, it is possible for kids' bedroom ideas to mirror the theming seen throughout the rest of your home. It ought to represent your child's personality, while still feeling like it blends in seamlessly with the other spaces in your home. For example, if you gravitate toward bohemian motifs, incorporate macramé, tasseled bedding, and rattan accents. If you're a farmhouse devotee, consider an iron bed, barn doors, and of course, shiplap. A Scandinavian setup might include cozy textures, a neutral palette, and wooden toys. To push the visuals in a modern direction, think about bringing in task lamps and other industrial accents for a current look. Midcentury kids' bedroom ideas shine when styled with vintage furniture, mod light fixtures, and linear design touches.

Before you begin dreaming about all of the cute decor, start with the furniture. If you're on a budget, an IKEA kids' space, outfitted with beds and seating scored at the Swedish retailer, might be right up your alley. Another way to save money is to buy a kids' furniture set instead of separate pieces. A desk, even if it's tucked into a corner, is the perfect addition for littles who want to create masterpieces or complete homework. Nightstands double as storage and provide a surface for books and small toys next to a bed. And bunk beds are always a great option if more than one child will be sharing the room — just be sure to follow safety guidelines like trying out the beds after they've been assembled and placing the beds in a corner.

After shopping for furniture and decor at retailers like Pottery Barn Kids, Target, and Urban Outfitters, add the finishing touch with cool, yet functional, lighting.

When your littles aren't so little anymore, the time has arrived for teen bedroom ideas (insert crying eyes emoji here). While the design could feel more grown up, it should still leave room for a playful, childlike sense of wonder. You can go gender-neutral with light colors, wall art they'll love, and greenery, or you can be more specific with the theming. Your teen girl is guaranteed to adore a hanging chair, a cool gallery wall, and twinkle lights while your son will be down for dark colors, laidback visuals, and a neon sign. Or vice-versa. The sky is the limit and this is really an opportunity for them to express their unique personalities.

When thinking of playroom ideas, just imagine that this space is an extension of your child's bedroom, except it is solely dedicated to playing (of course), daydreaming, and putting their imaginations to work.

For the playroom, you and your kiddos can really get fanciful. From an indoor gym to tunnels and slides, the sky is the limit. You can also turn to style choices that will look kid-appropriate but fall in line with your personal tastes, bringing in saturated versions of hues seen throughout the rest of your home and making toys part of the decor. You can even choose to go minimalist with carefully-chosen items that will cut down on cleanup.

Speaking of cleanup, playroom storage is an absolute must. Painted crates, baskets, bookcases, and wall-mounted storage units are all genius solutions for those wayward toys and stuffed animals.

Once the practical stuff is figured out, style up your playroom through furniture and decor purchased at chic retailers (we love Crate & Kids, Wayfair, and IKEA) and an area rug that pulls everything together.

Before your little ones are ready for big kids' spaces, you'll start with an oh-so-sweet nursery.

There are a few approaches you can take when brainstorming baby nursery ideas. You can go through our handy checklist so you won't forget any of the design must-haves, like sleeping essentials, diaper changing necessities, and things you'll need for feeding time. You can gather up a group of decorative touches you enjoy, like curtains, a chair, and crib bedding, and allow those items to serve as your inspiration for the rest of the room. Or, you can always look ahead to the trends — right now, we're loving earth tones, vintage-style wallpaper, and dark tones for baby rooms.

Next, you'll tackle the color palette. You can absolutely go gender-neutral, but if you know you're having a boy or a girl, you can definitely opt for classic blue or pink. For a more current look, ponder non-traditional colors like yellow, white, gray, or green. Remember, the palette should be soothing to you as well since you'll be spending a lot of time here. Now it's time to come up with a theme for the nursery. We're partial to styling that looks like it could live in any room in a current home, depicting Scandinavian, farmhouse, modern, or bohemian looks.

Organization will make your life sooo much easier in a nursery, so it's key to set it up along with the decorative details. Storage pieces like wall systems, hooks, baskets, and toy bins will go a long way. And don't forget about the closet. You'll need zones for clothes, drawers, and labeled boxes for all of baby's wardrobe essentials.

It can be overwhelming (and tough on a budget) to set up a nursery for the first time. But you can take it easy on your pocketbook by including IKEA pieces, personalizing it with things you already have, or even trying your hand at making DIY creations for your little one's room.

You've shopped all of our fave retailers, like Maisonette, Stokke, and Serena & Lily, now you'll need to consider all the health and safety measures for the space. You can go through our helpful guide to nursery safety as well as learn how baby can have the best possible sleep with brilliant products and advice.

Last but not least, you'll design a practical, yet oh-so-fun, kids' bathroom. It should undoubtedly be playful, with details like punchy, patterned wallpaper and brightly-colored cabinetry, but it needs to work for kids and their little bodies, too. From storage to kid-ready sinks (we prefer a trough sink for a kiddo's bath), the bathroom should reflect your child's height and needs.

The great thing about kids' bathroom ideas is that you can dial up the whimsy, looking to themes and accents they'll love. Fish-scale tile? Pink, flowery wallpaper? Polka dots? You can take a lighthearted tone in this space. On-trend, bubbly accessories can bring even more personality to your kids' washroom.