MODERN LIVING

A child’s room is psychological as well as a physical space; to a child, it is that all-important first place of their own, a bit of private territory, even if they are sharing with a sibling and the only exclusively private part about it is their bed. A children’s room should provide space for the imagination, a springboard fro creative activity, just as much as physical space for letting off energy or getting stuck into serious play. Above all, it should serve as a secure base, constant enough to provide a sense of continuity during years of rapid change, but also flexible enough to accommodate each new stage of development.

Preschool:

Children’s rooms really begin to come into their own from toddler-hood on wards. Between two and three, most children are ready to move into a proper bed. Buy the best bed and mattress you can afford: children get very attached to their beds and that is of decent quality is more likely to see them through childhood. Guardrails are an option if your child tends to go bump in the night.

Babies:

New parents are often daunted by lists of seemingly essential items that babies or children must have. A baby, however, will not care if it is changed on the floor rather than on a special rimmed changing table with integral storage for nappies and toiletries. Nor will it mind sleeping in cot you bought on the high street rather than an antique heirloom trimmed with lace. For the first three months, all a baby really requires in the way of kit is somewhere to sleep – a portable basket, crib or cot which allows you to keep the baby by you is often a good idea – along with a changing mat and a minimal amount of storage for toys and clothes, which can be anything from drawer space to baskets and trunks.