Bedroom Trends

Room Designs with Lasting Appeal

By Kelly Burgess

The current trend in bedrooms is classic style that can carry on for years – from toddlerhood to adulthood – with just a tweaking of accessory items.

Infants are in a class by themselves when it comes to bedrooms, because they have special needs that will never come up again – cribs, dressing tables, rocking chairs, bassinets. Once Baby moves into a "big kid bed," the parents can start looking to the future of their child's furniture.

Anna Politi of Richland, Pa., probably knows this as well as anyone. When she moved into a brand-new home two years ago, it was a blank canvas. The way she transformed it had so many people asking for her advice that she's started a second career as an interior designer. Although her entire house is beautiful, it's the bedrooms that really showcase her ability to fit the room to the person – not a mean feat when you consider she was decorating for three teenagers and an active 8-year-old.

Politi's best advice is to think long term when it comes to furniture for kids. "I didn't want to invest a lot in something that would only last a couple of years at most," she says. "When I bought furniture, I bought it with an eye toward it lasting until the kids are in college. Even beyond that, I wanted it to be something they could maybe use in their own homes."

With good quality furniture as a base, Politi used paint, color and accessories to personalize each child's room with a theme that reflects their interests. Again, however, she cautions that these interests can change frequently – particularly with younger children. She recommends using themed items as highlights – lampshades, pillows and other less expensive, less permanent accessories – and focusing on color and texture, which is more enduring.

Just as children with special needs benefit from accommodations at school, accommodations in the home can help them find a higher level of comfort. Karen Barach is a certified speech pathologist who advises decorators and parents on decorating for their special needs child. She says that it's helpful to consult with a child's doctor or therapist on what types of things can benefit them in their play space.

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