Space for Two: A Kid’s Bedroom Design

This sweet kids’ bedroom design makes us think about how the right design can create a durable, beautiful, intentional, and FUN space for those much-loved littles. Whether it’s creating a landing place for your own kids or a special space for your grands, a kids’ bedroom that is created specifically for them can be one of the most impactful designs in the whole home. Functional? Absolutely. But adding in some color, kid-friendly comfort, interest, and plenty of playfulness is part of what transforms it from just a room into a dedicated place that’s personalized to feel just right for them.

Home: Past and Present

If you’ve been following for a bit, you’ve seen us talk about our renovation and redesign of this gorgeous historic Chapel Hill home. The classic 1920s architectural features and the sweetest cottage-like vibe make this house SUCH a gem, and we could not love it more. Turning this 100+ house into a true family home for the present day, and bringing new life to the history of this space was a dream project. You can catch up on the story of this transformation on the blog, including how we created the living room here, and all the details on the dining room here.

The Foundation

So, let’s talk kids’ room design. We’ve done many of them over the years, and each one is unique (just as it should be). Durability, comfort, and function are always at the foundation of our work, and this is especially true when it comes to making spaces that are truly designed to be family-and-kid-friendly. Quality matters, and we’re always thinking about how a space will be used- what will make it work in the best possible way for this family? What will make it a space that is not just functional, but a joy to spend time in? For us, great design starts with understanding the rhythm of a family’s daily life, and creating a space that fits and supports them in every way.

A Happy Place

Then, the most fun begins. Getting to know each family on a deep level allows us to curate a design for them- and fill up their space with all the things that bring them joy, comfort, and contentment. Finding the “design happy place” is our job, and we absolutely love it. For a kids’ room, we want to know: what are those things that make them the happiest- the things that capture their interest, spark their imagination, and make a space safe and comfortable at the same time? The right mix of fun, whimsy, and restfulness is where we want to land. And of course, weaving the design seamlessly into the rest of the home to create that satisfying continuity and a complete visual story. It sounds like a tall order, because it is! Intentionality and strategy are such key elements for these spaces.

Design strategy at work means a room that will grow with them. A clean-lined plush headboard in neutral combined with a classic stripe pattern play make this space versatile for a range of ages, as well as a space that they can both enjoy now and grow into later.

The polished and plush but quiet custom window treatments, headboards and rug provide a neutral base that allows us to get fun with the details without it becoming overwhelming. Playful touches and meaningful items throughout make the space inviting and personal.

Telling the Story

In this family, Tar Heel pride runs deep across the generations. This historic Chapel Hill home is special to them for many reasons, one of which is its proximity to the UNC campus and the sense of being part of the Chapel Hill student community. We loved threading through some Tarheel touches to this room, weaving in elements of this cherished place that bring them together as a family. Blue hues are also a pillar of the full color story of this home design, starting with the most charming original front door. The layered blues and the pattern play in this room (stripes on stripes!) keep the space playful and fresh, while still aligning beautifully with the full home design, as well as the classic architecture and historic integrity of the home.

And, we’ve got to give a moment for this ensuite (we’ll talk more about it soon, but we had to share a peek here!). In a historic home, an ensuite is a rarity- and this space required more than a little overhaul during the renovation to make it work. But the outcome was so worth it- and this bathroom is the perfect complement to a fabulous and functional kids’ space.

A huge kudos to CFD Lead Designer Rebecca, who was the lead on this project. Every room is more delightful than the next, and we love every bit of this family-centered home design that’s as elegant as it is cheerful and full of so much personality.

A tremendous thank you to Michael Blevins, our photographer, and Heidi Donohue, our stylist for these beautiful images.

We’re so glad you came over to hang out with us on the CFD blog today. Curious about our process? Check out more about our full-home design process here. Want to get to know our team? Check out our decades of design experience and how we make your home one-of-a-kind here.

Have questions about designing your own dream space? We’d love to help. Start here at our contact page. Or, feel free to just give us a holler anytime at hello@catfrenchdesign.com.

And, if you’d like to follow along for more in-the-moment happenings and goings-on of this bustling design team, you can also find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest!