Ways to spiff up the kid’s bedrooms Whether your grandkids come often or once in a while, you want them to feel welcomed and comfortable during their stay. And that means a room or sleeping area designed with them in mind.
Creating a special guest room just for your grandkids can become a costly enterprise, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some tips for designing the perfect area for your grandkids while keeping in mind that they grow up quickly!
- Consider designing a multi-purpose room and not only a sleeping area. If you choose this option, you’ll want to select wall beds, couch-to-beds or daybeds. This way you’ll maximize the space left for play/study/reading areas.
- For a more traditional guest bedroom, choose bunk beds or twins. Many of these have built-in storage areas in addition to sleeping space and kids think they’re fun.
- Select neutral colors for the walls. You can accessorize the room with age-appropriate colors and favorite themes, but that pink or lavender wall may not be appreciated once the grandkids grow a little older.
- When the sleeping areas are in place, add some zip and color with a variety of accessories: rugs, posters, storage units, pillows, upholstered chairs, curtains, and other accents in vibrant colors and patterns. Then, if your child no longer loves dinosaurs, you can switch out the accessories to match current interests.
- Provide an array of books, toys and games appropriate to current ages. These are easily updated as your grandkids grow. Select simple storage units: plastic crates, baskets, bookcases, tubs, and the like. You might add a bulletin board to display any current art work, projects or add a shelf to display collections.
- Don’t forget the creature comforts such as linens, towels, extra pillows and blankets, a lamp and wastebasket, a clock, perhaps a houseplant.
- Personalized items such as monogrammed towels or a wooden sculpture of the letters in your grandchild’s name make the grandkids feel special. Purchasing items related to a certain sport or a favorite professional team can also show your thoughtfulness in creating a space especially for them.
- Kids love to eat. If you allow snacking in the sleeping/play area, be sure to stock up on healthy choices and have them available with the rules for keeping the area neat and clean.
- For the older grandkids, you might provide phone chargers, wifi codes and a table or desk for a laptop. A basket filled with mini toiletries is also a welcome gift for older grandchildren.
When all is said and done, your grandkids want time with you—they want access to you, not just a comfortable place to sleep and play. Ahead of their visit, brainstorm a list of possible activities. We can’t always anticipate the things they love right now, but we can give them a lot of choices and allow them to choose. You may play board games or put together puzzles, go on scavenger hunts or take a trip to the zoo. Be flexible and support their current interests.
Nothing is more special than a visit from the grandkids. Make them welcome and comfortable, then prepare to have a terrific time!
