How To Transition Your Child’s Room From Toddler To Tween

So your two-nager has turned tween? Switch out their nursery décor to match their new “maturity” with these simple steps. 😉

Your baby is becoming a small person. And you haven’t even recovered from the sleep deprivation yet. It feels like just yesterday you were nursing them. Now they’re lecturing you on fashion, feelings and small-world events.

They grow up (too) fast. It can be exciting and terrifying all at once.

The tween years are characterised by deeper friendships, a greater sense of competition (read sulks and pouts) and the entrance of their first worries. (Bless.) You’ll watch your little person become too old for toys but too young still for girls/boys.

Transform their toddler room into a tween haven with these simple tips. Create the perfect space to host their adventures and help them weather their storms.

Oeuf Play Table and Rabbit and Bear Play Chairs, online at Zanui.

Big style for small people

Whilst decorating a nursery allows you to express your personal style, the tween bedroom belongs to your little lady or lad-about-town. Their room should support their newfound (and fast-changing) individuality.

However, creating a neutral base with your larger furniture items will make your space more adaptable to change.

Ballerina styled space for your tween from thelifecreativeblog.com.

Get them involved

Consult your little person on their preferred palette and style. But remember you don’t have to take their input too literally.

Work with essences

Evoking a sense of space through suggestion has magic, rather than opting for an overarching theme.

So they want a ballerina bedroom? Hang a hot-pink tutu and pointe shoes from a wall hook or opt for a tulle window treatment. (See above image.) Add in ballerina wall art and soft rose hues in your child’s bed linen.

A fairy-princess feel can be achieved with fairy lights and a gelato-toned palette. A woodlands-inspired space will play out with earthy hues and cute creature wall decals.

Oeuf Perch Loft Double Bed, online at Zanui.

Bed it down…

So you’re trading the toddler bed for a big-person bed. Selecting a single or a king-single bed with a more neutral design has the potential to last through the tween, pre-teen and teenage years.

Bed frames with sleek modern lines adapt well to different aesthetics. This makes future décor changes more affordable.

Oeuf Brooklyn Desk and Vertical Mini Library, online at Zanui.

Blocks or pops of colour?

Finishing your child’s room with fresh white walls lets your décor do the talking. But if you’re handy with a paintbrush, introducing a bold block colour to the walls creates a distinctive space.

Repainting older furniture in vivid colours is another easy update. Jewel tones work well with flashes of metallics for a bright and cheery feel.

Incy Interiors Mia Bed, online at Zanui. Image from babiekinsmag.com.

Make motifs do the work

Tween rooms lend themselves to overlaid patterns and a collision of colours. Mix and match patterns of different scales with shared colourways.

Think geometric, modern florals or whimsical details. Work with a max of three patterns in each spot (bed, desk, walls) to prevent the look from becoming too busy.

Oeuf Merlin 3 Drawer Dresser with Classic Base, online at Zanui.

Add rugged charm

Whether they’re playing dress ups, drawing or trawling for Minions memes on your iPhone, your tween will spend quite a bit of time sprawled on their floor. Opt for a plush rug for comfort and a cosy aesthetic.

Kids’ rugs offer an extensive selection of designs, from understated to playful in tone. Selecting a textured neutral rug will add warmth to their room and hide any accidental spills.

They’re also great for masking less-than-perfect carpet…

Hiccups Best In Show Quilt Cover and Cubic Sheet Set, online at Zanui.

Animate their sleep space

Kids’ bed linen comes with oodles of personality. Hiccups have some truly adorable designs your tween will love, featuring cute kitties or puppies, or introduce the full menagerie (Sanejo Quilt Cover) for untamed charm.

Novelty cushions, lighting and blankets add character, texture and punchy colour to your child’s room. These are a great option if you don’t want to commit to a colour story but you’d like to add some playful pops in amongst the more neutral hues.

 
Oeuf Brooklyn Desk and Merlin 3 Drawer Dresser with Sparrow Base, online at Zanui.

Inspired storage for all their favourite things

Smart storage will prevent your tween’s space from becoming cluttered. Cabinets tuck their private trinkets and collections out of sight, whilst toy boxes, bookshelves, bins and crates are great for housing items in high rotation.

Floating shelves or under-bed storage serve those items out of circulation, like old soft toys, games and clocks.

Oeuf Sparrow Single Bed, online at Zanui.

Finish it with art

Gallery walls and decals instil a personal touch. Frame favourite artworks and photos then switch them from year to year. This has a more finished look and helps ground the blu-tacked pics and posters they will no doubt add!

Bunting adds a fanciful element to your child’s room whether it’s fabric bunting or a removable wall decal. Create a cute installation of paper lanterns for inspired style.

 
Incy Interiors Penny Single and King Single Beds, online at Zanui.

How are you decorating your little big person’s room? Are you giving them style control or is it a collaborative effort?