Children's bedrooms - space-saving ideas

With space becoming more and more at a premium in Maltese homes, thanks also to the shrinking sizes of rooms in most new developments and the spiralling cost of property, it is comforting to know that there are plenty of space-saving ideas around to help you maximise on the space you have.

If you are looking at wardrobes, do ensure you have the flexibility to use as much of the available height in the room. There is nothing more untidy than having a wardrobe with the upper part taken up with an assortment of boxes and other storage devices (garbage bags?) that ideally should not be on 'public' view.

Try to buy a corner wardrobe that maximises on the 90-degree angle of the room. Look for a wardrobe that uses up all the possible space. Ideally, it will be of the walk-in type and, why not, see that there is the possibility of having a light inside in less well lit rooms.

Beds should be considered as alternative storage devices not just sleeping locations. Ask whether your child's bed comes with a hydraulic lift that pulls up without your having to remove the mattress to reveal the storage space below.

If you are looking at bunk beds, don't just think of the straightforward one plus one solution. There are lots of options, nowadays, and you don't need to use the lower level simply to have a bed but can have the study/play area below and the bed above.

The 'stairs' leading up to the top bunk can double up as storage devices. Make sure that there are no protruding handles because the child can easily trip. Fabric is one easy solution.

An alternative to bunks is the fold-away bed. This looks like a drawer front beneath the bed that is permanently open but the 'drawer', when pulled out, is actually a second bed that clips up to normal height.

Look out for the flexibility of open shelves and the possibility of building a 'bridge' of units/cabinets/open shelves around the child's bed. These should come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suite your needs.

If you are looking to integrate a desk, ask for computer accessories like keyboard trays that fold away beneath the desk and monitor stands that clip on. They maximise on space while making the desk as functional for your child's needs as possible.

It is important to plan the space in your child's bedroom in advance. Take accurate dimensions with you when shopping around for a children's bedroom and look out for flexibility in unit sizes to be able to find what you are looking for.

Mr Vassallo Cesareo is a director of Domestica Ltd, local representatives of Berloni. See the full range of furniture, including children's bedrooms, at the Berloni showroom in Valley Road, Birkirkara.