Continuing our exploration of crafting the ideal home, from your kitchen and living room to your bathroom and bedroom, interior designers Paul Cuschieri and Malcolm Abela Sciberras from Rebirth Design Studio reveal the secrets behind creating timeless and practical children’s bedrooms.

When envisioning your dream home, your child’s bedroom might not be your initial focus. Yet, this space holds immense significance, as it shapes enduring childhood memories – ones that we remember for the rest of our lives. So why not create the perfect backdrop for those lasting memories?

At Rebirth, we recognise the profound impact of a child’s bedroom. It is their fantastical world where they foster their sense of adventure and creativity. With the right design and style elements, your child’s imagination can flourish and roam free.

Simultaneously, though, a child’s bedroom should serve as their safe haven, a place for them to get a good night’s rest after a long day of being a kid.

We thrive in the challenge of designing children’s and teenagers’ bedrooms – whether we’re creating an immersive yet functional fantasy-inspired, castle-themed sanctuary that encourages role play, exploration and fun, or a cosy space where a teenager can relax, study and just enjoy hanging out in the privacy of their own personal room.

This is in fact just what we created for a teen’s bedroom in a St Julian’s apartment that we’ll share more on below.

Design for longevity

Central to designing children’s bedrooms is ensuring that the space can be adapted as they grow. You want to get as many years as possible from your investment, so prioritise design elements that can evolve alongside your child. Many standard features, like wallpaper, textiles and certain light fittings, offer flexibility as your child gets older.

At Rebirth, we advocate for storage as a key priority. The right storage solution can accommodate changing needs, so we recommend closets with storage that is seamlessly integrated into the room’s design by shaping surrounding spaces accordingly.

This way, as children grow, storage that used to hold toys and games can make way for school equipment or books. Similarly, open storage features can display changing decorative elements as your child’s tastes develop over time.

Lighting and power sockets, on the other hand, are difficult to alter without tampering with walls or ceilings, so they need to be thought of in advance. We err on the side of ‘over-designing’ power layouts to enable modified furniture configurations in the future.

A balanced approach that sees creative design concepts meet safety features is crucial

Thinking ahead and adding a few extra power sockets for the sake of versatility is a small price to pay, and is much less of a headache than altering walls further down the line in order to accommodate unplanned changes that could easily have been catered for. The key takeaway is simple: when it comes to power outlets, plan for change.

In terms of furniture, identify pieces that you know will need to be replaced in the future. For instance, a cot will transition to a bed and a nappy changer will make way for a desk.

At Rebirth, we also anticipate furniture alterations that may require light sources, such as wardrobes or study areas. Think ahead to ensure your child’s space is equipped for such eventualities.

Design for safety and functionality

Safety is paramount in a child’s bedroom because it is a space where they are often left unattended. For this reason, a balanced approach that sees creative design concepts meet safety features is crucial.

Multifunctionality is another increasingly popular requirement, not least because of property price increases and the limited amount of internal space. Since a child’s bedroom is where they play, sleep and learn, the room’s design must keep this functional plurality in mind. Remember: a child’s list of requirements keeps growing as they get older.

By layering the room’s lighting, you can cater to the various needs of the space without overwhelming the design. Think of focused task lighting like lamps, soft ambient lighting for more relaxed activities, and brighter overhead lighting, which can all be incorporated to achieve such versatility.

An exemplary multifunctional child’s bedroom we worked on was in a St Julian’s property, which won Rebirth an International Property Award in London in 2023 for the best residential interior apartment in Malta. For this property, we created a room that seamlessly integrates sleep, study and leisure. The sleeping area transforms into a lounge, with a TV off to the side and flanked by open shelving that holds decorative items. Playful light fixtures in the form of spider lamps hang over the sleeping area and an inset strip light illuminates the wallpaper. We also achieved a sense of warmth through comforting textures, using a mixture of oak timber panelling, parquet flooring and lacquered doors.

Design for joy

As simple as it may first seem, designing a child’s bedroom presents unique challenges. Keep in mind that you’re planning for the needs of a changing person, so their bedroom will need to evolve along with their style and tastes. Yet, it is also an opportunity for creativity, personalisation and fun! Embrace the journey of crafting a space where some of your child’s most cherished memories will be made.

Looking to elevate your bedroom design? Contact Paul and Malcolm at Rebirth at https://rebirth-design.com/. Their next article will be out in August.