Features of children's cabinet furniture, tips for choosing

Arranging a children's room requires a special, rational, individual approach. The diversified development of personality is influenced by many factors; the room in which the baby spends all his free time deserves special attention. That is why furniture for a children's room should be beautiful, comfortable, environmentally friendly and absolutely safe.

Basic rules on how to choose furniture for a children's room

Size of the room and age of the child.

The child will be uncomfortable in the room if you make a mistake with the dimensions of the items you like for the nursery. That is, your task is to find a middle ground so that the furniture performs all the necessary functions, and at the same time there is enough space in the room. Therefore, before heading to the store, measure everything and think over the layout of the items. Once this work is done, you can choose.

Another important factor that is also worth remembering is age. So, for a baby you will need a crib with a crib, a changing table and a compact closet for toys, while an older child needs a full-fledged bed, a place for creativity, and additional storage areas. The most interesting thing is to create a room for a child of preschool and primary school age - here you can give free rein to your imagination, choose not ordinary things, but create fabulous objects: chests for toys and books, sails from curtains, add characters from your favorite fairy tales.

As soon as the child becomes a first-grader, it is necessary to re-equip the nursery again: he will need a comfortable table for writing and working at the computer, a lot of shelves, bedside tables and cabinets to place toys, textbooks, school supplies, uniforms and other attributes of study. It is also worth thinking about the fact that classmates may come to visit the child at any time, so additional seating is needed, for example, you should choose a sofa or armchairs with poufs.

With a teenager’s room, everything is simpler: it should correspond to the wishes of the owner and rather resemble an ordinary room for adults. That is, it should contain a bed, a computer desk, a wardrobe, shelves, and all this should be slightly diluted with decorative elements. Fairy-tale characters, of course, by this moment leave the walls, the colors become more restrained.

Furniture safety requirements.

The child spends a lot of time in his room, so special requirements are placed on the objects in it. It is necessary to take into account that children are active; at a young age they are interested in everything that surrounds them. Therefore, you need to be as careful as possible when choosing materials for the nursery. And the main criterion in this case for you should be hypoallergenicity.

It is thanks to this property that you will not have to worry about the health of your child, because you will be guaranteed that only environmentally friendly materials without dangerous impurities and paints were used in the production of furniture.

Of course, you should immediately abandon objects with sharp corners if we are talking about how to choose furniture for a nursery. A child can injure himself on corners at any time while exploring the world or simply playing actively. Breakable materials such as glass are no less dangerous. In general, furniture should be so durable that it can withstand any experiments of its owner.

Wood has proven itself to be the best material for children's furniture: it is strong, hypoallergenic, and durable. We advise you to choose models treated with varnish or other protective compounds - this way they are protected from deformation. If you choose items made of plastic or chipboard for a nursery, we advise you to check whether the plastic furniture has a quality certificate or make sure that the item made of chipboard has the lowest formaldehyde emission rate.

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Correct color.

The development of a child at an early age depends on many factors, including the influence of surrounding colors. The palette used in the nursery affects the subconscious, since it is in this room that the baby spends a significant part of his time. That is why it is so important to choose the right colors for children's furniture and the room as a whole. Here it is also worth remembering the age of the child, since recommendations applicable for preschool children are completely unsuitable for teenagers.

Everything is simple with a schoolchild: you just need to ask him about color preferences, after which you can choose the appropriate option together. It’s another matter when the child is not yet able to answer such a question, and parents are based on their taste and may make a mistake. To prevent this from happening, child psychologists advise that when choosing a color, consider the child’s temperament, because it is easy to notice even in the first years of life. As a result, you will create a harmonious interior in which the small owner of the room will feel comfortable.

• Melancholic people feel better surrounded by brown, gray, and yellow shades. A neutral background should be varied with bright color accents. For example, you can choose items in calm, light colors and add unusual accessories and textiles to them.

  

• Phlegmatic people will be close to shades of red and orange. But don’t get carried away and completely paint the room in these colors - let only some details be like that.
• Various variations of purple will suit a sanguine person.
• For a choleric person, you should choose shades of blue, green and blue.

  

Although you can experiment with bright, rich colors in a nursery, creating the feeling of a fairy tale, it is important not to overdo it. Otherwise, you will get chaos, which will only put pressure on the child’s psyche.

To make your task easier, you can rely on the theory of the influence of different colors on the psyche. Let’s say that red promotes activity and fatigue, dark blue can depress, green enhances concentration, lifts your spirits, and gives calm. Bright colors, such as yellow and orange, are best paired with more neutral ones.

Many people first take into account the gender of the child when thinking about what color to choose children's furniture. Traditionally, pink, peach, yellow, and orange are used for girls' rooms, while green, blue, and purple are chosen for boys. When a room is intended for two children of different sexes, it is worth choosing similar furniture, but in different colors - this way you will divide the space into two parts.

Whatever colors you like, be prepared to completely renovate the nursery in a few years, because over time, not only the size and needs of the child change, but also his preferences.

Ergonomics of furniture.

Let's look at each item separately. How to choose children's furniture and a computer desk in particular? It is important that the table is suitable for the child’s height - its height should be at the level of the elbows, so it will be most convenient to study. It is better to choose a traditional rectangular table and complement it with a bright, but at the same time comfortable office chair. This will help your child develop good posture, plus he will enjoy sitting at his desk.

If we are talking about a bunk bed or just a high bed, it should have restrictive sides for greater safety of the child. It is best to choose an orthopedic mattress with a hypoallergenic filling, which should be supplemented with a removable cover. It doesn’t matter whether you buy a bed or a chair-bed, this piece of furniture should be optimally sized for the child - only then will he be able to rest comfortably.

A wardrobe for a nursery is also purchased based on the height of its future owner. After all, it’s always convenient if there are no inaccessible places in the closet. If you decide to choose a tall wardrobe that will serve your child well into adolescence, make sure that the top doors close tightly.

Shelves are an item that is always subject to the most severe stress. This means that it is worthwhile to provide a high margin of safety and refuse to hang them above the bed.

A nightstand is more likely an additional accessory, but any child likes to put his toys, personal belongings and nice little things there himself. If necessary, you can put a night light on top.

As your child grows, you will have to change the furniture in the nursery many times. Or you can avoid this by choosing models that grow with their owner. Typically, such kits are offered by manufacturers from Europe. Thus, you can change the height of the table, the inclination of the tabletop, the height of the chair, the inclination of the backrest, the size of the bed and a number of other objects.

This approach is convenient and practical, because it allows you to forget about the need to change furniture. However, it is worth understanding that such items are much more expensive, that is, the costs are justified only if one model manages to replace two or three ordinary ones at once.

No. 4. Children's furniture material

Furniture in a children's room should be attractive in appearance. But at the same time, it is strong, reliable, can sometimes withstand increased loads, be functional, safe and environmentally friendly. Not the most modest list of requirements greatly narrows the choice. Thus, wooden furniture is the most environmentally friendly, it is durable and beautiful, but its disadvantages include cost. If you need to save money, you can choose a set made of pine, but this wood is a material that can easily be damaged, so the games of an active child will inevitably lead to the rapid appearance of cracks and scratches. Deciduous trees are more resistant to mechanical damage, so they are ideal for a children's room. No matter how natural the wood is, it is still important what materials were used to finish it: preference is given to water-based varnishes.

But not everyone can afford to buy such expensive furniture, so the modern market captivates us with a wide selection of chipboard furniture . Most of these products are not only of poor quality and will break, delaminate, etc. during active use, but will also constantly release toxic substances. But there are also responsible manufacturers who offer high-quality furniture made from chipboard: if there are no other options, then be sure to check all quality certificates . Remember that for residential premises, and especially children's rooms, you can use furniture of at least class E1: here the emission of formaldehyde is minimal, and the amount released is not capable of harming health. Also pay attention to all ends and edges, they must be well sealed and not cause injury.

Somewhere between chipboard and natural wood is MDF furniture . This is an environmentally friendly, durable material that will definitely not harm your health. It is covered with decorative panels or films on top to make caring for the furniture as simple as possible. Buying a more expensive set, although it hits the wallet, but, on the other hand, high-quality furniture will not fail so quickly, and when it becomes unnecessary, it can be easily sold, because its presentation will be preserved.

In addition to the main part of the furniture made from the listed materials, you can also purchase several plastic items. These are cute chairs or tables that sometimes captivate with their design. At the same time, they are lightweight and can be carried independently, but it is important that only the most expensive non-toxic plastic is used, and similar products are available in the range of well-known European brands.

Another good material is wicker furniture , especially from natural materials: rattan, wicker, bamboo. It is light, beautiful, environmentally friendly, comfortable, and can complement the interior of a children's room.

As for upholstered furniture , it is better to choose natural upholstery for armchairs and sofas: it is less resistant to abrasion than synthetic counterparts, but it is easy to replace after some time. But natural fabric has such advantages as the ability to breathe, it is more pleasant to the body, reduces sweating, etc. The most commonly used upholstery is chenille, jacquard and cotton.

We also pay attention to the mattress : it is better if it is orthopedic, which will allow it to become a good support during sleep, not sag or press through, and contribute to the formation of correct posture. Cotton wool filling is not very suitable, as it rolls into clumps, and foam rubber is a synthetic material.

In any case, furniture should be easy to clean and not cause allergies, but parents already remember about sharp corners. But if their presence cannot be avoided, then you can purchase special pads that will soften the collision and allow you to avoid scratches and bruises.

What children's furniture to choose: its varieties and selection nuances

The main properties of children's interiors are colorfulness, mobility, and the ability to change to meet the needs of the room's occupant. Every child has his own characteristics, habits, and hobbies, but there are criteria common to all, which are the answer to the question of how to choose furniture for a nursery. The required elements of this room are:

• comfortable sleeping place;
• corner for creativity;
• spacious area for active games.

Growing up, a teenager spends more time on lessons, gradually he develops new interests, which means that the environment should change with him. Therefore, we advise you to consider the following furniture options.

Modular.

How to choose children's furniture according to the size of the room? Unfortunately, it is not always possible to integrate ready-made headsets into a small room, so convenient modular systems become the best solution. They are compact and include items of various shapes, purposes, and sizes. In addition, you can always choose a set that matches your chosen style, the layout of the room and the needs of its occupant.

The set can consist of almost any piece of cabinet furniture. If required, you can change this set by removing or adding elements.

Thanks to practicality, functionality and pleasant appearance, modular sets make it possible to create unique interiors. As a result, you will competently arrange the space, create comfortable areas for relaxation and activities.

Corpus.

We are talking about closed structures with a reliable back and stable side walls, bottom and top. Since children's furniture should be suitable for the child's age, all items have expanded functionality and the ability to be adjusted. Today you can find everything you need: a small pencil case or a spacious wardrobe, a bed, a bedside table or a spacious chest of drawers.

Ready-made headsets, made in the same style, form a monolithic multifunctional structure. However, when choosing a certain style for the interior, remember not only your own wishes, but also the child’s tastes and the possibilities of the room.

Gaming.

It is this type of furniture that can turn an ordinary room into a truly child’s one - attractive fairy-tale sets will definitely appeal to any child.

Here are a few themes in which play furniture for a nursery can be made:

• toy store with counters and cash register;
• hairdresser with cabinets, shelves for combs, a large dressing table;
• children's hospital complex;
• puppet theater - it will be interesting to both children and parents;
• vehicles: for boys there are cars, ships, planes, buses, and for girls you can choose a luxurious pink limousine or a fairy-tale carriage.

For active boys it is worth providing a small sports corner. It includes a slide, a horizontal bar, a swing, or you can install (reliably fasten) a wall with hanging rings.

Soft.

With the help of such furniture, coziness and comfort are created. If your child has a small children's room, it is best to choose a functional sofa.

As with other interior items, it is better to choose upholstered furniture made from environmentally friendly materials. The frame of the children's sofa is made from natural solid wood. The filler is hypoallergenic sheep wool, swan down or horse hair. Most often, parents give preference to universal models that can be converted into a comfortable sleeping place at night, and used for games and receiving guests during the day.

Thematic models.

Items for a children's room differ from ordinary furniture in that they have a number of stylistic and functional features. Thus, comfortable chairs are used not for passive, but for active recreation and entertainment. In general, furniture plays the role of a big toy, even if fairy-tale characters are not depicted on its facades.

Original chairs can be of the following shapes:

• Rocking chair. It is a convenient folding chaise lounge, which makes it possible to accurately fix a comfortable position.
• Classic option. This is a smaller copy of chairs for adults; this model is suitable for teenagers and primary schoolchildren.

  

• Furniture-toy. We are talking about soft frameless structures with a wide selection of shapes and colors. You can choose for a child's chair in the shape of cars, animals or fictional characters.
• Inflatable chair. It is distinguished by increased mobility and efficiency, because it can be easily moved from place to place.

Children's furniture differs from adult furniture in its size, safety, and attractive appearance. The interior of a child’s room should combine maximum comfort and originality.

Tips for choosing sets for two children

When two children in a family share one room, the question arises of purchasing small-sized children's furniture. In this case, designers advise parents to pay attention to transforming structures.

Children's furniture in Provence style, interesting interior ideas

If we talk about sleeping space for children, a compact children's bed with a pull-out mechanism would be an excellent option. The lower tier extends only during sleep and rest, which significantly saves space. Each seating area is equipped with an orthopedic mattress; this is an undeniable advantage of this model. There are beds with a roll-out mechanism designed for three children; this is the best option for large families.

For creativity and development, a folding set of children's furniture table + chair has become popular; it can be used from one year to 7 years. Such furniture takes up virtually no space, is stored folded and appears in the room only during classes.

A set of folding children's furniture is indispensable for saving space in modern life.

Another type of transformable set is a growing table with a chair. The height is adjusted by extending the legs, back and seat as the child grows. Thanks to this design, the workplace can be used by children of different ages; there is no need to purchase a separate table for each.

A competent choice of a set of children's furniture will allow you to create a cozy, functional room. Safety, quality and beauty are three main criteria that should not be forgotten when filling a room with interior items.

How to choose furniture for a girl's room

The choice of furniture for a nursery depends on the age of the child. So, in infancy, a girl has no need for unnecessary accessories, that is, the room should only contain things that help parents care for their daughter. In general, the following stages of child development are distinguished:

• Infancy. Usually parents equip the nursery with a small crib, but we advise you to choose a transforming crib. Then you can easily turn it into a compact table, which your daughter will later use for creative activities.
• Period 4–7 years. By this age, girls acquire a large wardrobe that needs to be stored somewhere. It is best to choose a low chest of drawers for clothes and linen for a child’s room, as well as a wardrobe for outerwear and shoes. Both items can continue to serve the child.

  

• Period 8–12 years. This is the time when children develop hobbies and preferences are formed. In a girl's nursery there should be a cozy sleeping place, possibly combined with lockers. To create additional comfort, the bed can be equipped with special curtains. For a desk with a computer, it is better to choose a place near the window, so it will receive more natural light.
• Teenage years. This is the age when new acquaintances appear and girls begin to actively communicate with peers. The daughter may already give up the computer and choose a tablet instead, then the large writing desk can also be abandoned in favor of a smaller one. And, of course, a small table with a mirror for personal care becomes a must-have item in any teenage girl’s room.

If you need to choose a nursery design for your daughter, let her use her imagination, because today manufacturers of wooden furniture offer a wide variety of high-quality products for every taste.

Modular furniture - convenient and practical

Children's rooms are often compact in size or have an awkward layout. For the proper organization of space in them, there is no better option than sets of furniture from individual items that differ in shape and purpose: slide beds with a desk, wardrobes with a sleeping place, etc.

Advantages:

• functionality;
• compactness;
• versatility;
• models can be rearranged without losing the overall style of the room.

How to choose furniture for a boy's room

As when choosing an interior for a girl, the furniture in a boy’s room should be appropriate for his age. For kids, bright colors with interesting pictures are suitable, while a teenager cannot do without restraint and modern trends.

Preschooler.

It is extremely rare for infants to have nurseries, because they are constantly close to their parents. Usually the youngest family member gets his own room by the age of three, not earlier. It is logical that the design of a boy’s room differs from the design of a girl’s bedroom. Avoid excessive decor in your son’s nursery; it is better to choose light colors to add a feeling of comfort, use a large number of textile elements.

The boy will definitely need:

• comfortable bed;
• a small table with a chair for creative activities;
• a sports corner suitable for his age;
• a place to store toys so that a child from an early age learns to put his things in place;
• a wardrobe with convenient shelves and doors;
• chest of drawers for linen and bedding (at the request of the parents).

Schoolboy.

School age should be divided into two periods: 7–10 and 10–12 years.

Avoid bulky closets for things - boys at this age are not inclined to keep them in order. It’s better to put up a wall bars so that your son can develop, or just leave some free space, he’ll find a use for it himself.

Modular groups would be an excellent solution, because with their help the owner of the nursery will be able to choose the items he really needs.

Teenager.

How to choose furniture for a children's room for a teenage boy? It is not so easy to please your son at this age - he will definitely reject any of your ideas. As a parent, you will have to be wise and compromise, but there are a number of factors to consider when choosing a design:

• layout, location of window and door openings;
• the degree of illumination of the room during the day;
• hobbies of the owner of the room;
• your financial capabilities.

Of course, teddy bears on the wallpaper and a typewriter bed won’t do. A teenager may like a brutal brick wall in a loft style or photo wallpaper with mystical characters, space wars or city landscapes. It is important for him to choose the design of his room himself. Be mentally prepared for the fact that your child may generally give preference to dark colors. Try inviting him to dilute the gloomy interior with bright textiles, install a creative floor lamp, and hang shelves for collectibles.

Basic requirements for child furniture

Comfortable bunk bed

When choosing furniture for children's rooms, first of all, you should focus on the age of the child. It must match his height so that the child feels comfortable.

Furniture set for children's room "kari"

Due to the rapid growth of the child, the environment in the children's room periodically undergoes changes - the color scheme changes (see Color of the children's room: an important component of design), new functional areas appear.

Furniture set for a children's room

For example, the play area, which is relevant for preschool children and occupies most of the free space, decreases over time due to the need to organize a workplace for the schoolchild.

Natural wood furniture

And if re-pasting wallpaper is not a big deal (see Wallpaper for a children's room: interesting design for little money), then changing furniture can take a significant hit on your wallet. Therefore, its choice should be approached very carefully, giving preference to those models that have functionality and the ability to adjust its dimensions in accordance with the child’s anatomy.

Life-size furniture for schoolchildren

There are a number of requirements that apply to children's furniture:

1. Compliance with the height of the child is the main criterion that should be taken into account when choosing furniture. This point is important not only from an ergonomic point of view, but is also associated with psychological comfort.

• Tables and chairs should be chosen so that the child can use them without difficulty or outside help and rearrange them if necessary.
• Shelves with books and toys must be securely fixed and within the reach of the child.
• For preschool children, furniture is relevant that allows you to adjust the height and other dimensions as the baby grows;

1. An equally important criterion when choosing children's furniture is the material from which it is made. It must be environmentally friendly and safe.

• In the first place, of course, is natural wood - everyone already knows about its advantages (see Choosing solid wood furniture for a children's room).
• It is also worth paying attention to furniture made of laminated chipboard. Its surface is environmentally friendly, easy to wet clean, resistant to mechanical stress and has a decorative appearance.
• Upholstered furniture for a children's room is selected taking into account the fact that static electricity and dust should not accumulate on the surface of the upholstery, it must be vapor permeable and moisture resistant;

1. One of the most important requirements for children's furniture is the safety of its operation.

• It should be stable, not heavy, but not too light to prevent it from tipping over.
• The edges of the furniture should be rounded with plastic or rubber pads.
• The mechanism of folding furniture must be securely fixed and have limiters that do not allow the child to use it independently in order to prevent pinching of fingers;

1. For each functional area in the child's room, furniture should be selected in accordance with its purpose.

Placing furniture and children's things

A shelving unit separates the recreation area from the play
area. How to arrange furniture in a children's room and choose the right cabinets with shelves? Small children have not yet grown up to the middle shelves, and they remain out of reach for them.

Teenagers prefer not to break their backs getting clothes and where to put the bed:

• It has been scientifically established that children grow actively in their sleep and close attention is paid to the location of the children's bed.

1. The head of the bed is directed towards a wall without windows or doors.
2. The bed is not moved close to the wall and is not placed opposite the doors.
3. There are no shelves or cabinets hanging above the bed to prevent the movement of positive energy and proper rest.
4. For children under 12 years of age, the instructions do not recommend installing bunk beds. The energy of a sleeping child below is suppressed, and above it is dissipated. Families with two children do not have much choice, and the housing issue will not be resolved for a long time. There is a way out of this dead end, and a two-tier structure solves the problem. Exclusive models according to given dimensions are installed in large and not very large rooms, but the only condition is the ceiling height, which should not be less than 3 meters.

• The Northeast belongs to the knowledge sector, and the training zone should be located here. A beautiful shelf with books, a color map, and a globe arouses interest in the educational process.
• Why do you need a play area in a children's room ? Knowledge of the surrounding world, lessons of interaction with peers are practiced during games. This space can be located near a window or door.

How to choose furniture for a children's room for two children

Let us repeat that when choosing furniture for a nursery, it is important to take into account the age of the children, and the advice of experienced designers can also simplify your task:

• If the age difference between children is small, it is better to buy two beds, a chest of drawers and a changing table (if the latter is needed).
• You should not clutter the room with unnecessary objects - this will not allow you to use the room to its fullest.
• The room should be bright and spacious enough.

  

• If the age difference is large, the older one needs to be allocated a separate space, that is, the nursery will have to be divided into two separate zones. In this case, special modular furniture or partitions will help you.
• For children of different sexes and teenagers of the same sex, be sure to buy furniture intended for use by two children.

In addition to age and gender, it is necessary to take into account what colors children like, but give up the idea of ​​​​choosing too bright, saturated colors for the nursery, because it is uncomfortable to constantly live in their surroundings.

Furniture for a small room

The lack of space in a nursery can be overcome in different ways. The correct layout will allow you to organize functional areas and make your place of residence cozy and comfortable.

Required items:

• bed;
• closet;
• table;
• chair.

The best option is to purchase modular children's furniture made of wood, MDF, chipboard. This set is easy to rearrange. Such models can accommodate all the necessary things, items for study, leaving free space for games.

Also for a small room there are options for installing beds with deep drawers at the bottom. They fit bed and clothes. To save space, you can purchase folding tables and chairs.