Designing Children's Sleep Spaces - A Q&A with an Interior Designer
INTERVIEWED BY HAMI LAWTON - VISUALISATIONS BY ABBEY SOMES
We sat down with our resident interior designer, Abbey, to talk about her design process for a quiet shared bedroom for two young boys, and her tips for creating restful sleep spaces for children.
Q: How do you begin the design process when designing spaces for children?
A: At The Design of Grounding we always begin the design process by talking to the clients to understand the project brief and begin to learn about their sensitivities and sensory needs. After this initial conversation, we give them a questionnaire to fill out in their own time and space, asking them about the personality and individual sensitivities of each member of the household. Together these things help us develop a deeper understanding of what both the children and parents need to feel supported in these spaces. We refer to this throughout the design process to ensure that the finished design best supports everyone’s individual needs, sensitivities and rituals.
A comfortable chair sits between the two beds for the parents' bedtime reading rituals with the children.
Q: For this particular project, were there any spatial sensitivities or sensory needs that needed to be considered?
A: Some of the sensitivities that the clients flagged with us were: bright colours, visual clutter, uncomfortable textures, unpleasant smells, limiting space and a lack of ordered storage. For the adults in particular, mess was an environmental sensitivity that needed to be considered. This can be a common sensitivity for parents, as visual clutter and feeling a lack of control over one’s environment can easily cause stress and overwhelm. For children alike, clutter can be distracting, overstimulating and make it difficult for them to calm down.
Q: How did these sensory needs influence the design?
A: We provided plenty of closed storage so that mess could easily be tucked away, out of sight and out of mind. We ensured that circulation around the space had an easy flow and that various activities could be accommodated in way that made efficient use of the space available. A designated study nook carved out of the old built-in robe keeps study activities contained, and will become a quiet respite as the kids get older and begin to do more independent study. The window nook, boxed in by robes, can be a place to read, observe the outdoors or create cozy forts and cubbies. We responded to the children’s aversion to bold, bright colours by favouring soft, earthy materiality and a limited palette. We’ve selected a beautiful Bauwerk natural limewash paint for the walls, which envelops the room in subtle texture and natural colour. It's also non-toxic and low odour, which will mitigate any unpleasant smells in the room after it’s been painted.
Cozy nooks provide space for quiet activities.
"The optimal sleep environment should feel like a cave by night – dark, cool and quiet."
Q: How did the design of this rest environment respond to the children’s bedtime routine?
A: We know that children can have quite specific bedtime routines, and that this sense of routine and ritual can help children feel calm due to a sense of predictability and structure. For these clients we made sure to accommodate the parent’s current pre-sleep routine with the two boys. They will often sit between them and read to them before they go to sleep, so it was important that we planned for a comfortable chair between the two beds.
Q: What types of interior environments are best to help encourage children into restful states and help induce deep rest and sleep?
A: Low stimulation, low sensory interior environments are best to encourage both calm activities and deep rest for adults and children alike. The optimal sleep environment should feel like a cave environment by night – dark, cool and quiet. It should also feel safe and cocooning – think about soft textures through bedding and soft furnishings. Choose bedding and sleepwear made of soft natural fibres (such as cotton, linen or wool) as these can help regulate their temperature for a more comfortable night’s sleep.
Q: What different modes of rest does this space support and why are these important for children?
A: This space was designed to support winding-down rituals as well as deep rest (sleep). It’s important for children to have the space to do calm activities before bed – any hyper-stimulating activities will make them more restless and resistant to sleep. We incorporated a window seat that the boys can use for reading and quiet activities. We intentionally left open play space out of the bedroom (which we instead accommodated in the playroom) to discourage any over-active or lively play that might interfere with sleep.
To support deep rest, we’ve chosen block-out blinds for the windows to limit light exposure during the night and early morning, as this can be disruptive to their sleep cycle. Wall sconces beside the beds will create a dim, warm light environment before bed. The use of soft colours and low contrast patterns will also help to create a visual environment that will ensure that their nervous systems are in a calm and restful state before they fall asleep. Regular, good quality sleep is incredibly important to children’s health, mood and development. Paying attention to their sleep environments and making positive changes can make all the difference in whether they get a good night’s sleep.
1. A visually quiet palette of earthy materials creates a restful atmosphere. 2. The bedroom in plan.
Q: What are your top 3 interior design recommendations to help other people when creating rest spaces for children?
1. Consider light:
-Use block-out blinds or shutters on the windows to create a dark sleep environment. Light exposure during sleeping hours can interfere with melatonin production.
-Incorporate lighting that is dim in intensity (or is dimmable) and warm in colour temperature, and use them in the hours before bedtime. Warm lighting will help children fall asleep quicker and will help regulate their circadian rhythm.
2. Consider noise:
-Use soft furnishings, noise-blocking window furnishings and carpets to dampen sound.
-If noise is unavoidable, consider using a fan or white noise machine to mask sounds.
3. Consider distractions and pre-sleep activities:
-Where possible, try to keep schoolwork, screens and play out of the child’s bedroom, as these distractions can make it hard for them to switch off at night. Otherwise, incorporate storage solutions where these things can be easily packed or shut away to return the bedroom to a restful baseline before sleep.
-Make space for quiet wind-down activities that your child enjoys, such as reading or drawing.
-Consider how you can arrange your child’s bedroom to support their individual sleep rituals.