Preparing Your Child’s Bedroom for Autumn

The evenings are drawing to a close as autumn slowly makes her presence known. Walking down paths strewn with dried leaves in different shades of brown, or watching the squirrels scurry about as they gather nuts for the winter are just two of the many joys of autumn.

At this time of the year, we are reminded that the year is fast heading to a close and we start to review our accomplishments and shortcomings that have occurred so far, and plan towards an even better outcome. It also is a time to prepare our homes for winter.

If your home lacks spunk at anytime of the year (which really, it shouldn’t) it certainly requires a lot of attention in autumn. We start to spend more time indoors, and you want to come home to a welcoming home after a hard day’s work and possibly being beaten by the rain. Furthermore, the worst time for your home to need repairs is winter, so carry out an outside inspection to make sure gutters are clear, roof tiles are not loose and vents are unobstructed.

Indoors is where I really enjoy sprucing up and my focus this month is the children’s bedroom. Very often we spend all our time and effort on the common areas like the living room, hallways and kitchen. But how do you prepare a child’s bedroom for autumn?

Enclose with Canopies

If you never played ‘house’ with cardboard boxes as a child, quite simply you missed out. Children love hidden spaces, it stimulates their imagination and makes them feel snug and cozy. I have allowed my boys to recreate that feeling by permitting them to bring cardboard boxes up to their bedrooms. I quickly realised my mistake when they tried to slide down the stairs in them.

Canopies recreate that ambience of mystery and cosiness. They can be used for both boys and girls bedrooms, depending on the fabric and style. Some children’s bed canopies are themed and the theme runs through the same thread as the rest of the room, like the Sailboat bed in the picture. Alternatively you can have some made up, a simple drape or pair of curtains made in carefully chosen fabric will do the trick. They can hang off the posts of a four poster child’s bed or midsleeper, they can also drape from a crown or cornice which is attached to the wall.

Sailboat Canopy bed with play area underneath. www.thebabycotshop.com

Picasso Art Table www.gltc.co.uk

Time to Play Indoors

Shorter days mean your child gets to spend more hours indoors. Why not create comfortable play areas to make indoor activities even more fun? Table and chair sets in a play area will encourage craft, reading and drawing activities.

Make sure their room is well stocked with books, crafts and toys. One space saving method of storage is this cute idea from MK Kids Interiors;

Storage idea, MK Kids Interiors www.mkkidsinteriors.com

Birdcage Chandelier www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Brighten your Lighting

Dark evenings and mornings mean we need more artificial lighting. Swap boring pendant lights with a more playful one like the Birdcage from Graham and Green. How about a cute night light that casts a soft glow in their bedroom? It will wake them up gently, while allowing them to get dressed without the full effect of the main light. This is great if your child shares a room with a younger sibling who doesn’t need to be up so early.

Bring in the Colours of nature

The richness of autumnal colours cannot be taken in completely during the day. Bring those colours indoors by adding accessories in warm colours of brown, oranges and golds. Add decals to your walls that mimic the outdoors. Decals are very easy to fix and should be removable without leaving a residue.

Autumn Woodland Mural www.thebabycotshop.com

Throw a Blanket Over it

What is it about blankets that children get attached to them so easily? Now is the time to retrieve blankets that were put away, or upgrade to a fun, loveable bedspread that would quickly become your child’s closest buddy.