HOME SHOWCASE - HOME & GARDEN DESIGN
For millions of children, being sent to their room is no longer a punishment. That’s because, according to the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, kids are being encouraged to furnish and decorate their bedrooms in ways that express their own style and personality.

"TV shows and teen magazines are among the resources inspiring kids to visualize and explore their personal spaces," said AFMA Vice President Jackie Hirschhaut. "Furniture manufacturers are introducing a wide range of product styles – from whimsical to sophisticated and everything in between – to help kids make those visions reality."

Interestingly, according to a recent AFMA parents’ poll, more than half of the furniture bought for children in the last year was purchased with no input from the kids at all. Fifty-two percent of parents described their child’s role as "passive," while only 13 percent said kids played an "active" role picking out the furniture and making a final decision.

Twenty-two percent of parents said their children were "helpful," assisting with research and having limited decision-making power.
"We expect to see changes in the future, with children playing a more important part in decorating their space," said Hirschhaut. "With a little forethought, there’s no reason the furnishings your child helps select for his or her dream room today can’t transfer to a guest room, home office or hobby room later on. It can be a win-win."

The key purchasers of youth furnishings are mostly married parents (71%) who own their own homes (70%). The most common age groups buying children’s furniture are 18- to 34-year-olds (47%) and 35- to 44-year-olds (29%). Baby-boomer parents age 45 and older, together with grandparents and other older adults, represent 23% of the children’s furniture purchasers.

The AFMA survey reveals that about one-quarter of the parents who bought children’s furniture last year furnished an entire bedroom using matched pieces from a single collection. However, the majority of parents report that their kids’ rooms are works in progress. These parents purchased one or two pieces to add to the existing furniture in their child’s room.

"There is no wrong way to decorate a child’s room, just as there is no wrong way to furnish the rest of your home," said Hirschhaut. "The key is to consider your child’s needs, your needs and your budget." According to AFMA, parents’ top priorities should always be a high quality sleep experience, meeting storage requirements and providing adequate study space.

From video games and DVDs to toys and school supplies, all the trappings of youth make clutter control the number one challenge when furnishing kids’ rooms. While chests of drawers and nightstands are the most frequently selected storage solutions (59% and 36%), bookshelves (30%), desks (27%) and entertainment centers (11%) follow closely behind.

"Parents should take pleasure in creating organized rooms where their children can feel comfortable and be themselves," said Hirschhaut. "They will feel empowered being able to do schoolwork, relax and entertain friends in their own personal environment."

When space is limited, loft beds, compact armoires and under bed drawers offer the most function while using the smallest square footage. But parents are also urged to look beyond bedroom walls for additional storage opportunities. Today’s youth furniture collections contain a host of smartly-scaled pieces that are ideal for unfurnished nooks and crannies throughout your home – some in very practical places like the foyer, laundry room, hallway or kitchen corner where kids deposit coats, shoes, backpacks and toys.

"Corner desks, storage benches, partitioned bookcases and slender trolleys with catch-all drawers are just a few of the sensible accessory furnishings you’ll find in current youth furniture collections," Hirschhaut remarked. "They’re sensible because they will not only store your kids’ cargo today, they can meet a host of other storage needs later on."

And, while furnishing your child’s room, don’t be surprised if you also find an ideal solution to some other decorating challenges. "Today’s youth furnishings are stylish enough for any room in the house and are designed for maximum versatility," Hirschhaut added.

Shopping for furniture with your children should be a rewarding experience. According to AFMA, that is because the choices you make will become valued, memorable parts of both your home and family life. Here are some steps to take to help guide the excursion:

1. Plan ahead and let your children help in the process. Shoppers most often research product styles and prices at furniture stores (61%), in newspapers or magazines (32%), in catalogs (27%) or on the Internet (24%). One excellent resource is AFMA’s exclusive web site, www.findyourfurniture.com. The site’s "Furniture Finder" allows a consumer to search products from hundreds of manufacturers and to locate stores closest to home.

2. Choose color. Color plays an important role in how we feel about our surroundings. Peruse magazines or stop at a local paint counter to decide what colors appeal to your kids. Remember that your child’s favorite color today may not be his or her favorite color tomorrow, so reserve the brightest hues for accessories. Flexible furniture options like headboards with fabric inserts or decorative drawer pulls also help infuse favorite colors or themes into your decorating scheme.

3. Explore your needs. Decide which pieces are priorities for now and which can be added later as your child grows up. Measure the space and sketch the room, including the location of doors and windows. Take this with you when you shop.

4. Work with a retailer. An informed sales associate can help you identify the collections that best fit your needs.

"The most important thing to remember is to have fun, and that is bound to happen when you allow your child to become an important part of the process in creating a room that reflects his or her unique personality," Hirschhaut added.