A children’s room that grows up

When their daughter was born, Ruth and Daniel painted the nursery a soft yellow and filled it with things for babies. Six years later, it needed to work for a girl who reads, builds, draws and has opinions. They redesigned it so it could grow with her until she is a teenager.

Start with the furniture that lasts

The expensive pieces in a child's room should be the ones that change least: a good bed frame, a strong chest of drawers and shelves. Ruth and Daniel chose a simple oak bed that can be raised later, with space underneath for a desk. The drawers are plain white, and will look as right at fifteen as they do at six.

Keep the colour in things that change

Instead of a bright wall colour, they painted the walls a warm, light grey and put the colour into things that are easy to replace: bedding, a rug, posters, a lamp. When their daughter wanted pink at four and blue at six, it cost them a duvet cover, not a weekend of painting.

• #E6E1D8 Mist — walls and ceiling
• #E8B4A0 Peach — bedding, this year
• #6B8FA3 Lake — the rug and a reading chair
• #F2D27A Sunshine — the lamp and one shelf

Storage children can reach

Children tidy up only if they can reach where things go. Low, open boxes on the floor hold toys. Books face outwards on narrow shelves, so she can see the covers and choose. Clothes she wears every day hang on low hooks.

If a child cannot put it away without help, it will not be put away.

Ruth

Room to grow

The plan has three stages. Now, the floor is for play. At around nine, the bed goes up and a desk goes underneath. At thirteen or so, the toy boxes go, the walls can be repainted in whatever colour she chooses, and the room becomes hers to design.

The budget