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biophilic design room-by-room: the children’s bedroom

in biophilic room-by-room

Every room in a home has its own specificities, that guide the design in the combination of function, aesthetics, and a deeper value.

Let’s explore how to apply biophilic design to children’s bedrooms…

not just rest

Clear enough, children’s bedrooms should – like any bedroom – be a space to sleep. But the bedroom is so much more for children: it’s their universe, the one space they have to themselves, a space to play, study, dream, and sleep.

From a design perspective, this means that kids’ bedrooms should be approached as multi-functional spaces, creating different conceptual areas. This visual separation also helps transition between different activities with the best state of mind: fun for playtime, concentration for homework, and relaxation for sleep.

Biophilic children's bedroom with trees wallpaper.
Credit: Nelly Voloshina

designing different areas

Fun, concentration, relaxation… the states of mind associated with different activities also suggest what the design should be like.

The bed area will be designed as a refuge to support winding down and good sleep. The study area may also embrace a sense of refuge, but in a way that helps focus and concentration rather than rest. Finally, the play area is where we can have fun, incorporating elements of apparent risk and playful features like climbing walls, hammock floors, and slides. After all, life is a game for children and so should be their space!

Children's bedroom with a wood slide.
Credit: original source unknown, please contact me if you’re the owner of this picture.
Children's bedroom a tent-like bed and rattan accessories.
Credit: Three Birds Renovations
Organic shaped reading nook.
Credit: Frederick Tang Architecture

closer to nature

Designing a biophilic kids’ bedroom also opens another challenge: using the space as a way to bring children closer to nature. This can be done is a number of different ways that include nature-inspired shapes and patterns, tactile natural materials, immersive wallpapers, and more. What’s out of the window is also something we can work on, valuing an existing natural view or creating one. Something like a window seat or a hanging chair by the window would then invite to spend time close to that view, admiring visual and non-visual clues of outdoor life.

Children's bedroom in the tones of green and light wood.
Credit: Benni Amadi Interiors
Children's bedroom with immersive tropical wallpaper.
Credit: Leyla Kamalova
Reading nook in a built-in storage unit that also incorporates an aquarium.
Credit: Mesh Design + Projects
Textile swing in front of a window.
Credit: Waleria Samsonik

Last but not least, how can we invite children to spend more time outdoors? Despite going beyond bedroom design, this is an essential aspect. We have become an indoor generation, and that’s something we should try and fix for our own physical and mental health. For children, this might look like organizing entertaining and adventurous activities outdoors, spending time in nature as a family or – why not – even designing an outdoor play space!

Designing a biophilic space is not a one-fits-all approach. Depending on the space at hand the challenge is slightly different, yet with a common aim: bringing people closer to the natural world.

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