How To Design A Kids Study Room Like A Pro

Crafting a mood board for a kids room study space is an essential first step in the design process. A mood board allows you to visually capture the desired style and necessary elements for the room. Your mood board will be your roadmap along the design process to help keep you on track with your goals.

For a kids study room, you might consider incorporating themes that are personal to them. What are their hobbies and interests? Does they like adventure, space and technology, dance, or a sport that will make them feel like the area is tailored to them? Making a space specifically designed for them will make your child feel special and want to spend time there.

Begin by gathering a selection of kids room ideas, color swatches, furniture ideas, wall decor, and decor ideas that align with their theme and needed functionality. Pinterest is a great place to gather and get inspiration. Need a little help getting started? Check out my Pinterest Board for Kid’s Study Room Ideas.

Start by making a Pinterest board for your room. Search for “kids study space ideas,” “girls room ideas,” “boys room ideas,” or “kids rooms” and tons of cute and inspiring spaces will be at your fingertips. Simply “pin” the ideas you like to your board and a style, color palette, and direction will begin to take shape.

Want to take it a step further? Hop on Canva and create your own mood board from your Pinterest selections. Canva makes designing your own mood boards super easy with stylish templates to choose from. You can quickly add your own inspiration photos, furniture pieces, and color palettes for a cute, no-brainer custom design.

Here are an example mood board I put together in Canva.

Measuring your room is a crucial step that lays the foundation for a successful and functional space. Accurate measurements enable you to make informed decisions about furniture, placement, and the flow of the room.

By understanding the dimensions of the space, you can ensure that your furniture fits appropriately, allows for comfortable movement through the space, and maximize the functionality of small spaces.

Measuring also prevents potential issues like overcrowding or wasted space. Would you like to incorporate a reading nook, bunk beds, a play space, or bean bag chairs? If you’re working within a kids bedroom, those cute items can take up valuable real estate if not thoughtfully planned first.

Whether it’s selecting the right-sized desk, or planning around a bed, these measurements will guide your choices and contribute to an efficient and comfortable study room.

Step 1: Make a quick sketch of the outline of your floor space, including line breaks for windows and doors.

Step 2: Measure the length and width of your floor space. Mark each measurement on the floor plan.

Step 3: Measure the height and width of your doors. Don’t forget to add any entryways, hallways, or staircases that you might have to maneuver furniture through.

Step 4: Measure the height and width of your walls. Write these measurements on your floor plan.

Pro tip: Note any outlets and their placements on the walls. This will help you determine where your best access to power is, and where to place the desk.

Step 5: Measure any windows. Measure from the corner of each wall to either side of the window. Then measure from the floor to the bottom of the window, and the top of the window to the ceiling or the bottom of the crown molding.

Step 6: Measure built-in cabinets and existing furniture. If you have cabinetry, a built-in window seat, bunk beds or existing furniture in your space, be sure to measure and incorporate these items into your floor plan so you don’t overcrowd the space.

Anchor pieces are the main pieces of furniture that you’ll need in your space. When designing a kid or teen study room you’ll begin by selecting key pieces like a desk, desk chair, any freestanding bookcases or shelving, and maybe a rug to help define the area.

Now that you have your measurements, you can make informed selections that will appropriately fit your space.

The key to any space is not only aesthetics, but functionality. Especially for kids spaces, the room needs to work for them. Designers accomplish this by first assessing goals and needs.

For a successful study room, the goal is to create a quiet, distraction-free environment where they can feel comfortable and productive in. So how do you determine the needs of the space? Here are some helpful questions to ask while you are selecting furniture and accessories.

Height matters when selecting a desk and chair. Think about how tall your child is. If they are younger, they’ll need a smaller desk and chair to sit comfortably. If they’re older and taller, they might need a larger desk to accommodate height.

Once you pick your desk, add it to your mood board and draw it in your room sketch where you think it fits best. Here’s a handy desk size chart to guide your selection process.

Pro Tip: There are many free online space planning tools that can quickly help you lay out your room and furniture. These tools can help visualize your space in 3D and allow you to play with different furniture arrangements.  Check out sites like 3Dream, Plan Your Room, or MagicPlan.

What kind of storage will they need? Do they need wall storage for binders and textbooks? Or do they need something more substantial like a bookcase or filing cabinet for papers?

Determining storage needs will help keep them organized and the space clutter-free. Once you have picked out your storage items, note them on your floor plan and add them to your mood board.

So often we forget about the importance of lighting! A well lit space is crucial to success. No one wants to be bent over at a desk, struggling to read in the dark. Think about where your natural light is in the daytime and how you can best layer your lighting to create an invigorating space at night.