12 Tips For Styling The Perfect Bedroom For Kids, According To Nate Berkus And Jeremiah Brent

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Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent have been successfully styling kids' bedrooms for years, including spaces for their daughter Poppy and son Oskar. The pair definitly have a few painting tips that they swear by for the rest of the house; however, their tips for putting together the best space for your child are unbeatable as they come supported by their experience as designers and (more importantly) as dads. From babies to teenagers, and everything in between, Berkus and Brent have plenty of easily actionable, budget-friendly ideas for style-conscious parents who don't want to redecorate every few years, either. 

You can shop directly from Berkus and Brent's official collections, or simply take their ideas to Amazon to find a product that better suits what you want to spend. What's important is that you never have to sacrifice details for the sake of function, just because you're creating a space for your kids. It's totally possible to have both. 

Decorating spaces for your children is one of the best opportunities to explore your own inner child. Berkus doesn't think you should be in a rush for them to grow up design-wise. Instead, lean into things that could never really work in an adult's bedroom. "A room for kids should be fun, layered, and full of personality," he shared on Instagram. "Bright walls, whimsical accents, and thoughtful textures take a simple space into a room that inspires imagination."

While adults might spend weeks searching for the best paint colors for sophisticated bedroom accent walls, you have a lot more freedom in a kid's room. It doesn't need to be a relaxing oasis, because little kids especially don't need a retreat from the world. They need a fun, inviting playspace. To follow Berkus' lead, think adding fun drawer pulls to their furniture, like the Glrovazas 4-Pack of Strawberry Knobs, or Simon&Siff Floral Peel and Stick Wallpaper under chair-rail-height wainscoting for a sweet touch of whimsy. These things are also easy to swap out, so as your child grows from toddler to tween, their space can evolve with them without losing its spark.

Putting together a nursery can be one of the most overwhelming parts of welcoming a new family member. However, as you budget for the space and start collecting pieces, Brent is quick to remind you that you can consider most of the things you buy long-term investments. You're not going to have to throw everything out and start over when baby starts walking. "I think there's a misconception that nurseries and children's rooms have to be transactional and temporary," he told Coveteur. "I believe that you can bring in pieces that will transition with your kids as they grow — like an antique piece that you use as a changing table that one day becomes a night stand when they're older."

Berkus agrees, even giving parents-to-be an easy way to action this idea. "For example, instead of changing table, invest in a beautiful chest of drawers and simply add a changing topper," he posted on Instagram. For example, retailing at $150, the Keekaroo Peanut Changer can sit atop any dresser and offer a waterproof option for diaper changes. The Ingenuity Contoured Changing Pad is significantly less expensive at $19, but only has a waterproof liner, which might lead to some seepage here and there. Yet, no matter the price point, both pads serve the same purpose: They can easily be removed when baby is potty-trained, transforming the changing space back into just a dresser.

When decorating your children's bedrooms, it can be tempting to head directly to the kids' section of every store and website. Yet, for a timeless, stylish look, Brent recommends branching out from what's expected. "Also reminding yourself that you don't have to go to a kid's store to source for kids things," Brent told Architectural Digest. His tip goes hand in hand with his idea of investing in furniture that can grow with your child. You don't need novelty furniture to create a functional space your child will love for years to come.

By investing in a wider variety of pieces now, you'll only need to shop for the majors once. As your child grows, you can do artwork and bedding swaps without a complete overhaul. To make this possible, you can shop in the adult section of typical stores like IKEA, Crate & Barrel, etc., but you can also learn how to use Facebook Marketplace as the ultimate furniture-shopping tool. This way, the initial pieces you buy won't cost a fortune, either.

Your kid's room shouldn't be sterile or devoid of personality. Brent insists that children's spaces are one of the easiest places to commit to a theme — and even go a little bit overboard with it. "I'm really big on symbols, so I took some of the most important symbols to our family and made them really prominent throughout the collection. It's always the story for me, as you know, and the things we learned along the way," he told Better Homes & Gardens of his 2024 collaboration with Crate & Barrel. He explained that the motifs of his collection are directly inspired by his children's interests: the dreams they have and the books they like to read. "I like the idea of other families bringing that into their house and connecting with different symbols and making their own stories out of it," he continued.

While you can shop his collection directly, like this Arline 100% Organic Cotton Kids Twin Sheet Set covered in whimsical whales, unicorns, and swans, take the idea even further by incorporating your own child's favorites. For example, if they love reading Peter Rabbit books with you, a Franco Peter Rabbit Kids Bedding Set might be more appropriate. Or, if their favorite color is pink, the Luvkczc Minimalist Table Lamp in blush can make their space feel more like their own.

If your kids share a room, Berkus' top tip for designing a shared kid's bedroom that feels cohesive and balanced is to allow each child their own say, but only when it comes to the accessories. "I shared a room with my brother growing up, so I know how important organization is. Matching pairs — like bedside tables or lamps — create balance, even if each child has different bedding," he posted on Instagram. "Let them express their individuality, but keep the main furniture uniform for a cohesive look."

The HEMNES Twin Bed from IKEA comes in white, black, and dark gray, making it easy to style no matter the color scheme of your children's bedroom. If you have more space, you can nab it in a double/full as well. The Furologee Nightstands come in similar color schemes, but have built-in charging for your kids' devices, too. They are sold as a pair. Once you have the bones of the room filled out, let each child show off their personality with their bedding and wall decor. Even if one loves Barbie pink and glitter, and the other is more of a minimalist, Berkus' theory is that the symmetrical furniture will ground the space enough that the differences shouldn't be too visually overwhelming.

While filling your home with art you actually love is an easy thing to do when styling an adult or teen's bedroom, there are more things to consider when putting together a nursery. According to Brent, it's not just about style, but safety, too. You have to take a step back and really think about how the function of your decor choices will impact your baby's life. In some cases, it can be quite serious. "I made the mistake of placing a really beautiful shelf of crystals in Poppy's first nursery and right as I finished hanging it, everything fell into the empty crib," he told Coveteur about his daughter's room. "I just about had a nervous breakdown. Nothing over the crib, ever. That might be a fairly obvious rule, but I was a new parent at the time."

Luckily, the crib was empty. However, even the most securely-fastened of picture frames can come loose over time. For this reason, don't hang any big, framed artwork or create a gallery wall over your baby's crib or changing table. They might fall on baby, or a curious toddler could eventually pull them down, too. Experts even recommend removing things like mobiles as your child's reach and mobility increases to avoid entanglement. Decor like this is best placed high up, over open spaces where curious hands can't reach it — or left out entirely until your child is older.

Having a rocking chair or glider available for a nursery might be a no-brainer, but many people might forget to include plenty of places to sit in their kids' rooms as their children age. Whether it's for story time, hanging out with friends, or simply another place to store things (we all do it), Brent encourages parents to include places to rest other than just on the bed. "Introduce varying levels of seating, whether it's a pouf on the floor, an ottoman, or a furry animal the kids can jump on top of," he told Coveteur. "Play with height!

For the floor, consider a washable rug like the PLHXFR Floral Area Rug. This is especially important if you have wooden, tile, or LVP floors, as a rug keeps things cozier. Even if you have carpet, something like the YIMINYUER Baby Soft Puzzle Play Mats makes floor playtime a lot less painful for adults. For seating, if you want to take Brent's "furry animal" angle, you also have plenty of options. For a minimalist take, try the HuiBeans Solid Wood Rabbit Chair that looks just like a pair of bunny ears and can be paired with a low table. Or, for a cozier option, the Delta Children Lion Cozee Buddy Chair is more plush, lending itself more toward quieter times.

Kids falling out of bed can be a real safety concern, as nearly 3.5 million American children went to hospital because of a bed or sofa-related accident from 2007 to 2021 (via The American Journal of Emergency Medicine). While most of these injuries didn't cause permanent harm, the risk is still there. Brent knows this all too well. "It's a scary moment when your kid goes from a crib to a bed," he told Better Homes & Gardens. "I remember when my daughter got her first bed and I was paranoid of her falling out, so I had to have the bed low, upholstered, and soft, just in case."

To give parents an easy, safe option, he included the Tucker Brown Sherpa Kids Twin Bed in his collaboration with Crate & Barrel. Retailing at $999, you can purchase a mattress from the collection on top of it, or supply your own, as long as it's between 7 inches and 12 inches tall. The soft material on the rounded corners is also meant to reduce the risk of accidents. As a cheaper alternative, the Miniyam Twin Bed with Storage Drawer is also low to the ground with rounded corners, and retails for $160.

It seems like there are never enough places to put things in kids' rooms. This is a problem Brent sought to solve with his Crate & Barrel children's collection by creating hidden, functional storage within major furniture pieces. "The drawers on the canopy bed were Poppy's idea," he told Better Homes & Gardens, referencing his daughter. "She goes, 'It would be really nice if there were drawers, because I could put my sleep mask in there, or socks or slippers.' And I was like, you're right!"

While the exact bed from the collection is no longer available, this Red Barrel Studio Mazion Upholstered Canopy Storage Bed is quite similar. If you already have a bed in mind for your child, another option is to make under-bed storage more organized and overall easier to access. You can do this by grabbing a few low-profile bins, like the Budding Joy 90L Under Bed Storage Containers, so you can easily sort things like excess toys and clothes. Make sure to choose an option with a clear lid so you can quickly see what's inside.

It can be tempting to style your child's space first and ask questions later, but Brent encourages parents and caregivers to ask for their child's input. It is their bedroom, after all. "I grew up with no money and my mother worked three jobs, but she still always included me and everything that we did," he told Architectural Digest. "Whether it was a pillow or a lamp. That sense of ownership also instills a sense of pride. And I think it's important that a child feels and sees themself in their space."

Obviously, babies and toddlers won't have strong opinions about their surroundings, so during these early stages the design decisions will be mostly up to you. Yet, as they enter elementary school and transition into their teen years, the decor choices for their bedrooms can shift firmly onto their shoulders. You can start small by letting your child pick their favorite paint color from a few you've selected, or choose which pictures they want hanging on their walls. As they grow, however, let them make most of the decisions — as long as they agree to stay within your agreed-upon budget, of course.

Lights are a great way to add personality to your children's room. You don't have to be beholden to "the big light" on the ceiling. Instead, add a few whimsical lamps for a softer glow during bedtime stories. For the best way to achieve this, Berkus recommends vintage lighting. "What did your childhood bedroom look like? I loved mine, but am still pretty jealous of these kids' rooms from my firm's Seattle project," he shared on Instagram. "Think: tufting, mirrored tables, and so much great vintage lighting."

Finding the best vintage options can be tough, but Berkus is a fan of the medium all over the house for the character it adds to a space. In kids' bedrooms in particular, you really have the opportunity to be quite playful. "Using vintage lighting is an opportunity for you to really show a lot of personality. If you really scour auction sites, and even local antiques malls, you'll find something really amazing that not everybody has," he shared in another Instagram post. When learning how to decorate your home with flea market finds, patience is key. Not every trip will yield amazing pieces, but when you finally do, all the searching is worth it!

The awkward space between childhood and being grown up can be hard to style. Even if you ask your child exactly what they want their space to look like, they might not be able (or want — let's be real) to give you a straight answer. Berkus' solution is to keep things bright and cheerful, even if your kid is currently feeling anything but. "I love incorporating color and pattern into tween rooms — both through bedding and wallpaper," he posted on Instagram. "It keeps the space fun and expressive, while still feeling fresh as they grow."

As mentioned, peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great way to add whimsy to younger children's rooms. For tweens, however, they might want to begin to add more sophistication to their space, as they experiment with feeling a touch more adult. It might be time to remove the flowers or animals. For example, Brent did a collaboration with Tempaper & Co. that comes in subtle, but still fun patterns like Classic Check and moody Antique Arras. When paired with bold-colored bedding, your tween will feel more at home in their space than ever.