****Update 5/6/2010**** The wife and I really went all out coordinating the Tinkerbell bedding and so as I get time in the next few days, I’ll be posting some pictures of what we did as well as some of the Tinkerbell furniture we bought and how it all went together. Work is busy now but stay tuned (please).

This page is really about about buying children’s bedroom furniture, and if you’ve got a girl (like me) also coordinating the room with Tinkerbell bedding or whatever infatuation she might currently be going through. Now I don’t mean you have to buy Tinkerbell bedding but let’s face it, children go through all kinds of phases and it’d cost a fortune to redecorate the entire room with each new phase. When my daughter was born, rather than going the usual route and buying a bassinet, I had an idea for a baby bed that mounted onto our bed.

Our, meaning my
wife and I. Our daughter’s bed, mounted to our bed, by use of a three-quarter inch plywood sheets that was inserted between the box spring and mattress. It also had three sides that were made out of cherry, and one soft side facing the bed that could be raised and lowered. The idea was that my wife would be able to feed our daughter without having to get out of bed. It worked so well in fact, many people suggested that I get it patented. Today though my daughter is seven and not too long ago we bought all of her children’s bedroom furniture, in preparation for entering elementary school. In addition to the furniture, as she’s gone through different phases, we’ve had to change all of here bedding to match as well. First it was Hello Kitty, then the Little Mermaid, and these days she’s on to us to buy her some Tinkerbell Bedding.

Kids Beds

The bed, is probably the most important piece of furniture in the room and is certainly the largest. If space is a problem, and it always is, look for a kids bed that makes the best use of space. For example, if you have more than one child, and not enough rooms, a bunk bed certainly fits the bill. In the case of my daughter’s furniture, we chose a bed that was elevated high enough that a desk and bookshelf on casters could slide in and out from under the bed. It’s not as high as a loft bed but rather around chest height.  If you do get a bed that’s elevated, you want to make sure that it has a very sturdy railing around it to keep your kid from falling out. From a child’s point of view, the coolest part is the secret place created when the bookshelf and desk are out. We bought this bed as a set so in addition to the bookshelf and desk it also came with a dresser. I’d suggest, if your budget can afford it, try to get something in solid wood because it will last much longer and also be much safer than particle board. We also saved money, by buying her furniture at closeout time when the furniture company was trying to move its remaining inventory to make room for next year’s offerings. Just to give you an idea of the savings, the original price was $1500 but we are able to talk the furniture dealership down to $700 plus free delivery and setup. They were even nice enough to include an office chair for free.
Childrens Bedding

If you’re familiar, with Christopher Lowell’s seven layers of design, you know then that you start with the floors and walls and then next comes the furniture. We live in an apartment, so for us there were only six layers of design and so with the furniture out of the way, it was time to focus on fabrics. My daughter, has several different bedding sets, but probably her favorite, is her Tinkerbell bedding. Now to be honest, I thought Tinkerbell was a bit of a minor character in Peter Pan, but apparently she has gained a major following around the world and is especially popular in Japan she even has her own TV show. Needless to say, my daughter is a big fan and so we have tons of Tinkerbell stuff around our house. In addition to Tinker bell bedding, there’s Tinkerbell sheets, Tinkerbell pencils, Tinkerbell pencil cases, Tinkerbell pillows and the list goes on and on. Her curtains, are from her hello Kitty phase but will probably have to update those too. One thing I have to say as a parent, is thereby allowing your children to coordinate their rooms with their favorite theme, they tend to have more pride in their room and keep it cleaner at least my daughter does. So if you’re looking for boys bedding, and therein to G.I. Joe, by all means check it out with camouflage bedding and curtains and go nuts. It might look like an eyesore to you, but it is there room in a place where they can feel like they can express their personality and relax.

Children’s bedroom furniture, needs to be several things. First, it has to be safe. Next, it has to be affordable, unless you’re made out of money. It also has to be functional and work well in a space into which it is placed. As far as safety goes, it’s good to be aware of furniture for which safety recalls have been issued. For affordability, you can do like what I mentioned before by a closeout time, shop for secondhand goods, or even hit up craigslist. Lastly, give your children the freedom to personalize their rooms, within reason even if you can’t stand Tinkerbell bedding. Oh! And one last thing, is it Tinker Bell bedding or Tinkerbell Bedding.. I really don’t know? Anyways… Happy Shopping