Juvenile furniture, or furniture for a child's room, does not have to look juvenile. In fact, if you select the pieces well, you will find furniture for your child's bedroom can easily transition into adulthood and on into another generation, especially if it is made with quality, notes Therese Doyle of Ethan Allen in Fairfield. "I've had customers who have handed down their Ethan Allen furniture to their children."
If you're shopping for children's furniture, "look for the quality details," Doyle says, "such as dove-tail construction in the drawers. Look closely at how it has been put together."
Doyle also recommends that parents select furniture that is "easy to maintain. If the piece is already 'distressed' and it gets nicked or chipped, it won't make you lose your mind. As for boys, keep it simple."
Of course, beds shaped like race cars or princess castles may be fun choices for four-year-olds, but in reality they probably won't cut it at 14. Simple, classic pieces are a better choice.
Parents shopping for children's bedroom furniture are in luck these days. The market is hot now and retailers have provided a lot of choices for consumers, in a wide range of prices.
But, as you go shopping, the best thing to keep in mind as you peruse the merchandise is to consider letting the furniture serve as the background for the room's design. When it comes to decorating, you can use paint, fabric and bedding to customize the look for your child. This will give you an inexpensive and easy way to update the room as the child ages.
Also, keep in mind that manufacturers are producing some types of children's furniture that can easily age with the youngster, such as changing tables that turn into bureaus, or cribs that turn into daybeds.
In addition to the traditional furniture stores, another good place to look for children's furniture is in an antique store. Older pieces have endured all these years because they are solid and wellmade. You don't have to equip a child's room with priceless antiques, you might consider classic, unpainted pine furniture.
If you've selected a vintage piece, however, do check to see if the paint may contain lead. Another thing to consider is that vintage beds may not be quite the same size as contemporary mattresses, and you may have to make adaptations. If you're looking at toy chests, avoid ones with heavy lids that could fall on little heads or pinch fingers. Drawers - with stops to keep them from falling out - may be a better choice. Another idea may be to go with open shelving for younger children.
Youngsters love bunk beds, but they don't "age" well. A better choice may be to select a trundle bed. The beds don't take up much room and the lower bed can pull out for sleep-over guests.