Today, growing numbers of lifestyle and furniture companies are catering to parents who want to extend their design ideas from 'adult areas' into children's bedrooms. The days when cartoon characters dominated children's furniture are long gone, and concern for the environment is increasingly a priority.
'People are spending more time at home and want an extension of their environment and taste in the children's bedroom,' says Kate Babington, managing director of Tree furniture boutique. Late last year, Tree launched its TREEkids collection, which is divided into Pure and Ferum lines.
For the Ferum line of single beds, storage units, cabinets and worktables, each piece is made from reclaimed traditional Indonesian fishing boats. 'We were excited about this range because we are not depleting natural resources, but reusing waste products in a modern arena,' Babington says.
'Our whole collection is something the child will not grow out of, and it blends into the rest of the house's decor.'
In the Pure line, the unisex pieces are made from unpainted Forest Stewardship Council-certified reclaimed teak that is 'completely natural and pure' and free of chemical paints or oils.
Deirdre Gleeson, brand director at Indigo Living and Indigo Kids, agrees parents are looking to decorate their children's bedroom to suit their lifestyle. 'There is a lot of cheap children's furniture in the market, but more parents are looking for clean and classic furniture that will last for years,' Gleeson explains. 'In terms of stylishness, parents want their kids' rooms to be on trend and reflect their parents' style.'