Kids’ bedroom furniture takes on bright hues

Whether it’s a bright yellow chest, a frilly four-poster bed or a traditional pine twin, children have a variety of options in furnishing their space.

“We’re seeing a lot more personalization for children’s rooms than we used to,” said Tracy Grambsch, interior designer at Furnishings by Ludwig in the town of Buchanan. “Parents are taking that into consideration. It’s not just a standard bed, mirror and chest of drawers.”

Children’s bedroom furnishings are an ever-expanding business, according to the American Home Furnishings Alliance. Sales are expected to reach $5.7 billion by 2010, a 24.5 increase over current levels.

Most parents look first for functional pieces when choosing furniture, an alliance survey shows, followed by price and furniture that reflects their child’s tastes.

Bedroom size and configurations are changing, Grambsch noted, and that’s reflected in furniture needs.

“In a room that has a nice-size closet, instead of a long dresser they might use a four-drawer dresser,” she said. “There are also armoires now because a lot of children do have televisions in their rooms, and that will accommodate television and clothing all in one piece.”

Vivid colors also personalize a room. The Young American collection by Stanley Furniture comes in 20 wood and painted finishes on 30 pieces, from beds to bookcases.

“Stanley is the first one to offer so many colors, but I’m not surprised really because there has been some movement toward color in the past few years,” said Sandy Doerfler, owner of the Lullabye Shop, Appleton.

With the new colors available, a baby’s room can sport a blue crib, pink double dresser and buttercup chest, if that’s what works for the family.

“You can do all those colors, or do it in one color,” Doerfler said.

If your tastes lean toward bright and beachy, Grambsch notes that ocean-side colors like blues and sea greens are coming to the forefront.

“That might be a little harrowing for northeast Wisconsin, but you never know,” she said. “It’s really individual. There are a lot of colors to choose from, so you can be a little more subdued also.”

If you just can’t decide there’s always white, which remains popular, says Cassidy Schrage, sales representative at Bedroom Expressions in Furniture Row, Appleton.

“A lot of white furniture is being asked for for girls’ bedrooms,” she said, adding that styles for girls include a Victorian canopy bed.

Other interesting pieces Doerfler sees include a glass-top desk for displaying a baseball card collection and swivel bookcase with a mirror, chalkboard and a place to hang clothes.

“It’s three different things in one, very unique, very unusual,” Doerfler said.

The predominant type of wood is evolving. Most of the furniture Doerfler sees is made of birch, pine or a Malaysian rubber wood.

“Because of the fact that so much is being imported right now you’re not seeing as much of the hard lumbers,” Doerfler said. “You’re not seeing as much of the maple.”

If you have your heart set on a special piece, be prepared to wait. It can take up to 16 weeks for furniture made out of the country to arrive at its destination.

“If you’re expecting a baby and want to buy a crib, don’t come in two weeks before you’re due,” Doerfler said. “You have to allow some time for it to get here.”

Source: www.postcrescent.com