The loft is what every kid (and some adults) dreams to have made into an epic den. Think back to when you were a child; a secret hide-out was always the coolest thing to have. There’s no doubt that it would’ve been awesome to have the loft converted into a kids-only den.

The best thing? It’s actually possible for you to convert. As long as you research the building regulations in your area – the last thing you want is to get half-way through a renovation and find out your ceiling is below the building regulations approved height!

Design plans

Once you’ve finished converting your loft into an area that can be hung out in – insulation, building regulation approved, flooring etc.- you’ll have to start decorating.

We would strongly suggest planning the design process before the conversion is complete. This will ensure a smooth and efficient process.

Colour scheme

Colour schemes are a lot more important than you’d think; many studies have proven that certain colours trigger certain moods and emotions. You’ll want to think about whether you want your kids to feel calm and relaxed in their new playroom, in which case you’d go with blue hues and grey tones, or if you want them to feel energised and playful (yellows and oranges would be best).

Extra tip: Why not split up your loft with room dividers. Creating a colour scheme for both sides, so that your kids can have a relaxing corner and room for fun activities.

Lighting

The way you decide to light up your loft is a key factor in planning your conversion. With dim, warm lighting available and cooler white lights also in the market, you’ll again want to think about the atmosphere/mood they’ll create.

Brighter, white lights are usually better for lofts that don’t already get a great amount of sunlight. Compared to a loft that has nicely spread out Simply Plastics loft windows, in which case you’ll only require dim lights.

Storage

This one is something that everyone seems to forget – storage. Where are all the toys going to go when the kids aren’t playing with them?

A cheap, space-effective storage solution is to convert a bookshelf into seating/storage. It’s extremely easy to do. Flip a strong bookshelf on its side, add cushions and blankets over the upwards-facing side to create seating. Next, place boxes in the gaps of the shelves (spread them out wide enough to make room).

Check out this Pinterest pin for a simple and easy guide on how to make an Ikea bookshelf into seating/storage.

Decorations

Allowing your children to choose the decorations that will be in their playroom is a great way to include them in the process. It will also allow them to get creative with their ideas – you could even turn it into a fun activity and ask them to paint pictures for hanging up.

Once your loft conversion is finished, you’ll realise all the time it took was worth it. As long as it’s safe, your children will finally have the space to get away from adults and just have fun. You never know, they might even invite you in once in a while.

Include their bathroom

It’s all good, and well, you are converting their bedroom into an older children’s room, but that is not the only space they have outgrown. Their bathroom is an extension of their bedroom. It’s their domain where they relax and keep their personal items. Although it might have been adorable to have fuzzy Barney bathroom decor in the room, it will definitely not fit into their lifestyle currently. Give a split budget, one for their bedroom and one for their bathroom, to redecorate the rooms with. That budget for the bathroom will only cover towels, soap dishes, and rugs, but this will also give you an opportunity to modernize their bathroom fixtures, walls, and more. Not sure how you can revamp the area? Find inspiration on Pinterest. If you want to change the shower a bit, do research and look at articles like this great read on wet wall panels. This will surely make your creative juices flow with possibilities.

You might also like:

• How to design a child-friendly family living room
• 12 simple (and easy) tips for organising children’s rooms

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