Big Kid Desk And Art Nook

Do you remember the feeling you had when you finally felt like you were a “big kid”? One thing that always evokes that sense of growing up is having your own work desk. Swapping out an old play table for a big kid desk and some new “grown-up” supplies is a simple way to celebrate a child’s development or a milestone birthday.

I love to help families with this transition, so when a friend hired me to design a big kid work space for her daughter’s 8th birthday, I couldn’t wait to get started. The first time I worked on a big kid makeover project was 6 years ago and it also happened to be for an 8-year-old’s birthday (you can see it here).

The room started off with “robin’s egg” blue walls, a white bed, a white bedside table, and a bean bag. She wanted an organized desk space that would house her daughter’s art supplies and school work. She also wanted some guidance on the color scheme and the overall design of the room. After researching and pulling together ideas, I created three mood boards for my client with a few key differences- mainly the rug and bedding options. The two below were the favorites. She and her daughter loved the colors of option 1, but wanted the chair from option 2. I’m so glad they made that decision, this chair ended up being one of my favorite parts of the space!

I chose the Perch wall system (affiliate link) for organizing the basic supplies so that they could be easily accessible without taking up too much space. This was the first time I’ve used Perch (I’ve used the original Urbio line) and was surprised by how easy it was to install. My client was able to do it herself using the included peel and stick strips.

I wanted to include an art display panel that could also be used for photos, notes, etc. I love this one by Umbra (affiliate link) because you can use magnets as well as push pins.

The desk and organizers allow for plenty of room to store all of their art supplies. In addition to the Perch system, I included Little Study Drawers and a large bin from Land of Nod as well as paper trays from The Container Store.

If only my own office was this organized!

Have you ever done a big kid makeover of a room or desk? Do you think it helps your child to feel more grown-up or independent? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.