Once your child has outgrown both his crib and his toddler bed, it’s time to choose furniture that will see him through until he goes to college; and therein lays the challenge. How do you know what to select that will remain functional as he grows? Here are a few ideas to guide you as you decide.

There are two basic characteristics to keep in mind when choosing your child’s bedroom furniture, whether he is a boy or she is a girl: versatility and storage capability.

Versatility

It is impractical to get a bed that will not grow along with him. Although that bed in the shape of a race car will work great up until about age 10, you’ll have to ditch it when pre-puberty sets in. Save the race car bed for the toddler years; when your boy hits his school years, it’s time to go for a more classic design that will never go out of style and that, with just a few modifications, he’ll be able to use till he leaves home.

Storage

No matter how old a person is, whether he is a child or an adult, there never seems to be enough storage space for all the things we accumulate. When it comes to your child, look at every spare inch of floor space as a possible storage area. Choose a bed, for instance, that is high enough that it will accommodate having rolling storage bins underneath for off-season clothing or toys. If you choose to get him a student desk, make sure it’s the type that has bookshelves attached so that he’ll have an easy place to store and display his trophies, photos, and yes, even his books!

What kind of bed is right?

Today’s kids’ beds are really terrific and versatile; what you choose is really up to you and him. If he’s extremely social and prone to having frequent sleepovers, why not get a bed with a sliding trundle bed underneath? As was mentioned previously, if storage is at a premium, get one with high clearance. Twin, double, or queen sized are all appropriate, depending on the size of his room.

Be careful to choose a classic style that he will not outgrow. Or, if he insists on having that Spiderman headboard, you can always exchange the headboard for something more mature later without having to replace the whole bed. Girls’ wood furniture (and yes, boys’ too) can be repainted when the children are teenagers to accommodate their changing tastes.

Make sure to get a bed, dresser, desk, chairs, and other furniture items that are made from good quality materials and will be durable. It’s amazing how much stress children’s bedroom furniture has to endure over a period of 10-15 years. Dressers made from particle board and other such cheap furniture will simply not hold up: go for the best and it won’t have to be constantly replaced.

Living Collections (http://www.livingcollections.com) is a San Francisco furniture store that offers affordable high-quality furniture with a wide selection of traditional, modern and transitional furniture and home accessories. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]San Francisco furniture store[/tags]