Your children deserve the best and there are many ways of doing this including getting the best furniture. Choosing furniture for your kids should not be hard but neither is it a walk in the park. First things first. How much can you afford and what does your child have in mind.
Determine your budget for kid’s furniture: Like any furniture, children’s room furniture ranges in price from inexpensive to expensive. The range is wide spread but so is the quality and the versatility aspect. Decide how much you are willing to spend, and then factor in more or less if you find furniture online for shipping and handling. Higher priced furniture stores may throw in shipping, but you are paying more already.
Get your child’s opinion: Unless you are decorating a nursery, children age 3 and up can tell you what they like and don’t like. This doesn’t mean you let them pick the wall color, window treatments and flooring! It does mean that this will be their room, and they will enjoy it more if they had a say in how it looks. For ease of conversation, pick themes, colors and ideas beforehand and present a few options. Then have them choose from your options. If you are stuck as to where to start, look to furniture manufacturer magazines and online resources for inspiration.
Sourced from: http://freshome.com/2010/12/09/how-to-choose-kid%E2%80%99s-room-furniture-that-you%E2%80%99ll-both-love/
Talking about furniture for your children you should also consider the toddler or baby in the room. They need their own special table where their diapers can be changed. Go for a model that has shelves where you can store toys.
Changing Tables
A changing table is a must for babies and toddlers. Safety is the prime concern: Choose a changing table that is sturdily constructed and has a safety strap, smoothly rounded corners, and at least a low guardrail to prevent little wrigglers from falling. (Even though you’d never leave a child on a changing table unattended for even a moment, all but the youngest infants have a disconcerting way of moving suddenly, and balance is a foreign concept to them.)
Choose a model with one or two lower shelves; it will add to the unit’s stability and provide convenient open storage for diapers and baby clothes. Even after he or she is toilet trained, the last child in the household may be willing to use the changing table as display/storage for stuffed animals and other large toys. Some families use a chest of drawers or dresser topped with a waterproof pad as a changing table, but drawers are less convenient than shelves, and the lack of a guardrail can be risky. If you do want to use a conventional dresser as a changing table, retrofit it with simple molding rails available at your local home center or hardware store, and make sure they’re smoothly finished.
Sourced from: http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-decor/nursery/decorating-kids-rooms9.htm
Now before you go on a spending spree, ensure you take into account how long the furniture will be needed. You should also consider if the furniture can be used for more than one function. You should also check on the safety of the furniture and the materials that it is made from.
One of the most important questions to ask yourself before purchasing a new item of furniture for the nursery is: How long is this item of furniture needed? No matter if it’s a bed, a dresser or a changing table. Do you want to invest in a piece of furniture that will last for many years, and which will fulfill various functions? Then, you need to look for quality furniture; Furniture that will withstand being used, even by children. Take a close look at the materials used. What are they? And are they produced with care for the environment? Any toxic substances and emissions?
Also consider if the furniture should be used for more than one function. For example, choose a bed that will grow with your child from baby to junior. This way, you will only need to invest in a bed one time. Or choose a dresser that you can stand to look at in the hallway or at the office when the changing time has passed.
Sourced from: http://www.leander.com/news/how-to-choose-furniture/