Kevin McCloud from Grand Designs.
The must-haves
• If your children are young, you’ll probably want them to be nearby – in most homes this means adjacent to the kitchen or living room, while upstairs rooms are better suited to older children.
• Incorporate lots of shelving. The highest shelves – too high for young kids to reach – are ideal for storing bed linen. For safety reasons, attach any floor-standing shelves to the wall.
• Add a sofa bed and a curtain across the shelving to hide the chaos, and you’ll have a smart guest room.
• Use a pale blue or green to help keep the kids calm(ish), or if you want them to be stimulated, try a bright shade, such as red. Avoid cartoon character theming if you’ll be using it as a guest room.
