Lowboards for Children's Bedrooms — Dimensions, Solutions, Ideas

A lowboard in a children's bedroom is low-profile storage furniture with a typical height of 30 cm to 50 cm, offering child-friendly access to toys and media thanks to its low overall height.

When furnishing a room for children or teenagers, storage requirements are constantly changing. While building blocks and picture books dominate during early childhood, gaming consoles, monitors and audio equipment take centre stage later on. Low-level furniture provides a practical foundation here. In contrast to tall wardrobes, it uses wall space horizontally and maintains an open room feel.

Dimensions and Room Planning: From Compact to Room-Filling

The sizing of the unit depends on the available space and the specific intended use. The standard depth is usually between 35 cm and 45 cm. This is sufficient to accommodate common receivers, consoles or board games without protruding too far into the room.

There are distinct variations in width that must be matched precisely to the length of the wall:

• Compact rooms: In smaller rooms or alcoves, a lowboard 140 cm is often the ideal benchmark. It offers enough surface area for a medium-sized television and typically integrates two to three storage compartments underneath.
• Medium wall areas: A lowboard 180cm fills a standard wall well and allows for a combination of closed flaps and open compartments for devices that require an infrared connection.
• Large teenage bedrooms: When an entire wall is to be used as a media and storage centre, a lowboard 250 cm is used. These wide models often consist of several linked carcases and require precise alignment during assembly.

Materials and Finishes for Everyday Life

Furniture in a children's bedroom is like a shock absorber on a gravel track – it must reliably withstand everyday mechanical stress. Therefore, the choice of core material and surface coating is crucial for durability.

Most carcases are made of chipboard or MDF (medium-density fibreboard). Melamine resin is generally used for the surface. This coating makes the panels scratch-resistant, liquid-repellent and easy to clean.

Neutral tones dominate in terms of colour, as they adapt to changing wall colours and rugs. A TV lowboard beige or a model in light grey blends discreetly into the room concept. Wood decors like Sonoma oak also conceal light dust or minor scratches significantly better than high-gloss, pure white fronts.

Storage Hardware: Flaps, Runners and Hinges

The functionality of a lowboard stands and falls with the hardware installed. Anyone assembling the furniture themselves should be able to identify and adjust the mechanical components correctly.

• Drawers: Here, the runner rail determines the level of convenience. A full-extension runner allows the drawer to be pulled 100 % out of the carcase – ideal for reaching toys in the very back corner. A single-extension runner stops at roughly 75 %.
• Flaps: Downward-opening fronts are very common on TV lowboards & TV benches. They are held in place by a concealed cup hinge on the base panel. To prevent the flap from dropping uncontrolled when opened and tearing out the hinges, a gas strut or mechanical flap stay must be fitted. The holding force is specified in Newtons (N) and must match the weight of the MDF front.
• Opening mechanisms: A push-to-open system (also called tip-on) provides a handleless look. Pressing the front releases a spring mechanism that pushes the door open. The exact opposite is the soft-close function. Here, an integrated damper in the hinge or drawer runner absorbs the momentum and pulls the front closed gently and quietly. These two systems cannot be combined mechanically within the same hinge.

To complement low-level storage, other furniture items in matching finishes are frequently combined in children's bedrooms. A chest of drawers for clothing or a wardrobe completes the room layout, making use of the vertical room height that the lowboard deliberately leaves open.

Assembly: Planning, Tools and Wall Mounting

Self-assembly of a lowboard is usually straightforward for DIY enthusiasts. Assembly time ranges from one to three hours depending on the width and number of drawers.

The following tools are required for assembly:

1. Cordless screwdriver (with PZ2 and TX bits for fitting hardware).
2. Manual screwdriver for fine-tuning the hinges.
3. Spirit level for straight alignment.
4. Rubber mallet for driving in wooden dowels.

The carcase is usually assembled using cam and pin connectors (cam locks / Minifix) and wooden dowels. Important: The back panel must be nailed or screwed in at exact right angles, as it provides structural stability to the entire unit. Without a back panel, the carcase would collapse under lateral loads.

Floor-standing or Wall-mounted?

Many lowboards offer the option for wall mounting (floating look). This makes vacuuming underneath the furniture significantly easier. When doing this, the condition of the wall must be thoroughly checked. Mounting on a solid brick or concrete wall is straightforward with standard wall plugs. If it is a stud wall (plasterboard), specialised cavity fixings must be used. In addition, the load capacity must be considered: a 250 cm wide board with a heavy TV and full drawers exerts enormous leverage on the wall fixings. If in doubt, floor-standing installation on the supplied plinth feet is the safer choice for a children's bedroom.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which width is ideal for a lowboard in a children's bedroom? That depends on the wall space. For alcoves and small rooms, a width of 140 cm is sufficient. For large walls and as a central hub for TVs and consoles, models ranging from 180 cm to 250 cm are suitable.

What is the difference between soft-close and push-to-open? Soft-close is a dampening system that brakes doors and drawers over the final few centimetres and closes them silently. Push-to-open is an ejection mechanism for handleless fronts, where the door springs open with light pressure.

Can I hang any lowboard on the wall? No. The furniture must be structurally engineered for wall-hung installation (reinforced back panel, heavy-duty cabinet hangers). Furthermore, the wall must safely support the pulling load of the furniture and its contents. Extra care is required with plasterboard stud walls.

How do I clean melamine-coated furniture? A slightly damp cloth is completely sufficient for dust and light soiling. Avoid aggressive abrasive cleaners or harsh scouring pads, as these can roughen the resin layer and leave it looking dull.