Ready, set, go!

Back to school through the ages

Getting set up for a good year ahead gives everyone a boost, no matter where they are in their journey.

Back to school means a return to regular routines and earlier bedtimes. Let's not forget the pile of homework plotted by the grown-up world to disrupt the luxurious flow of free time during school breaks.

But, there is something fun about it, too. School friends are back. Everyone knows that after-school snacks are (most definitely!) the best. And, honestly, humans of all ages just seem to thrive at the prospect of a fresh start.

A child plays on a hopscotch patterned rug in their room. A small well-organised play area and desk are in the background.

A teenager in a white t-shirt, white knit hat and pink and red striped pajama pants reclines on a bed. The bedding is white with a black lined grid pattern.

A college student wearing a brown t-shirt and brown pants sits in a white rolling desk chair. They have their feet up on the white desk in front of them and are looking toward papers hanging on a white pegboard.

Like what New Year's Eve can do for us boring grown-ups, the back to school moment is a chance for kids (and big kids and even newly hatched adults) to imagine what they'd like the year ahead to be like and how to get there. Getting their room ready is a fun way to focus in and feel absolutely ready to rock it!

We have three rooms to share for inspiration; one just right for someone starting school, another that's designed to make high schoolers happy and one that shows that dorm-or-roommate life can include style that college students will want to carry over to their first real-life home when the time comes.

Starting big kid school!

Peaceful yet practical
A calm colour palette of white and natural wood paired with accents of soft colours makes for a cosy spot for little students to land, while being filled with solutions that support their independence.

Showing off
Smart open storage makes things easy to find and enjoy. Open shelving and cubbies neatly hold art supplies, projects and toys. A rolling cart takes the place of a bedside table, putting lots of favourite books close by along with a traditional-style alarm clock which just might make getting up for school (a little?) more fun. Finally, a pegboard-style wall organiser keeps school supplies close at hand yet up off the surface of the desk, keeping it clear for homework time.

Hiding away
A not too-tall wardrobe is sized right to help make putting laundry away neatly easier on the not too-tall student who lives here. Colour-coordinated boxes and bins hold all sorts of miscellaneously-sized but deeply-loved treasures. And, underbed drawers are the perfect spot for storing extra bedding and a very cute kittycat pillow.

A well organised play area in a children's room. Bins, shelves and an organising pegboard-style wall unit help keep things neat.

An underbed drawer is pulled out, revealing folded bed linens and a cute cat pillow. Part of a hopscotch patterned rug is visible underneath the drawer.

A toy bin has a motif of an owl's face with two big eyes and a beak. A white stuffed toy bear peeks out of the top of the bin. Part of a rug with a hopscotch pattern is in the foreground.

A bed is dressed with a pale grey duvet cover and a dusty pink blanket. Two soft toy cushions are on the bed, in the shapes of a daisy and a bumblebee.

A small white wardrobe has a pink dress hanging from the knob one one of the doors. A white desk to the left of the wardrobe has a rolling white desk chair in front of it and white open shelves above, holding books.

Hello high school

I love it... for now
These are the years for figuring out who you are and what you like. This space smartly keeps most of the walls as neutral as can be – white – while focusing the punch of colour – bright yellow! – on the ceiling. Less to repaint when the desire for a "new you, new look" rolls around! The textiles (cushions, bedding, laundry bag and rug) feature simple graphic grids and stripes, in black and white, so they are also ready to play with other colours and patterns at a moments notice. The shelving unit has bright primary-coloured edges which look fantastic in the current decor, but they can be respositioned for a simple monochromatic expression in the next.

Double duty
A desk with a big surface area and easy reach open shelves below works for getting homework done (notebooks and school supplies to the left!) as well as getting ready (big mirror front and centre and beauty supplies caddy to the right!). And that big mirror? Its extra-wide frame creates even more storage space; for memory-filled tchotchkes, a nail polish collection and a clip-on lamp.

Green two ways
The bright green chairs, both the rolling desk chair and a retro-cool lounge are pure fun. But letting a little natural green in the form of a few healthy houseplants into a pop palace like this is a welcome addition – true style counterparts to all the bold colours and shiny surfaces.

A white walled bedroom with a bright yellow ceiling and primary coloured furniture and accessories.

A large storage unit has four shelves, each with a primary colour decorating the edge; bright red, blue, green and yellow. A red lamp, books and white storage boxes are on the shelves, along with other colourful decorative items.s.

A white storage box with four drawers sits on the shellf of a storage unit. One drawer is pulled open and a collection of hair scrunchies are inside.

A teenager in a white t-shirt and red and pink striped pajama pants sits on a bright green desk chair in front of a white desk.

Two teenagers are talking together. One is sitting in a bright green low lounge chair. The other is standing to the side, wearing striped pajamas and holding a white ball.

Conquering college (and beyond)

A+ space management
It's rare that college students have an excess of space, so getting smart about the room available is a necessity. Here, a tower of storage wraps the desk area from floor to ceiling, helping to keep things organised as well as creating a sense of separation. Open shelving holding a mix of bins, boxes and see-through storage bags ensure that everything has a home that's both accessible and, when needed, visible. Pegboard covers the wall behind the desk. The closed section has both hanging space and drawers for folded clothes. Under bed storage bins and bags hold off-season and less used items, freeing up valuable wardrobe real estate.

Now you see it
And now you don't! Busy student schedules mean that not every night can be movie night. But, when it's time to kick back and binge, a small folding table can be popped up to create the perfect temporary entertainment center to hold a laptop and a bowl of snacks. Tuck it away on homework-heavy nights.

Kitchen on a cart
Whether a dorm room or a bedroom in a shared apartment – both likely mean a shared kitchen or cafeteria life. Sometimes you just want to have a little something tasty without running into your crush in the hallway! A compact cart can hold glass storage containers that keep snacks fresh, a bunch of cups for you and your friends and a selection of favourite teas.

A view of a bedroom with a striped rug. A desk area is in the background, positioned along a wall next to a white wardrobe. A bed in the foreground is dressed with a pink duvet cover.

A person is seated on white chair facing toward a desk. Green plants are on the windowsill to the left and small pegboard and shelf organisesrs are positioned on the desk.

A light green rolling kitchen trolley with three shelves hold items for making snacks such as coffee cups, tea and food storage containers.

Two college students are seated on chairs, leaning back and relaxing while looking toward an open laptop on a small folding orange table. A glass bowl of snacks is next to the laptop.

An arm reaches toward a lamp on a bedside table. A yellow vase containing greenery and a small pink portable speaker are beside the lamp.

A white underbed storage bin is partially pulled out from underneath a bed. The top is open and folded clothes can be seen inside.

Happy new (school) year!

We hope you found some ideas and inspiration to make this back-to-school season a good one. There's lots more to discover at your local IKEA so pay us a visit in store or online (and we promise we won't give you any homework afterwards!).