Let’s face it, having more than one child can create some special issues without some thought applied to sleeping and play areas. That doesn’t mean you need to limit your family size however! There are plenty of excellent solutions to help take advantage of what space you do have, and create a space for everyone living in your home.
Take a look at these excellent kids’ shared bedroom ideas to help you determine how your bedroom areas can be best put to good use. Everything from bed to storage suggestions are included.
1. Twinsies
Side by side twin size bed placement is a common solution for bedroom sharing – even in small bedroom spaces. If a separate playroom area exists, this means the bedroom can be used specifically for sleep and clothing, rather than toy storage and play areas as well.
2. Basic Bunks
Basic bunkbeds are a great way to take advantage of any bedroom area that is shared. It can open up floor space for decent size rooms, as well as make small rooms feel more spacious. Stick with neutral coloring to avoid making the beds look larger than they already are, and help them blend into the overall furniture and color scheme of the room.
3. Wall Storage
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Saving space just isn’t about where you place beds, but also needs to be applied to other furniture choices and storage solutions. Skip the bookcases and create stacking wall bins and baskets for favorite reads and childhood treasures. Also consider under bed storage to help keep things accessible, but out of the way.
Photo credit: @sarahjoyblog
4. Attic Rooms
If you are adding to your family, or looking to better utilize your living spaces, don’t discount attic or basement spaces! Many times a budget friendly DIY project is compatible with turning a storage or unused space into a great shared bedroom. This is especially popular for younger boys who want a little independence and a space to play in as well.
5. Going Up
Triple and quadruple bunks are all excellent solutions for when you need sleeping areas but hate to take up any more floor space! Unique bed designs to fit any space can often be found pre-manufactured, or even make a great DIY project to customize exactly what you want and need. Just be sure to always consider mattress sizes to build the support required.
6. Mix & Match Patterns
Often mixing and matching patterns is considered a decorative no-no, but you can truly bring some interest and movement to a room with basic stripes (both horizontal and vertical) and chevron. This is especially true if you carry forward the use with clean, simple furniture lines and bedding choices!
Photo credit: @thefamilydesigned
7. Privacy Walls
Hate placing beds perpendicular to a wall, but don’t want to have your kiddos sleeping head to toe? Put in a faux privacy wall to help break up the space, provide some ownership to the bedding area, and install some storage solutions! This is a great way to include different styles your children may prefer without clashing!
8. Built in Bedding
Building bunks and bedding into wall spaces and cavities is a great way to keep your floor space intact and still offer spacious sleeping accommodations. This will require a bit more than a basic DIY to ensure you are not compromising weight bearing walls and for a more professional finish.
9. Let the Kids Decorate!
If your kids are going to be more or less living in this space, why not let them pick and choose some of the decor? Of course, you can provide options to avoid complete and utter chaos, but allowing them to have some say in the style and colors used (not to mention the awesome lighting displayed here) lets them take a bit more ownership of the area.
10. Window Spaces
If you have recessed windows or bay windows, you can easily create a DIY bed or reading area to help out with space when you have a shared bedroom. This is a great way to take advantage of, or open up, areas that might be often overlooked. If you are unsure of how to do this on your own, it can be a basic building project that you may easily find somebody local to take care of for you.
11. Double Decor
Those faux walls truly can be your best friend, especially if you have children with very different taste in decorative style sharing the same bedroom. These are excellent ways to provide each child their own space, especially when on a budget!
12. Simplicity
Keeping a simple bedroom decor with a few choice details to help express your children’s differing likes is a great way to prove a room that can easily do double duty when you have guests. This is also a great approach for vacation homes.
13. The Great Outdoors
Part of a great bedroom space is the comfort it provides, and how you decorate has a lot to do with this. Take advantage of extending the decorative style of your home into a child’s bedroom space, or keep with the design of a vacation home or rustic retreat to provide a flow of color or detail.
14. It’s All in The Lighting
Sharing spaces can provide so many awesome opportunities to take advantage of, especially when you have two (or three) fundamentally different children! Break out your creative skills and get those spaces designed so they are specific to each of your children. Simple lighting and some basic crafting can truly make a unique space even when on a budget!
15. A Place for Everything
When bedrooms are shared, it definitely can put a damper on both floor and storage space, which is why good solutions to ensure everything has its own place is important. Think outside the box and use furniture solutions that might not be what you typically see in a bedroom, such as stand-alone cabinets or ottoman foot storage.
16. Wall Vinyls
Many parents hesitate to invest too heavily into wall paint color and semi-permanent decor since children and their likes (and dislikes) change so quickly as they grow. This is why wall vinyls are SO AWESOME!!!! Peel and stick highly detailed decor without ruining your wall, and remove when finished!
Photo credit: Behance
17. Work Space
Who said “bunks” needed two beds? Take advantage of loft style bunk bed solutions to open up floor space and create work or storage areas under each bed. This is a great way to provide your kiddos a way to personalize their spaces in a manner that isn’t disruptive to the overall room decor as well. Hang curtains for even more privacy!
18. Keeping On Trend
Although trendy decor is often quickly outgrown, it is SO MUCH FUN to take advantage of! You can do this simply and without much effort if you start with a basic decorative foundation and use vinyl wall decors and change up bedding to create the overall look! Add lighting solutions and basic furniture options that are easy to swap out as well for added detail.
Photo credit: Lay Baby Lay
19. Barn Door Dividers
If you have a space that is naturally divided, but is not conducive to traditional swinging doors, nor do you want to install a pocket divider, consider hanging barn door hardware and your choice of dividing material. This is a great way to create a shared space that also feels more individualized and private, especially for older children.
20. Playful Sleeping Spaces
This is actually the perfect solution for when you need to quickly convert a room into a shared bedroom space for your younger guests. Foldable teepee frames and blow up mattresses quickly convert into playful sleeping areas that bring a sense of adventure to the visit!
Photo credit: Tubukids
21. To Paint, or Not to Paint?
Love trendy paint styles, but hesitant to invest in the time and semi-permanency of this look? You can now find wall stickers that mimic popular paint design and styles that look like you spent hours playing, but only spent mere minutes. The best part about it all is, you can change the look, add to or take off, or completely re-do it whenever you want!
22. Hanging Curtains
Love the idea of a diving wall, but simply don’t have the space or budget to make it happen? This DIY project simply requires a quality curtain hanger and either a custom curtain or pre-made one to work for the space you need and the style you prefer.
23. Camping Out
Some of the most common shared bedroom spaces are in vacation or get-away homes, and provide a great way to take your decorative ideas in a direction that may not fit well in a more traditional family home. Mountain cabin? Make up your kid’s rooms as a fun camp out spot! Beach front property? Extend the sunny beach in your color scheme and decorative ideas!
24. Sharing Space with a Baby
Adding a new addition to your home doesn’t have to mean you need to create a nursery, again. Although it is nice to have a separate room for each child, the bottom line is – your baby most likely isn’t going to be sleeping alone for the first year anyway, so it makes sense to share space.
25. Simple Division
Small space but love the idea of a basic faux wall? Get creative with bamboo or lathe and create a space saving situation that also provides a divider that provides privacy and individualism for those kiddos that need their space.
26. 4-Poster Privacy
A lot of people avoid considering 4-poster beds as they feel it takes up too much room, but truly much of this is upwards, and they can be the perfect solution for shared bedroom space to help provide a simple way to give each child their own space. Consider their use as a positive addition that is both unique and effective.
27. Sleepover Perfection
Vacation getaway homes, or homes requiring a need for shared sleeping spaces doesn’t have to result in a cluttered spot. Instead, embrace the idea and approach the issue with solutions that take you outside the box. Stacking bed areas, access via the foot of the bed, and loft advantages are all worth considering!
28. Modern Design
You don’t have to place beds up against a stationary wall. Even though this very traditional idea is hard to break free from, play with bed placement and bed access areas to create a useful area that gives your children their own space. This loft design provides access to the second bed through a lifted storage area placed against the wall- creating an effective solution.
29. Permanent Addition
Beds don’t have to be a moveable piece of furniture. In fact, if you have a room that has more than 4 straight walls, sometimes you can best take advantage of this by building in your own bedding solutions. This recessive space is the perfect example, and the perfect size for double queen sized beds.
30. Loft Spaces
If your house has a loft, or larger, built in storage areas towards the top of the house – see it in a whole new light when you consider it as a bedroom. Take advantage of these spaces to open up completely new possibilities in your home for comfortable sleep areas and shared bedroom spaces.
Photo credit: ROMAIN RICARD
31. Magic
Since the bedroom is often the only room that is truly a child’s space in a home, you want to make it as magical as possible and allow them to take responsibility for keeping it looking like their own little world. Wall murals and unique furniture choices are great ways get this started.
32. Space for All
Love the idea of faux walls but hate restricting natural lighting through the room? Why not add in windows to provide space for both your kids, but also allow lighting to keep one from feeling they are too enclosed. If you don’t like the stark contrast used in this example, consider adding curtains and window fixtures!
33. Themed Spaces
Sometimes it is best to keep to a themed space when you are dealing with a smaller room. Allow your children to pick basic favorites and color schemes, and then incorporate them into your own cute area that takes small and blah, to useful and wow!
34. Plenty of Space
Double bunks are a great way to allow 2, 3, or 4 children to share a room. The top bunks are also useful for storage and display of items such as blankets and stuffed animals. To avoid making a room feel cluttered when using more than one bunk bed, use lighter, neutral tone and woods to reflect lighting and provide a feeling of space.
35. Converting Lower Levels
Once again, taking advantage of an unexpected space, such as a sub-basement, for a bedroom solution can open up a room you hadn’t considered to allow your children a shared area without feeling too cluttered. Be sure to use bright colors to help offset smaller windows and take advantage of what natural lighting you may have.
You might want to read: 25 of the Best Kid’s Bedroom Ideas
Conclusion
The bottom line is: shared bedrooms, no matter what the size or location of the room, can be easily created and decorated with a little insight to how to best utilize the area. These ideas provide inspiration for both small and large rooms, 2 or more children, and decorative advice for personalization and storage. Take advantage of these details to start planning comfortable and fun spaces for your children to sleep and play.