Ideas for Your Shared Kids Room That Will Keep the Whole Family Happy

Although putting the kids into a shared room might be a necessity, there are things you can do to make the experience positive for everyone involved. And with these helpful hints, crafting a space that’s comfy, creative, and functional can be simpler than you think!

Focus on comfort first

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the most important function of the bedroom. Any bedroom (not just the kids’) should be a place to rest and recharge, first and foremost. We all know that growing bodies need good sleep to thrive, so be sure to support them with a proper sleep environment that’s cool, quiet, dark, and set up with comfortable beds. Create your shared space with these bases covered first, and then build from there. Trust us, you’ll find that well-rested kids are happy kids!

Give the kids the bigger bedroom

Hear us out, parents! If you choose to dedicate the primary bedroom of your home to the kids, the extra space will make it functional as a playroom as well. In other words, all of the toys, crafts, books, and other clutter that belongs to them stays in one room of the house. This is an especially helpful tip for parents that get easily overwhelmed by extra stuff, because it helps set an expectation of where things go. When their belongings start to accumulate around the rest of the house, they'll understand very quickly where to put things away. Plus, you can close the door on the mess at anytime!

Choose functional and dual-purpose furniture

Every parent knows that kids inevitably come with lots of stuff. Especially in smaller spaces, it’s important to choose furniture and fixtures that can double up – like a low dresser that also serves as a nightstand – or pieces with hidden storage, like our handy Lottie Upholstered Platform Bed Frames with Storage. Whether you have drawers built into your beds or not, don’t underestimate the potential of a few extra inches of under bed space!

Vertically stacked furniture can also be a game-changer. For storage, this means utilizing built-in shelving or bookcases to store toys, books, or knick-knacks. And when it comes to beds, don’t underestimate the space-saving power (and added fun!) of a bunk bed or daybed with trundle.

Find a common theme (even if it’s a simple one)

What kid doesn’t love a themed bedroom to reflect their budding personality? You can tie everything together (even unite mismatched furniture pieces) with a theme, whether it’s feminine and flowery, nautical, or animal inspired!

Photo: @fromgrittopearl

We all know it can be tough sometimes to get siblings on the same page about what their room should look like. If your little ones are into different things, choose simplified furniture and a neutral color scheme that you can build upon with accent pieces that suit their tastes. Simple foundational pieces (like our Olivia Metal and Wood Platform Bed Frame) will also carry you well through the teen years.

Consider strategic furniture arrangement

Let’s be honest — sharing a room with a sibling can sometimes create conflict. If close quarters tend to be a pain point for your kids, rearranging their beds can be one smart solution to get them a little more physical separation.

Choose a piece of furniture to put between the beds as a “barrier”. This could be a dresser or nightstand, or perhaps something taller like a bookshelf that can create the feeling of two independent spaces. If your room is on the longer side, you may be able to put the heads of the bed on opposite sides of the room.

You can also place both heads of the beds in a corner, separated by a shared furniture piece. This way, both kiddos get to have a different “view” when they lie down. Also, they each get a wall to personalize as their own!

And when possible, practice good Feng Shui by giving the beds a “power position”, or in other words, placement that puts them in view of the doorway without directly facing it. This positioning will promote feelings of safety and security – just how you want them to feel when they tuck in!