Small rooms for kids: The request could not be satisfied

Paint, Furniture, Storage, and More

1

Bring Fun to Soft Floors

Rikki Snyder

Your kids won’t be able to resist naptime in this warm and cozy playroom. Becca Casey of Becca Interiors designed custom elements for this Connecticut home built in 1937. Instead of going for an alphabet carpet, she added texture to the room with a cushioned rug, bean bags, and fluffy throw pillows. You can lean back and relax on the cushioned window seat while your child’s imagination runs wild and free.

2

Use Floor-to-Ceiling Wallpaper

Chaunté Vaughn

Meta Coleman designed a magical bedroom centered on nature (and race cars). Using the St. Jude’s Squirrel and Sunflower wallpaper, Coleman met the challenge of a New England structure by committing to a botanical print. “Sometimes you have to lean into a home’s quirk,” says Coleman. “Wallpapering the whole room makes the angles feel less pronounced.”

3

Support Creative Expression

Kate Thompson

According to Kiki Slaughter, kids are the best artists. The artist designed a collection of textiles and wallcoverings featuring doodles her little ones made in their Richmond, Virginia home. “I covered my children’s rooms in the patterns they created. Seeing their eyes light up being surrounded by something they made makes my heart happy,” she says. “I hope that being surrounded by something that they helped make, inspires them with whatever they decide to do in the future. Proceeds from their designs will go toward their creative education fund.”

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4

Mix and Match Textiles

Read McKendree

While a bed that’s low to the ground might not grow with your child, it can certainly make for an easy big-kid-bed transition. The bed in designer Chauncy Boothby’s son’s room seen here has been passed down through her husband’s family for four generations. She paired the classic brown furniture with fun nautical wallpaper that’s perfect for a kid’s room.

5

Get Ready for Sleepovers

Eric Piasecki

Your kids will sing your praises with a setup that invites their friends to sleep over. To ensure a family’s two sons had a big open area to play and room for their friends to spend the night, designer Andrew Howard arranged a pair of bunk beds in the corner of the room. Built-in storage is a space saving kid’s room idea in this Texas home that makes cleanup a breeze.

6

Build a Space-Friendly Bed Stack

Courtesy of Harp Design

Limited space? No problem. Harp Design Co. created a custom triple-decker bunk bed for a family’s small bonus room to make it a multifunctional spot for sleeping, playing games, and watching television. It can actually sleep up to four: There’s a trundle bed below the first bunk for when their little cousin sleeps over.

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7

Hang Dress-Up Costumes

April Tomlin

Tea time just got chicer with a pretty clothing rack in the playroom to keep dress-up costumes and props organized and on display. We’re loving how April Tomlin added little house structures to make games even more immersive—this kid’s room idea is a Barbie dreamhouse waiting to happen!

8

Keep Fun Front and Center

Tria Giovan

Your child will cherish the memories and TikToks made in their epic playroom. This curtained stage designed by Phillip Sides adds drama to everything from guitar practice to spontaneous productions. If your kids love music, consider setting up a similar space that can double as a rehearsal and performance arena (those curtains and wall-to-wall carpeting help absorb noise for a makeshift “soundproof” room. You can cheer them on from the front row.

9

Make a Nook Out of Books

Heidi’s Bridge

With a Kalon Studios daybed framed by a custom built-in bookshelf, a versatile study by Indigo Ochre Design is the ideal place to curl up with a good read.

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10

Modernize a Bunk Room

Hulya Kolabas

Lucy Harris Studio chose bubble wallcovering by Chasing Paper and a ceiling of Benjamin More Blue Jean to make the bunks in this epic home feel as if they’re floating.

11

Kid-ify a Study

Nelson Hancock

Once brimming with the client’s books, this wood-paneled library was converted into a playroom by designer Bruce Shostak, who added hot pink, turquoise, and raspberry accents to appease its new inhabitants.

12

Stick With Ageless Accents

Read McKendree

Kid-friendly and cheerful yet sophisticated and versatile, the floral watercolor wallcovering by Flat Vernacular and vintage butterfly mirror will grow with this room’s inhabitant. “She can change the bed and keep everything else,” says Colleen Bashaw of Brown Hall Design.

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13

Create a Washable Playroom

Donna Dotan

If you can squeeze a playroom into their sleeping space or you have a spare room, take note of this stylish kid’s room idea. Designer Ariel Okin embellished this room for her daughter with Farrow & Ball paints Green Ground and Citron in a wipeable modern emulsion finish to relieve the stress of discovering art on the walls.

14

Set Up a Homework Station

Karyn Millet

Whether it’s a bedroom corner turned workspace or an entire room, a dedicated area to focus on schoolwork, especially in the age of virtual learning is a must this study zone by designer Eric Olsen features custom pendants for ample lighting over a desk that seats multiple children.

15

Match Everything

MO ARPI

To frame the antique Dutch windows, E&A Interiors created matching green lacquered canopy beds. “It’s grown-up enough for two friends and equally magical for children,” says designer Chlöe Elkerton. Whether you have twins or not, a matchy-matchy look always wins in the world of interiors.

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16

Leave Room to Play

DAVID A. LAND

Amy Berry incorporated a chaise and rocking chair for reading and brought the room to life with a classic toile wallpaper and framed botanical prints. Keeping most of the decor on the walls leaves more useable floor space so there’s room to play.

17

Section It Off

Heidi Caillier Design

In this bedroom designed by Heidi Callier, the blush pink curtains lighten the mood and allow for a sectioned off “play zone” under the top bunks. The warm browns and woods create a warm foundation, and though each piece feels kid-friendly, it also blends right in with the style of the home as a whole.

18

Pick a Statement Headboard

Arent & Pyke

Arent & Pyke opted for modern, sculptural pieces that strike that very careful balance between playful and grown-up. From the striped table lamp to the wooden stool, graphic rug, linen bedding, and eye-catching rug, this kid’s room idea feels both youthful and timeless. The Kelly Wearstler–upholstered headboard is sophisticated and wild, while soft pink walls lighten the mood.

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19

Invest in Ageless Furniture

Marie Flanigan Interiors

Contained by gold leaf borders, the flowers climbing up the walls of designer Marie Flanigan’s newborn daughter’s room are actually mural wallpaper. Today, the daybed is “a cozy spot for late-night feedings, but one day it’ll be her big-girl bed with a trundle for sleepovers,” the Houston designer says. Stylish, ageless, multi-purpose furniture is always a good investment.

20

Encourage Their Imagination

DAVID A. LAND

We all know that children love places where their imaginations can run wild. Here, interior designer Amy Berry wrapped this boy’s room in a mural of the Virginia countryside. “I thought of it as: How will they remember this when they grow up?” she says.

Hadley Mendelsohn

Contributor

Hadley Mendelsohn is the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she’s not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.  

Medgina Saint-Elien

Senior Market and Partnerships Editor

Medgina Saint-Elien covers everything your home needs. She writes about exciting new product launches, hands-on reviews, and the “lightbulb” moments in every maker’s story. In overseeing key HB editorial franchises, including the Live Better Awards, Saint-Elien champions the work of BIPOC entrepreneurs in the design and beauty industries. In addition to House Beautiful, her work has been published in Byrdie, Snapchat, and more. Outside of work, the writer and poet can be found documenting her travels on social media and saving memes for future use.

15 Shared Small Bedroom Ideas That Kids Will Love

By

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.

Learn more about The Spruce’s
Editorial Process

Updated on 05/25/23

The Spruce / Alyssa Vela

Whether your kids are sharing a small bedroom out of desire or necessity, it’s important to give each child their own space while helping them to appreciate the joys of togetherness. From layout to color palettes to furniture choices and accessories, here are some simple ideas to create a cozy space that kids will love to share.  

• 01
  of 15

  Accent With Color

  Designed by Eklektik Studio / Photo by Anna Stathaki

  Eklektik Studio hung Winnie the Pooh-inspired wallpaper on the walls of this light and airy London-shared kid’s bedroom—it’s accessorized with subtle pink and blue accents to personalize the space.

• 02
  of 15

  Share the Headboard

  Christina Kim Interior Design / Raquel Langworthy Photography

  The dramatic raw wood beams in this cozy top-floor shared kids’ bedroom from Christina Kim Interior Design create a natural division between twin beds that are otherwise united by a single headboard upholstered in mint green velvet.

• 03
  of 15

  Divide Space With Paint

  Design by Vanessa Scoffier / Photo by Hotel Henriette

  Paris-based interior designer Vanessa Scoffier painted each side of this small room at the Hotel Henriette in a different pastel shade to visually define and virtually divide the space in two. Matching sconces add cohesion, and mismatched accent pillows give each side its own identity.

• 04
  of 15

  Make It a Double

  Design by AHG Interiors / Photo by Nick Glimenakis

  Instead of two twin beds, the kid’s room in this 1960s Catskills, NY house from AHG Interiors has a shared double bed. Mismatched lamps on the nightstands give each side its own personality, and colorful throw pillows add playfulness to the minimalist design.

• 05
  of 15

  Use a Trundle Bed

  AHG Interiors / Photo by Nick Glimenakis

  If you’re decorating a kid’s bedroom in a weekend house or a temporary shared space for two young kids—consider using a trundle bed that can be pulled out for sleeping and stowed away to create extra floor space for daytime play, like this New York State kids shared bedroom from AHG Interiors. Once kids are older and graduate to their own rooms, the trundle bed can be used for sleepovers.

• 06
  of 15

  Hang a Shared Canopy

  Photo by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

  Emily Henderson Design draped an oversized but minimalist shared canopy over the twin beds in this bright kid’s room outfitted in shades of green, blue, and white that make the ceilings feel taller. A vintage trunk functions as a communal nightstand.

• 07
  of 15

  Combine Pink and Blue

  Design by Maison Ellie / Photo by Rebecca Simon

  In this shared kid’s bedroom from Maison Ellie, a palette of soft pinks and blues are dispersed throughout. The room includes Cole & Son Woods & Stars wallpaper with metallic star accents and a variety of pastel-toned textile accents like a linen flag banner, decorative throw pillows, and framed art prints.

• 08
  of 15

  Pair Mismatched Antique Beds

  Fantastic Frank

  This Scandinavian shared kid’s room from Fantastic Frank looks like it has been preserved from another century—with its Scandi-style wood from floor to walls to ceiling, a pair of mismatched antique bed frames and nightstands, and vintage toys and decor accents throughout.

• 09
  of 15

  Add Bunk Houses

  Design by AHG Interiors / Photo by Chris Mottalini

  This rustic kid’s Catskills ski lodge bedroom from AHG Interiors has a cozy feel thanks to a pair of matching house-shaped raised beds complete with roll-up shades on the windows that provide privacy for siblings while keeping them close.

• 10
  of 15

  Use Midcentury Furniture

  Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Christy Q. Photo

  In this minimalist shared kids’ room from Cathie Hong Interiors, a symmetrical layout with matching vintage-style rattan twin bed frames is divided by a midcentury modern-style nightstand. To keep laundry day simple, the beds have matching bed linens but each has its own accent pillows and stuffed animals to give each side its own personality.

• 11
  of 15

  Use an All-White Palette

  Kate Marker Interiors

  This cottage bedroom from Kate Marker Interiors has an all-white palette that keeps it feeling light and airy despite the small size. Bunk beds maximize vertical space, leaving room for a small hang-out area in the corner with a comfortable chair and a Moroccan pouf that doubles as an extra seat. A star-shaped pendant light adds a touch of whimsy.

• 12
  of 15

  Go Scandi Style

  Urbanology Designs / Norman Young Photography

  This Scandi-inspired shared kid’s bedroom from Urbanology Designs is light, airy, and gender-neutral—with a pale wood bunk bed whose lower half is on wheels, a jute rug, soft white walls, and graphic black accents that are playful but sophisticated.

• 13
  of 15

  Add a Double Dresser

  A Beautiful Mess

  Adding a double dresser to a shared kid’s bedroom is an easy way to save space and give each child their own real estate for storing clothing and displaying favorite items, like this brother and sister bedroom from A Beautiful Mess.

• 14
  of 15

  Keep It Zen

  Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Christy Q. Photo

  Cathie Hong Interiors designed this shared kid’s bedroom with calming shades of blue and green, mesmerizing illustrated wave-patterned wallpaper, and a sleek pale wood bunk bed to maximize space.

• 15
  of 15

  Add Matching Canopy Beds

  Heather Hilliard Design / Photo by Jose Manuel Alorda

  If you’ve got enough space, adding matching canopy beds to a shared kid’s bedroom gives each child their own well-defined space that can be personalized with color or accessories, like this San Francisco bedroom from Heather Hilliard Design.

55 bright ideas – INMYROOM

A child is a small personality. He needs his own space where he can play and dream. For one child, this issue is easier to solve. And what to do when two children and one room?

A child is a small person with his own needs and
interests. He needs his own space where he can play and dream.
For one child, this issue is easier to solve. And what to do when there are two children, and one room? Let’s get a look!

The design of the nursery must be created in a harmonious and
functional, and most importantly, that the kids like it. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account
everyone’s preferences.

The simplest solution is room zoning. Can be divided
nursery with a color or a small partition.

It is desirable that each child has his own locker,
bedside table for his personal belongings.

Or simple, handy boxes that you can make yourself with your kids.

If two little princesses live in a room, they will certainly like the option in the form of a fairy-tale house. Delicate color
gamma fits perfectly into this style.

Here is an interesting color combination and design for two
fashionistas a little older.

As the girls grow up, they may be more comfortable in bright shades of scarlet.

For two boys, young car lovers, you can create a stylized interior.

Warm
flooring is an important element in the rooms for small children. Here is another important point that parents should take into account.

The teenagers’ room can be decorated in orange or yellow. tree presence
and white color makes the space cheerful and comfortable.

The task becomes more difficult when people live in the same room
girl and boy. But as you know, all issues are solvable.

Kids will like it if their zones are marked with color, decor, zoning.

Perfect for children of different sexes, a single stylistic
solution (color, furniture).

To save space, it is better to use two-tier
beds are a good old solution that does not lose its relevance.

Or the pull-out twin bed version, an even more ergonomic version of the bunk bed.

Economical and functional. A
such an original solution is useful for those who have three kids.

Parents should take into account that these are children, so the room
there should be one unifying zone for games. Especially if they are small and
little difference in age.

It is interesting to live together in one room, especially when everyone has their own house.

75 photo options, tips

Children grow and develop, and the complexity of decorating the interior of a children’s room for two children means that many things need to change in a few years. A well-thought-out interior will reflect the interests and tastes of a girl and a boy, their age characteristics and personal wishes. The layout of urban apartments with a lack of a separate room for each family member encourages parents to equip a room for two children. Children get along differently, there are pronounced individualists and owners who claim a separate personal space, and it is important to reckon with this.

Design should be thought out based on the preferences of the child

Design can be made the same or individual for each child

Light colors are preferred for children’s room

Contents

• 1 What is important to consider in the nursery?
• 2 Choosing furniture for children’s rooms of different layouts
• 3 Separation of space for different children
• 4 Decor
• 5 Video: Design of a children’s room for two children
• 6 50 photos of design ideas for a children’s room for two children:
  • 6.1 See also

What is important to consider in the nursery?

The modern design of a children’s room for two children is thought through in detail. Agree, it is not good to leave a growing baby in a crib if his legs stick out through the gaps in the back or hang down from the children’s sofa. The decor should correspond to the rapidly changing interests of the son and daughter – they are different for children of a preschooler and a teenager.

Schoolchildren should have a comfortable desk or computer desk. For each child, their part of the table is separated, and his personal area is equipped with shelves and drawers at arm’s length. Be sure to have good (but not very bright) local lighting where children study or sit at a computer. The room for two children and its design is important to update from time to time:

• for baby or baby;
• preschooler’s room;
• playroom for children of elementary grades;
• study zone for adolescence;
• bedroom of maturing girls (boys).

Schoolchildren should have a comfortable writing or computer desk. For each child, their part of the table is separated, and his personal area is equipped with shelves and drawers at arm’s length. Be sure to have good (but not very bright) local lighting where children study or sit at a computer.

The decor must match the rapidly changing interests of the son and daughter – they are different for preschoolers and teenagers

The modern design of a children’s room for two children is thought through in detail

Certain difficulties are caused by the room of children of different ages with their needs and interests. Functional zoning is necessary here, where it is supposed to allocate:

• personal space;
• sleep and rest area;
• place to play;
• free passage;
• working (training) zone;
• each has its own place to store things.

Arrangement of a place for games is determined by the age characteristics and hobbies of children. All sorts of retractable planes, including beds, free up more space for play in the aisle. This is true for a narrow children’s bedroom and a small room. For teenagers who have ceased to be interested in toys, this place will eventually be filled with equipment and simulators, as in the photo.

In a large space, it is easiest to plan a design project for a children’s room for two children, especially if it is entrusted to a specialist. He will make the wildest dreams of children come true.

Arrangement of a place for games is due to age characteristics and hobbies of children

You can entrust the design of a children’s room to a specialist

Consider children’s preferences when choosing a design

When the family is on a tight budget and the nursery is too small for creative ideas, do-it-yourself decor and compact furniture are used. Applicable:

• folding tops;
• transformers;
• folding sofas;
• retractable beds;
• many drawers in functional cabinets;
• open racks, shelves and bookcases used as partitions for space zoning.

Preschoolers do not need an extended study area, but a comfortable table, a wide window sill or a folding tabletop are a must. Here it will be convenient for them to look at their favorite books, make something or glue it out of paper.

Rest should be quiet, in a secluded place, so that the attention of a falling asleep child is not distracted by foreign objects. The optimal arrangement of beds is head to head, but not back to back. An appropriate bunk bed, but in a hot room with low ceilings, the child upstairs will not be comfortable. It is better to take a separate corner with soft light away from the window, and it is desirable that the children’s beds are not opposite each other.

If the room is small you can use multifunctional furniture

Headboard-to-headboard arrangement is considered optimal, but not back-to-back

See alsoScandinavian-style nursery – a new fashion trend

With the zoning of the children’s room, everything is clear. But 2 questions remain open – how to select furniture, where to put it in a limited space? Aesthetics, color and design are, of course, important, but you should not clutter up the aisles with it and take away square meters from the playing area.

Cabinet furniture – at least, open shelves, cabinets and racks – a good replacement for partitions. Toys and small items are conveniently stored in drawers that can be provided with cribs and sofas. Multi-level built-in furniture up to the ceiling will help save free space to free up space in the aisles, give more light and air.

TABLE

1.	Narrow room with front door	Clear aisle as much as possible, cabinet furniture along one wall, a table by the window, bunk beds or head to head
2.	Large room with two windows	Best layout, 2 desks by each window or large table top, plenty of room for zoning
3.	Small square room with one window	Sitting areas opposite each other, beds with a side placed in parallel, a table by the window
4.	Spacious room with bay windows	Place a play or study area near the window, replace the window sills with a countertop
5.	Walk-through long room	The worst option, it is important to fence off the sleeping and rest area as much as possible, the playing place is in the corner, and not on the aisle, cabinets near 1 wall
6.	Rectangular children’s door in the side wall	Built-in cabinet against solid wall, perpendicular beds, 2 tables
7.	Small L-shaped room	Worst option, bunk bed, minimum cabinet furniture, 1 table

Transformer beds can be used in small rooms

Cabinet furniture – at least, open shelves, cabinets and shelving – a good replacement for partitions

Tiered built-in furniture up to the ceiling saves space

1. If age differences are small, then children of the same age, even if they are a son and daughter, up to 10 years old do not have to delimit their personal space. The design of a room for children of different sexes can be neutral, without gender differences, only the place above the bed can be marked with its own color or favorite dolls and cars on the shelf. The background of the walls is chosen in a calm neutral shade:

• white;
• beige;
• cream;
• grey-blue;
• light green;
• pale lemon;
• washed blue or turquoise;
• delicate peach or apricot.

As children grow older, the desire for isolation and self-expression becomes more tangible. By the beginning of the school year or the next birthday of the child, give them a gift – update the design of the nursery for two children by adding a partition and original zoning. DIY decor should reflect love for the cartoon character or other common interest.

It is not necessary to delimit zones at all

The design of a room for children of different sexes can be neutral

2. If there are 2 girls in a room with different interests, even if they are twins or twins, you can’t teach them to have everything in common. On the contrary, instill a desire for healthy individualism – everyone has their own personal belongings:

• towels;
• bed linen;
• clothing and footwear;
• school supplies;
• toys.

You can’t skimp on this, especially during seasonal epidemics. Each child is a unique person, and both girls must show their inclinations, abilities and desires in their own way, not subject to the influence of the authority of their parents or sister.

In the common room, each daughter should have her own closet or separate places for clothes and shoes. Shelves with textbooks and toys, a rug, and a light zoning curtain can mark the boundaries of personal space where no one should enter without her consent. If girls like to dress up, decorate their room like a Parisian courtyard with a view of the Eiffel Tower using photo wallpaper.

3. The two boys must also have a separate space. A two-level bed, “loft” or “compartment”, can cause litter over who gets to climb up. Offer them a lottery every month. Soon they will determine themselves, and there will be more free space in the room. The decor should reflect their preferences, but it is better to choose a loft-style interior – Spider-Man’s hideout or a stylized captain’s cabin.

In the common room, each child should have their own closet or separate places for clothes and shoes

If there are 2 girls in a room with different interests, even if they are twins or twins, you can’t teach them to have everything in common

Each child should have their own things and space

A well-thought-out interior for sons can have a common computer desk, but each should have its own rack or shelves. The common plane for games does not exclude the fact that they should do their lessons from their side of the tabletop or in a separate corner by the window. If there are 2 windows in the children’s room – even better, let them have 2 desktops with a common computer area in the middle, as in the photo.

4. The option of a room for children with a large age difference causes difficulties for parents. Separate the baby’s sleeping place with a canopy. A teenager does not need such an accessory if he sleeps on the couch. Decorating choose neutral for the whole room, but age features should be reflected in personal space.

Even if a preschooler has a large space to play, set up a small table and a comfortable chair. This is necessary so that she does not carry her books and plasticine on the table of her older sister when she is teaching lessons. With the rest of the furniture it is much easier – the baby will grow up and “move” to the table and to the bed of an adult sister.

Council. Arrange a spacious room so that everyone can go about their business without being distracted by a sister or brother. In a cramped little room – only what is necessary, everyone has their own bed. A common play and study area is acceptable, but an older child can study, sit at a laptop or listen to music in another room.

In a cramped little room – only what is necessary, everyone has their own bed

Arrange a spacious room so that everyone can go about their business without being distracted by a sister or brother

5. Children of different sexes also have to be placed in the same room, but when they grow up, they will have to delimit places for sleeping. But until the age of 10-11, it will be a common room, then the boy will be moved to another room, but there remains a common study area. The interior for a boy and a girl should reflect their diverse interests, the background should be neutral.

The choice of style should take into account their desires, and you can always find something in common in the interests of the daughter and son. They read the same books, watch the same cartoons and series. Offer options that will suit both of them.

The choice of style should take into account their desires

The girl is given a more secluded place where she will feel protected

Wardrobes for daughter and son clothes must be separate

A more secluded place is assigned for the girl, where she will feel protected. For example, offer the top level of a children’s furniture complex. Wardrobes for daughter and son clothes should be separate, this is not even discussed. Vinyl stickers on the doors with your favorite characters will emphasize their belonging.

If you do not pay special attention to decor that reflects the inclinations of children, you can diversify the situation according to the principle of seasonality. Children will gladly take part in making paper butterflies for wall decor or decorating a decorative tree – with its leaves, birds, flowers and fruits, snowflakes and raindrops.

Choose bright furniture, cushions in the form of soft toys

All décor should be based on an acquisition that will make children happy

Choose bright furniture, plush toy cushions, children’s lamps, interior clocks, fantasy bedding or car road mats. All this will help to equip a room for children with different interests at minimal cost.

Attention! Remember about safety, it is more important than the design of a room for two children with different interests.