Consider This Before Picking Kids Bedroom Furniture for a Shared Room
Ages of the Children – The ages of your children will play a big part in your decisions on what type of furniture to buy, the zones of the room, the décor and the room’s overall feel. It can be difficult to create a functional space for children of different ages because they require vastly different things from their bedroom. Things like blackout curtains and a white noise machine ensures each kid gets enough uninterrupted sleep. Take into consideration the needs of each child and choose a consistent finish, like the same color wood or similar color fabric, for the kids’ bedroom sets to make everything feel cohesive no matter the age gap.
Personal Space – It’s important that each kid has their own private space within the room. Add a room divider, a bed tent, or desks on opposite sides of the bedroom to give the kids separation. The goal here is to ensure each kid feels like the room is a place where they can relax, unwind and do their own activities without interruption.
Intended Use – Think about how you’d like the kids to use the room. Do they need a space to do homework? A cozy spot to read? Will the room double as a play space or do you prefer to keep it minimal? Get input from your kids and ask them what they want out of their room too. Make a list of all the different zones you want to have in the kid’s room by priority and start there.
Storage Needs – Younger children benefit from eye-level storage in the room so they feel empowered to get their own toys and put them away. Clear storage bins with simple labels help them learn to read and to know exactly where everything goes. If you have a mix of ages in the same room, stagger the storage so there’s both high and low shelves. The higher shelves keep your older children’s most prized belongings out of a toddler’s reach.
Decide on Single Beds vs. Bunk Beds
Kids love bunk beds, but it’s not right for every room or every kid. Consider the layout of the room and your children’s personalities. Will they argue over the top bunk? Are they afraid of heights? Is there a ceiling fan in the room? The answers will influence your decision.
Bunk beds are great for older kids or bedrooms without space to accommodate two twin bed frames. Choose a bunk bed with a trundle, which means there’s an extra mattress you can pull out underneath the lower bunk, which is perfect for sleepovers or if you have three kids sharing the room. Have two young children in the same room? Go with a twin bunk bed. You can also get a twin over full bunk bed, a bunk bed with a slide or even a triple bunk bed. The one downside to bunk beds is making the bed is more difficult, so your children might need help at first.
Decorating for Kids With Different Interests
Your children’s bedroom should reflect their personalities, but it can be tricky combining opposites into one functional space. Let each child pick out their bedding, art for their side of the room or accessories for their nightstand, then unify the room through décor.
Choose a rug that has tones from both sides of the room, add a fun wallpaper that appeals to them both, or invest in matching bed frames which will make the room feel like one unified space. If your kids just can’t agree, don’t be afraid to add two rugs, two different desks or different décor styles. Try to keep things within the same color family to maintain a cohesive flow in the room, but ultimately making sure that each child feels like their side of the room is uniquely theirs is more important than aesthetic.
