Our Kid’s Bedroom

When our kids were little, we had them share a room but split them up once we realized they kept waking each other up at night. Not in the sweet, playful way, but the crying, bedtime routine all over again way. With a toddler and infant, that was not something we wanted to go through every night. We made the guest room a separate kid’s bedroom.

After the kids got older, our girl decided on her own to sleep in her brother’s room for company. His room started out as a guest room, so there was a full-sized bed there in addition to the crib. Over the years they would still keep each other up, but in the playful, sweet way that siblings do sometimes. When we moved into our new house, we got bunk beds and made it official- they were sharing a room.

It’s worked out really well thus far, but it’s been somewhat of a challenge to design a kid’s bedroom. We needed it to not only work for a boy and a girl, but also able to hold the massive amount of toys both have (#grandparents).

Their closet is a really good size and we got a customized design from the Container Store. Highly recommend.

Here are some ideas that we thought of while designing the space:

COZY CORNER

Great idea for siblings of different genders, a room where a corner is dedicated to each kid can make the space feel put together while also allowing for personal space. While kids can play together in the shared space, there is room to play independently as well. For kids that have their own room, a teepee or play tent where alone time can be had is a great idea.  

READING ROOM

I love using books as the focal point of a kid’s bedroom. Making books accessible to be opened, read and enjoyed can have so many benefits. Not only is it a calming activity before bed (or any time of the day), it can help with independence and imagination. Pick a wall and either buy a bookshelf ceiling to floor or install a built-in one that can really make a statement. Fill it with all the books, leaving the ones that are the most loved at eye level. Rotate the books every few months to keep the collection fresh and new. 

These book shelves are from IKEA and are originally spice racks. I love them.

STARRY NIGHT

For the ultimate place to rest, a room decorated with stars, moon and a night sky would be so dreamy. While kids can play in the room during the day, when the sun goes down, the room goes into night mode. Glow-in-the-dark stick-on-stars on the ceiling, cloud night lights, dark blue wall paint and a white noise sound machine tie it all together.  

We ended up doing a mix of cozy corner and starry night, with improvements as the years and interests change. I love that the kids have their own space to play with their own toys, but also an open area where they can play together if they want. More than anything, I am so happy to see their relationship grow as brother and sister and the bond that is forming between them.

Want more kids bedroom ideas? Check out my blog post over on Zulily!