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- Nursery Articles -

25 Shared Bedroom Ideas:

How to Divide a Shared Kids' Room

From joining separate families to having twins or welcoming a new baby into your home, there are plenty of reasons to buddy up siblings into a single space. With the right shared bedroom ideas and design features, you (and, more importantly, the two roommates) will be amazed at how spacious the room can feel! Here’s how to divide a shared kids’ room to maximize space and preserve privacy.

1. Coordinate the Beds

When you include two beds in one small room, coordinating the bed frames and bedding can help the room feel more cohesive. This can even help  split bedrooms feel like one well-designed space.

2. Or Contrast Them

On the flip side, contrasting the beds can help ensure both kids sleeping in shared rooms feel like they have distinctive spaces. Try catering the kids’ room decorations to their unique interests, taking favorite colors, characters or books into consideration.

3. Take Advantage of Architectural Quirks

Some of the most creative room dividers are actually not meant to be dividers at all! If you’re arranging two beds into a room featuring arches or other structural elements, consider using those as natural separators between sleeping areas.

4. Create Rooms Within the Room

Need shared bedroom ideas for small rooms? One of the best ways to enhance privacy without sacrificing space is to set off miniature “bed rooms” within the room. This solution turns the beds into private places for each kid to catch some Z’s.

5. Separate With a Shared Nightstand

An extra-wide nightstand or small dresser makes for a simple kids’ room divider. While this doesn’t create any major physical barriers between the two sides of the room, it’s an efficient, functional solution for those who want to know how to separate a room without a wall.

6. Go Head-to-Head (or Toe-to-Toe)

Need a fun, space-maximizing way to arrange two twin beds in a small room? Try setting them up in an “L” shape in a corner. This allows two kids sharing a room to divide nearly the whole space for the rest of their activities. You may even be able to fit two separate reading nooks or play areas along the other two walls.

7. Set Off Each Bed With Curtains or Canopies

If you want an easy way to divide a bedroom into two rooms, try separating each side with a line of curtains. Or, to create a privacy bed on each side, use curtains or canopies to make each bed feel like its own space within the shared room.

8. Include Shareable Storage

When considering shared bedroom ideas, it’s important to prioritize organization. Large, dynamic storage pieces ensure both kids can sock away all their clothes and toys. Plus, they can even function as a partition for splitting a bedroom in two.

9. Bunk Up With a Bunk Bed Room Divider

Looking for a way to fit two beds in a room and divide the space in half? Look up! Going vertical with a bunk bed will save a ton of floor space you can dedicate to storage, seating or activity zones. You can even position the bunk bed in the middle of the room to give each kiddo their personal space.

10. Dedicate Individual Decor & Lighting

In some cases, the best ways to divide a room don’t use physical barriers like walls, partitions or curtains. To keep the space open and accessible, dedicating specific children’s room decor and lighting to each side can visually create a sense of separation. Think of it as a way of making each bed feel independent of the other.

11. Give Each Space a Name

In a split bedroom, it’s important that your little roomies feel they have their own space. Hanging personalized decorative elements like custom wall letters over each bed ensures that each child feels represented.

12. Keep the Design Minimal

When it comes to shared kids’ bedroom ideas, less can definitely be more. Keeping the design scheme minimal with a toned-down palette should set the stage for each kid to get a personalized space that doesn’t clash or make the room feel overwhelming.

13. Work Around a Window

To divide a room without creating a physical wall, try arranging the beds on either side of a central window. This allows both beds to share the natural light equally while visually suggesting a defined break between the two spaces.

14. Set Off With a Rug

Another simple but effective way to divide a kids’ room in half is to place a rug between the two beds. This is especially useful for separating those halves when there isn’t much space between two twin beds in a small room.

15. Face Opposite Walls

For larger rooms, consider facing the beds toward each other with their headboards flush against opposing walls. The extra space on either side of each bed should give you plenty of room for dressers, desks or storage solutions.

16. Nestle Into Nooks

If the room you’re splitting features a recessed area, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to create an individual space for one or both beds. Even a little nook goes a long way in separating sleeping areas.

17. Tailor Each Sleeping Space

When splitting a room for two kids, they’ll appreciate feeling as if each area is specially tailored to their tastes, interests and personalities. Try incorporating their favorite colors in the bedding or adding distinctive wall hangings.

18. Give Them Their Own Space With House Beds

Don’t want to create a physical barrier between the beds? A house bed is a fun option for turning each sleeper into its own private space. To add another layer of privacy, simply drape a curtain over the open section, and voila—you’ve got two mini bedrooms!

19. Bump It Out

While some see wall bump-outs as design challenges, when it comes to split kids’ rooms, they can be incredibly useful. Design the space around the “bump” to take advantage of the natural separation. And if one side of the room happens to be a little bigger than the other, you can give “seniority” to the elder child!

20. Set Up Personalization Opportunities

Self-expression is key when it comes to divided rooms. Make sure each kid has ample opportunities to personalize their sides of the room with display shelves and pinboards they can use to make their space their own!

21. Double Down on Loft Beds

To really maximize efficiency, including two loft beds in one room could be the way to go. The open areas beneath them can be used for extra storage or customized for unique hangout zones they can retreat to when they want a space of their own.

22. Or Combine a Loft Bed With a Traditional One

Alternatively, you could use the floor space beneath for a more traditional bed. Think of it like a deconstructed bunk bed you can arrange into an “L” shape in the corner, opening up the rest of the room for storage and furniture.

23. Hear Us Out: Get Extra Headphones

Don’t forget that splitting a bedroom doesn’t just mean sharing square footage—it also means sharing the soundwaves. While you can’t exactly divvy the latter up evenly, you can ensure that everyone gets to listen to the music or sleep sounds of their choice.

24. Add a Little Trunk Space

The storage potential and versatility of trunks and toy chests make them split room must-haves. Try adding one to the foot of each bed or lining them up between the beds to create a simple, dual-use room divider.

25. Fit In Fun Furniture

There’s always room for movable, kid-friendly furniture. These pieces can be set up as room dividers, moved around the room for lounging and then easily put back into place when playtime is over.

Whether you’re looking to divide a room physically, visually or even vertically, you’ve got plenty of options. Now that you know how to divide a shared kids’ room with these shared bedroom ideas, you should be able to fit both beds and all the furnishings each kid needs—with room to spare!

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