Home visit: a shared bedroom each child will love

Even if your child doesn't have a room of their own, you can help them find the joy in sharing with simple ideas that turn a space for two into one where each of them can show their personality, feel safe and have some privacy. Come see how we made it work for Manuela and Miguel!

In a kids’ bedroom a boy sits on the bottom of a bunk bed and looks up at his sister who sits on the steps to the top bunk.

Kids’ room with a white and turquoise scheme, wood bunk bed with colourful bedding, wood and white drawers and turquoise rug.

Dream bed

In a shared bedroom, each child's bed is their kingdom! Make it a dream space by letting them pick their own bedding, cushions and the soft toys they want to cuddle. Look for accessories to make it personal, like STICKAT bed pockets that hold their treasures. If space is tight, and your children are the right age (top bunks are for children aged 8+) bunk beds are a super space-saving solution.

A young boy pushes a clear storage box full of toy train track pieces under a bed with colourful bedding on a turquoise rug.

Easy to sort, store and find

“We've tried different kinds of storage in here and moved things around a bit, but each time we've tried to make sure we use things like see-through tubs, or boxes the kids can lift, or push around, so their toys stay accessible. Because we've noticed that when they can get to their toys, they play with them more – when they’re hidden away, they forget that they have them,” says mum Marcia.

A soft toy python wrapped around the frame of a wooden bed, next to a fabric pocket storage accessory with books inside.

Added comfort

The idea of comfort in a child's room is often about the reassurance of the familiar and feeling secure. Think about the things that bring comfort to your child and give them pride of place in the room. Whether it's a night light to ease the darkness, a much-hugged cuddly toy, or the bedtime storybook they never get tired of reading.

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Our challenge was to find the best way to make this small room work for both children. We added colour to the walls, and swapped their single beds for a bunk bed to make more room for them to play and to keep their toys.

”

Marcia

A set of wooden shelves with a display of toys including dinosaurs and trains. Below is a ‘hello’ sign made of black metal.

Favourites on show

The idea of storage as display comes into its own in a child’s bedroom. Having a set of shelves where your child can put their absolute favourite toys out on show not only makes it easy for them to find them and play with them more, it helps them learn how to cherish and care for their things.

A girl sits at a desk using a red stamp pen to make patterns on paper, there are tubes of paints in a pink tub beside her.

Room to create

“I like the kids having a desk where they can study and draw. I think it’s important.” Positioning the desk lengthways means the children sit facing each other and feel like they have their own side! If space is tight, think of ways to keep the desk top clear. Keep pens and paints in small tubs that can sit on a shelf until needed, then the kids can easily carry them to the table.

Children’s drawings in light wood frames, wall-mounted in a line. A girl balances a cat figurine on top of the first frame.

Display their drawings

It boosts a child’s confidence to see that the things they make are valued. So put their artwork on show! “We had some of Manuela and Miguel’s drawings taped to the wall. After I painted half the wall turquoise, I thought, why not make more of a fuss of their creations? So we picked out some favourites and framed them. It’s an easy thing to do but it makes a big difference to them.”

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We want this room to be a place where the children feel they can express their creativity.

”

Marcia

A wood stool with the tips of its legs painted turquoise stands on a turquoise rug. A toy train track runs through its legs.

Soft play

Make it easy for your kids to play wherever the mood takes them. When that comes to floor play, think about making it soft… “We added a rug to cover part of the wood floor. It’s a real hit – it’s so soft, the children love it.”

Two cloud-shaped children’s wall lights fixed to the wall beside a wooden bed frame, the bed has colourful bedding.

Fun lighting

In a shared room it might be hard to pick a single decoration theme that both children love, but you can still add individual pieces that make them smile. And if you can pick pieces that spark their imaginations and feed into role playing, even better. “The cloud lights make the kids feel they are up in the sky.”

A girl next to a turquoise wall holds a skipping rope, on a row of coloured hooks a net bag of wood blocks hangs from one.

Child’s eye view

See the room from your child’s perspective. It’s a great tip to help you plan a room for their needs. Go down to their height and see how things work for them. Can they reach the hooks you’ve put up? Can they lift the boxes in their storage unit once they’re filled? A sense of independence is vital for your child’s development, so make it easy for them to do things on their own, in their own room!

A boy sits on a turquoise and white chair at a white desk with colouring pens, a green desk lamp and yellow chair opposite.

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.