(Bed)room for two

July 26, 2015

IKEA hack shelves and colourful toddler room

Siblings sharing bedrooms…does it work? Is it a lovely and cosy vision of harmony, or a complete logistical nightmare? I ask because this is our future plan, but we’re staying my parent’s house this week and I’m still recovering from this evening’s attempts to get both girls to go to sleep in one room. They were slightly over-excited, it was slightly…trying.

At home Florence is in with us for the foreseeable future as still wakes up frequently and we end up co-sleeping most nights. We’d already moved her sister out when she was her age, but it seems pointless trying at the moment. The plan though is that at some point they will room in together. I love the idea in theory, but what will it be like in practise?

It’s partly enforced as our third bedroom is our half-converted loft, and converting it fully is more of a long-term house plan. But I also think the two of them sharing sounds fun. I never shared a bedroom growing up (apart from when we all lived in a caravan while my parents built a house, very Grand Designs ahead of the time, and it was like an extended holiday so I don’t think it counts).

Furniture-wise, at the moment E has the Minnen expanding single bed from Ikea and now F’s moved out of the SnuzPod she is in a compact cot. However, long term I thought we could move them into something more communal, like these bunkbeds from Room to Grow – would this help to foster the sharing spirit?

You can see more of Eliza’s toddler room tour and her green door and Ikea hack bookshelves. I think the room is very ‘her’ at the moment so I’m keen for Florence to have her own space. I like the idea of adding box shelves above her bed with all her things on, as well as adding her own pictures and personalised wall stickers.

As with all important interior decisions, I’ve made a Pinterest board for design inspiration. I also really like Katie’s post on her daughter’s shared room, and Victoria’s sharing posts. But if you have any tips, please send them all this way…anything for a hassle-free bedtime.

Thanks to Room to Grow for working with me…for more info on how I work with brands see my ‘work with me’ page.

5 Comments

  • Jessica Otto

    July 27, 2015 at 8:10 am

    Would love to know if this worked out. Sounds good.

  • Sugar&Rhubarb

    July 27, 2015 at 9:59 pm

    Totally in the same position. I’m so excited about the girls sharing, but apprehensive at the same time. Waiting for the solids to kick in so that number 2 starts sleeping a little longer. At the moment we have Lena’s bed along one wall, and Marni’s Mokee cot will go along the other wall. We’ve also got them an Ikea Stuva wardrobe each to help define space. Eventually our hope is to do an Ikea Kura hack – with a mattress underneath so they can both use it as a half bunk. With the wall opposite having their wardrobes, desks and Kallax toy storage. I can’t wait for them to share. A friend said that it really helps them to bond – the baby becomes theirs, rather than mummy’s. I’ll be both sad and happy when the day comes. As I’ll no longer be the baby’s BFF – I’ll hand that baton over to Lena, and rightly so!

  • Rachel @ The Ordinary Lovely

    July 28, 2015 at 12:02 pm

    It can work!!! We have rooms enough for the boys not to share but they’ve decided that they want to be in the same room. And coincidentally, they have Room to Grow bunkbeds 🙂 We’ve yet to decorate their room as we wanted to see how they get along, but two months in and they’re really happy.

  • Mama

    July 28, 2015 at 1:07 pm

    We have space for our boys NOT to share but I really really WANT them to!! (I blame Courtney Adamo’s cute pictures of her boys sharing a bed!) Apparently it is hard work for a while, until the novelty factor wears off I guess, so don’t let a few crappy nights at your folks’ put you off.
    Also, your daughter’s room is super cute, I love nosing into people’s rooms too 🙂

  • Mummy’s to do list

    July 31, 2015 at 10:15 pm

    We’re starting to think about this too with what may (or may not) be the added complication of a girly girl sharing with her baby brother. Hoping we can steer her away from the princess pink a little bit. Thinking either bold primary colours or something along the lines of a woodland theme with greens and yellows. Will be keeping an eye on your Pinterest board for inspiration (no pressure!).

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