Clever shared bedroom ideas for small rooms

They say good things come in small packages. When working with a small shared bedroom, sometimes all that’s needed is a bit of creativity and a few thoughtful touches to transform even the snuggest of spaces. 

Designing a shared bedroom in a cramped space is a tricky brief. You’ll need double the furniture, twice as much storage for two sets of belongings (and we know how much stuff kids can collect over the years). Plus, you’re probably working with contradictory personalities and tastes – that’s families, hey!  

The secret to fitting everything in is a clever layout that works to the room’s advantage, and smart storage solutions that maximise space, keeping things tidy and clutter-free. After that, it’s over to the fun part: decorating to make both occupants feel comfy and at home.  

Be inspired by our favourite shared bedroom ideas for small rooms, that are functional yet oh-so stylish. Discover practical tips on utilising vertical space with bunk beds, incorporating modular furniture and smart built-in shelving, and creative design touches that cater to the needs of all toddlers, children, tweens, or even teenagers. 

1. Go vertical with bunk beds 

When designing a shared bedroom for children aged six and up, bunk beds are your best friend. By stacking two beds on top of one another, you take advantage of the vertical space in the room and create so much more floorspace for activities and playtime – even if it’s just a few square metres!   

Not only that, but many kids love bunk beds as they can feel like their own personal hideouts. Take our Jenna Kids Wooden Multiway Bunk Bed, for example. This clever design can be assembled in two different ways, so you can work to the space that you’ve got. Choose from having the bottom bed on a right angle, or if you’re really cramped, assemble the beds on top of one another to maximise your space. Plus, the Jenna Bunk Bed even has built-in shelves, drawers and a wardrobe, so your storage dilemma is sorted too!    

Need room for another little one? Check out our clever Northwood Kids Wooden Triple Bunk Bed which can fit not one, not two but three sleeping angels in it!  

2. Opt for a symmetrical layout for balance 

Another key element to keep in mind is layout. Symmetry is one of our favourite ways to decorate a small, shared bedroom as it provides a sense of balance, making the space look orderly and well-organised.  

To add some symmetrical harmony in your kids’ or teens’ bedroom, go for two identical single beds, such as our Northwood Kids Wooden Bed Frame with Storage. This sturdy solid pine wood bed frame is slim, gender-neutral, and even has a handy bookshelf in its headboard for your little ones to personalise to their liking. What’s more, you won’t need to go replacing them anytime soon; the Northwood is an ideal first “grown-up” bed that’s sure to last them for years to come, as they grow into it. 

To continue the symmetry in their room, make sure to choose identical bedside tables and lamps. Another way of reducing excess furniture is by placing one large dresser in between the two single beds so your kids can share it and have a side each, like this:  

3. Use colour to separate each occupant’s space 

Colour is an immensely powerful thing. Certain shades can make us feel happy, calm, energised or alert. We also know that kids tend to have their favourites, so it’s important to keep all of this in mind when designing their bedroom colour scheme.  

Naturally, picking out the colour palette for a shared bedroom can often lead to siblings quarrelling. To avoid any major tiffs, let them each decide which shade they would like to see on their side of the room and use colour as a clever border to separate their space.  

Just look how this boy-girl bedroom has been designed. One side of the room is dominated by pink, and the other by blue, and yet, the entire space comes together cohesively with small accent colours and identical decor, such as the stars on the walls.  

4. Create designated zones with rugs and lighting

In addition to colour, you can use other design elements to break up the bedroom and create designated zones around the space. Not only does this give each child their own personal areas for different hobbies and activities, it can also help to make the small area feel larger.  

To do this, use small rugs to create borders on the floor. This could be used to create a designated dressing area or a cosy reading corner. Or for really fussy siblings, rugs can be used to split the room in half – so there’s no arguing over who has the bigger side! Thank us later…   

Another wonderful way to section out the room is by using clever lighting tricks. Lamps bring depth and dimension to a design. Plus, they barely take up any surface area – perfect for small bedrooms! From overhead spotlights to hanging lamps, there are plenty of ways to get creative with your lighting and illuminate various parts of the room. 

5. Incorporate built-in shelving for space-saving storage

Bookshelves are a fantastic storage feature to encourage your little ones to get off their iPads and read in their spare time instead – and more importantly, they keep their books organised!  

Save time with flatpack furniture and choose a bed which features built-in shelving, like our Erin Kids Wooden Bunk Bed! This innovative design boasts not just one but two shelving units on the top and bottom bunks, so kids can each tidy and decorate their book displays and trinkets exactly how they like. 

6. Embrace under-bed storage to keep things tidy

Looking for even more storage tricks? Invest in beds with internal storage to save on buying additional clunky furniture! Our Anderson Kids Wooden Bunk Bed with Drawer could be just the ticket. Not only is it a bunk bed, meaning you’re maximising the available vertical space in the room, but it also features a spacious storage drawer underneath. Now there’s no excuses when it comes to tidy-up time. 

7. Use curtains or dividers for privacy

It’s essential to remember that our bedrooms serve us more than just being a place to rest our heads at night. Especially for children, their bedrooms house all of their toys, games, and personal belongings, and should feel like their own private sanctuary.  

As they grow and get older, privacy only becomes more and more important. To offer them this, consider using curtains or dividers to break up the space and bring some peace and quiet. You can easily add some DIY curtains to their bunk beds by nailing a rail on the inside of the frame. Alternatively, room dividers are a fairly inexpensive way of breaking up a room – plus, they can be easily moved around or tidied away, depending on when they’re wanted, providing extra flexibility.  

8. Personalise each area with decor

Whilst it’s important to honour each occupant’s personal taste, their bedroom could risk looking a little chaotic if you mix too many different colours and styles. To combat this, try to use decor that promotes harmony between different personalities.  

Find artwork or ornaments that they both love or at least combine certain elements that they do like, along with accent colours that complement each other. For example, if one child is pink-obsessed, and the other is all about outer space, why not hang some pink stars from the ceiling that both of them can admire? Whilst it may seem a small detail, it’s the personal touches that go a long way. 

9. Opt for compact desks or shared study zones

Let’s not forget about study time! Having a dedicated workstation for homework is excellent for encouraging focus and can help teach kids to manage their studies. For cramped bedrooms, we’d recommend a bunk bed with a space-saving desk underneath.  

Our Anderson Kids Wooden High Sleeper with Chair & Desk is a great example of this. With a desk, bed and a pull-out chair bed, this adaptable high sleeper is perfect for any kids’ bedroom and ideal for sleepovers.  

10. Think multipurpose

When shopping for furniture, functionality is key. If possible, try to source items that do more than one job. For example, choosing an ottoman bed with ample storage space, or a chest of drawers that doubles as a nightstand. Perhaps invest in a foldable desk that can be stored away when not in use, or a pull-out futon chair. 

Perhaps you’re designing a bedroom that’s only sometimes shared, say if your kid is a big fan of hosting sleepovers or has family over to stay regularly. In that case, you may want to think about buying a clever stacker bed. These nifty designs are super compact, essentially stacking one single bed on top of another, so you can easily separate them for when guests come round. Now that’s what we call twice as nice.  

Colours are a very personal thing. Not everyone has the same taste, especially if we’re talking about picky siblings sharing a room – because, let’s face it, can they ever agree on anything?  

Particularly if you’re designing a boy-girl bedroom, you don’t want to make it overly girly, or too boy-ish. With this in mind, try to pick a colour palette that works for everyone as a happy medium. Primary colours, such as red, blue and green, work really well together as a gender-neutral colour palette and are sure to add a few fun pops of vibrancy to their space.  

If you’re worried about going too bold, neutral shades are always a good idea to create a clean, timeless design. Pick from white, cream, beige or grey for a classic look that’ll remain stylish for years to come.  

A small, shared bedroom doesn’t have to feel crowded. By implementing these clever tips and tricks and listening to what your children want from their bedroom design, you can create a shared space that suits everyone. Now, they can still be as close as two peas in a pod – but with a little more wiggle room…