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Health & Fitness

Decorating a Two Kid Room

Increasingly, families are returning to the idea of siblings sharing a room, whether the same gender or not. My son and daughter enjoy their shared room, and it reduces their middle of the night visits to mom, as neither likes to sleep alone. Perhaps, things will change when they hit their pre-teens, but for now, we are all happy with the arrangement.

Are you stumped on how to make the room more interesting and appealing to both kids?  Here are some planning guidelines:

  • Theme.  Ask each child to list their favorite things, or do it for them if they’re too young. Try to think about how two themes can look good together. For instance, you could have butterflies amidst dinosaurs.

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  • Timelessness.  Consider not just what your child likes today, but what he will likely enjoy in a year or two. Will your first grader still want Thomas or Dora bedding? Will your teenager like white furniture? If you’re unsure, try asking friends with older children when their kids stopped liking your kid’s favorite character.

  • Layout.  Try drawing out the furniture on a piece of paper or graphics program, relatively to scale. Don’t just put furniture flush against the walls — Create interest by angling furniture. Ideally, keep cribs and beds away from windows.

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  • Colors.  For a small room, try light colors (furniture, walls, bedding) to brighten the room, but don’t make the walls white.  For a more cozy look, try a medium color. Don’t be too matchy matchy — be sure to layer your colors. Paint samples on the wall and hang fabrics with blue tape to get an idea of how they will look together.

  • Walls.  Consider wall decor for characters or age-sensitive trends. My favorite so far are RoomMates wall decals on Amazon. PSA: Pick a washable paint, for the day when your child shows off his writing or drawings on the wall.

  • Furniture.  For two children in a small room, consider bunk or loft style beds. Reuse your crib as a mini-sofa by removing one side. Choose a natural finish because stained furniture shows scratches; I prefer a lighter colored wood, but darker wood with a natural stain will also wear well.  Furniture in all the same finish will make a room look more cohesive, especially a small room. PSA: Keep polish markers on hand to cover small scratches.


  • To read the rest of this article, please visit our parenting blog at http://gooseling.com/2013/12/10/decorating-two-kid-room/. This article was written by Vicky Keston, Co-Founder and CEO of Gooseling, dedicated to teaching children social & life skills through video game apps. Cavity Dragons is the first game designed to encourage kids to brush their teeth. Beachwood Mompreneur Lisa Danielpour is Vicky Keston's sister and partner/co-founder of Gooseling.
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