Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

As I mentioned yesterday, I am working with The Land of Nod to redesign Mazzy and Harlow’s bedroom (see “before” pictures here). Although, it’s important to note, The Land of Nod design services are FREE, so the level of expertise and involvement I experienced is available to anyone who is furnishing their room with Land of Nod products.

I also want to say— this is what can happen when you take a step back and just let a designer do their thing. I told Kim, my personally appointed design specialist, all our issues with the room and what we wanted the new decor to accomplish. I sent her pictures so she could see the current style and know a little bit more about Mazzy and Harlow’s preferences (i.e. Mazzy likes pink and Harlow likes hats). We emailed and spoke over the phone quite a bit, but Kim never saw the room in person.

Are you ready to see the new space??? TA-DA!!!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

We’re all thrilled with it, especially the girls who are actually using their room for more than sleeping for the first time.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Let me give you a tour! I’ll talk about the new room in problem/solution— the issues I had with the old room and how Kim addressed them with her redesign.

PROBLEM: LACK OF SPACE

The old room had two beds, one dresser, a storage ottoman and a bookcase, which took up every bit of available wall space, without providing nearly enough storage for all their clothes and toys.

SOLUTION:  BUNK BEDS

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Bunk beds allowed us to maximize the space by gaining a huge piece of valuable wall real estate, allowing room for two dressers (instead of one), toy bins and desks.

Problem: losing the glider

I used the big cushy glider in the old room for reading bedtime stories with both kids on my lap. It was also the place I would sit (and often fall asleep in) if they ever needed my presence at night. It was a hard piece of furniture to give up.

Solution: Bunk bed with full bed on the bottom

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

I honestly would never have thought of using the Uptown Twin over Full Bunk if Kim hadn’t. The full bunk gives us all enough space to lie together and read books before bed and has tons of room for me to lie down if they need me at night. Plus, aesthetically, it lets you see more of the beautiful bedding. Practically, it lessens my concern that Harlow will fall out, although we did add a foam bumper to the edge just in case.

Problem: Bunk Beds don’t give my kids their own side of the room to make uniquely their own

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I was weary about bunk beds because I believed the girls needed a clear division of personal space. Kim assured me we could create lots of opportunities for them to express their individuality elsewhere.

Solution A: variation in bedding

Harlow’s Bed

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Mazzy’s Bed

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Kim decorated each bunk with different bedding, pillows, reading lamps and accessories. She included hanging shelves so they could each go to bed with their own book selections. Harlow and Mazzy each got an illustrated pillow (Harlow got a little girl with pigtails and Mazzy got a girl with a pink hair and tiara), which they both fully think are illustrations of themselves.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

They are not. They just happen to sell both throw pillows at The Land of Nod.

SOLUTION B: Giving them each their own desk area

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Kim split the wall opposite the bunks into a Harlow side and a Mazzy side with each of them getting their own desk and shelves.

Mazzy’s Desk

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Harlow’s Desk

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

The three-tiered desks are hung from the wall, which is a huge space saver, and means you can hang it at any height you like. Originally, Kim had Harlow’s desk hung considerably lower than Mazzy’s, but we had a problem finding a beam in the wall to support it and ended up hanging the desks at the same height. Harlow stands on her chair when she does everything anyway.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

I can’t tell you how thrilled the girls were to see these desks. Mazzy was initially jealous of Harlow’s pink chair but then I told her that her chair was crystal (lie) and all was okay. She was very excited to decorate her shelves and immediately got to work. She set up her Frozen dolls, two Amber figurines from Sofia the First (I had no idea how important Amber is to her until she chose to put them on display over all the other princesses) and her wood shop projects. Thank God those are no longer on display in our living room.

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Kim also incorporated a few personalized items from their old room to reinforce the designated space— the Harlow bunting over Harlow’s desk and the framed Mazzy poster on Mazzy’s top shelf.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Problem: No space to craft

Every time the girls wanted to draw or do some kind of craft, we would spread out on the dining room table. This meant that crayons, paper, pipe cleaners, craft kits often had no home and would just remain on the table, which drove my husband crazy.

Solution: Paper organizer and a mobile craft cart

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

We put a “things” bin on Mazzy’s desk which I immediately stocked with crayons, colored pencils, markers, and pens. Harlow will get one when she is a bit older. Next to Mazzy’s desk is an Ikea caddy on wheels (recommended by Kim, even though it’s not Land of Nod) to store craft supplies and paper, that can easily be wheeled out to the dining room table if necessary. We also hung a Take Five Bin next to Mazzy’s desk so she has a place to store the plethora of art work and “VERY IMPORTANT PAPERS” she brings home from school.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Problem: NO Storage space for Toys

I wanted to get the toys out of my living room and into their bedroom, with a system for how things were stored correctly so I could implement clean-up time.

Solution: Stacked toy bins against the side of the bunk bed

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

One great thing about the bunk bed is that it has a solid wood side, which creates another wall to put furniture against. We stacked two paloozas, one with two bins and one with three. Then I designated each bin for dress-up accessories, princess stuff, Harlow’s plastic and wooden toys, building blocks and instruments. I also used the various wicker bins, both on top of the palooza and on the bookshelf for travel games, matchbox cars, jewelry and hair accessories.

The bottom shelf of the bookcase has a lip that makes it a great space for stuffed animal storage. We then had a family meeting where I told everyone (including Mike) what should be found in each bin. Let “Project Clean-up Time” commence!

Problem: TOO MUCH PRINCESS STUFF

I don’t think it’s a secret that Mazzy and Harlow love princess stuff. Beyond the dress-up clothes, they have a huge collection of dolls, figurines, little shoes, snap-on dresses, etc, etc. etc. In the old room, they were all a huge eye sore, so I would shove them in a plastic bin with a lid.

Solution: PRINCESS Knick Knack Shelf

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

In addition to dedicating an entire bin to princesses and their accessories in the palooza, Kim also picked the crown gold wall shelf, which is the perfect size for all the miniature figurines and trinkets my girls love so much.

Mazzy screamed, “Well, that is an unexpected and exciting view!” when she saw it. Those were her exact words, I swear. It’s at their eye level, so they both have treated it like a doll house for the last few days. Every time I enter the room, the princesses are arranged differently.

Problem: No space for all their clothes

In the old room, we had one big dresser where we shoved both girls’ clothes. We divided the dresser by child, so pants, shirts and pajamas were all in one drawer. Socks and shoes went under the bed in six tiny bins. It was maddening.

Solution: Two separate Dressers and a trundle

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Probably the thing I am most excited about is giving the girls’ each their own dresser. Not only will it give them more space for clothes, it will make it easier for them to find their own clothes and dress themselves as they get older.

Kim put Harlow’s dresser on the left as you walk in and had the genius idea of putting Mazzy’s dresser behind the bunk bed. This means you don’t see a ton of big block-y furniture all together and it gives Mazzy her own private changing area.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

We put a trundle under the bed for added storage. With the ladder bolted in for safety, you can pull it out just enough for one long row of shoes. If you unbolt the ladder, we can fill the trundle with off-season clothes, extra linens or personal mementos they don’t need to see every day.

Over Harlow’s dresser, we hung a bunch of adorable fruit hooks that can be used for numerous accessories, like hats and necklaces. One of my favorite moments of the room redesign was telling Harlow the hook was for her jewelry. Later that day, I overheard Mike asking about the hook and Harlow said, “For my necklaces.” Mike repeated, “You are going to hang all of your necklaces on the hook?” And Harlow responded sharply, “THAT’S THE PLAN.”

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Lastly, we hung two gray canvas shoe storage hangers on the back of the closet door.

Problem: No overhead lights

Our ceiling is concrete so we have no recessed lighting. The room has always been dim and depends on practical lighting around the room.

Solution: Six sources of light

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Kim outfitted the room with four lamps— a table lamp on the palooza, a mixed media desk lamp on Mazzy’s desk, a hemisphere floor lamp between Harlow’s desk and her dresser, and a hanging lamp above Mazzy’s dresser (which will be hung on Monday). She also put a clip-on reading lamp on the side of Mazzy’s bed and a heart nightlight in Harlow’s bunk (that one is back ordered and we are waiting for delivery).

Okay, now that I’ve dealt with all the practical stuff, can we talk for a second about how fabulous everything looks????

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

I just want to add a few notes about some items that might have been overlooked.

1) The rug.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

It’s a color fusion rag rug so you can spill whatever the hell you want on it and nobody will know the difference.

2) The back of the closet doors.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

How cool is that?

3) This odd creature in the upper right:

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

It might be my favorite thing on earth.

In addition to various framed art piece from The Land of Nod, Kim asked me ahead of time if there was any old wall art I wanted to incorporate into her new redesign. The most important was a portrait of me when I was in kindergarten painted by my late grandfather (see above).

I love seeing that it still holds such a special place in Mazzy and Harlow’s room.

For all links to the Land of Nod products in the room including art work, furniture, lighting and accessories, you can find them on Mazzy and Harlow’s Room Redesign board on Pinterest. It also includes paint colors and Kim’s initial drawings and mood boards.

Kim was absolutely fantastic throughout this process, as was Renee who scheduled all the delivery items and the white glove movers who made sure everything arrived in one piece and put together the bunk bed. I can’t thank The Land of Nod enough for giving my girls their dream room!

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

THEY ARE IN LOVE WITH IT.

In fact, the day we presented them with it, Mazzy ate dinner and then excused herself to go to her room. They have never ever used their room to play in before and now they can’t wait to sit at their desks.

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!

Ahhhhhh… not only do we have a new room for the girls, I HAVE MY LIVING ROOM BACK!!!

Okay. Comments? Questions?

For 10% off Most Land of Nod products, use code SHORTS10. This code is valid today through Sunday 3/15. Click here to start shopping!

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This post was sponsored by The Land of Nod, but all thoughts, opinions and extreme love for the room are my own. 

Do you have siblings sharing a small bedroom? Check out these shared bedroom ideas for a small space!