How To:

Design a Shared Bedroom

With a little inspiration from your kids, you can create a shared bedroom with a unified design that still celebrates the individuality of each child. Try to incorporate one important item from each child's personality into the room. For a child who loves to read, give them plenty of shelves and a comfy, well lit spot to curl up with a book; for an aspiring athlete, a small basketball hooped mounted on the back of the door or a framed jersey is perfect.

Choose a Theme

Look to your kids' interests and activities for a possible room theme – or themes. If your children share a common interest, they may be able to agree on one idea. See if you can expand on their particular interests to find a larger, shared theme like sports or nature.

If your children each want an individual theme, provide a neutral, uniform backdrop, such as white walls and furniture, then add bedding and accessories that celebrate their particular interests.

Coordinating quilts in two different colors can tie the beds together; each child can pick printed sheeting that's specific to the things they love most.

You can also lay the groundwork for a theme with one major element – perhaps a mural – then build around it when selecting colors and fabrics. Reinforce it with collections, accessories and additional art.

Make It Adaptable

As your children grow, so will their interests and hobbies. Plan ahead in order to create a bedroom that will adapt easily to their changing tastes. Seek out simple or classically styled furniture that lets the room's character come to life with elements that are easily updated – pillows, bedding, window coverings and wall decorations.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when designing a room for two kids is that there will be shared areas as well as individual areas. As long as each child feels like they have a space in the room that's their very own, they'll be happy to share the places in between. See How to Personalize a Shared Room for more ideas.