Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Turn 1 bedroom into a happy space for 2 children
IN BOTH ordinary homes and those occupied by different generations of families, it is becoming more common for children to share bedrooms.
Mariette Sakelliou, owner of Little Interiors, says lack of space is the biggest contributor to this trend as property sizes decrease.
She is also seeing parents sharing their bedrooms with newborns instead of having nurseries.
“In general it is easier for smaller children to share rooms, regardless of their gender. For older children it is easier to share if they are the same gender and closer in age range.”
However, Sakelliou says one can still “work around” the sharing difficulties involved with children of different ages or genders, or with different tastes.
“Dividing a room in ‘half ’ would be the easier route to follow, with a clear divider such as a side table between beds. Each child then has a side of the room devoted to them. This becomes more tricky if you have to work with bunk beds in the room. I would still suggest having a dedicated area, however small, for each child to help to set boundaries and to give them each a sense of belonging and identity.”
If the children are old enough, Sakelliou says it is important they are involved in the process of choosing room colours or themes.
She advises the “safest bet” would be to go for a room colour scheme rather than a theme, especially if there is a conflict in taste.
One can also use a combination of colours the children like in different hues, shades, or tints.
“You can go the route of using the contrasting taste or colour choices to make a bold statement for the room or go with a very neutral look with pops of colour only.
“Something as mundane as paint can make a huge impact on giving each child their own space.”
Initials, or a name above the bed, is a cost-effective way to allocate space in a shared room. Where there is a common theme, something small like scatter cushions can be used to define each child’s area.
“For example, in a princess-themed room each bedding set can be a differently themed princess or different shades of pink. The trim of the bedding or even a rug can separate their divided areas,” Sakelliou says.
She says there will always be a common area in a room, whether it is a study desk, play table, cupboard, or any other type of storage the children will have to share.
“These could be the most challenging spaces to share for a child, especially if you have two very different personalities.”