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What heated battles and cold wars are fought by a brother and sister sharing a room, many of us know from personal experience. Some have been participants, others referees for their children. So, if separate rooms are not possible, we need to design a bedroom both can share amicably. When a growing brother-sister pair share a space, it needs to fulfil specific and separate requirements for both their starkly different preferences and personalities. It’s a hard task to put such a room together, as it needs to also come together as a unified, cohesive space.
From finding a colour scheme that works with both the kids, separate storage spaces for clothes, shoes, accessories and toys, to providing a neutral ground for them to play in, it can all seem too much. Here are a few suggestions and tips that will help create a harmonious space for the little roommates to cohabit.
From finding a colour scheme that works with both the kids, separate storage spaces for clothes, shoes, accessories and toys, to providing a neutral ground for them to play in, it can all seem too much. Here are a few suggestions and tips that will help create a harmonious space for the little roommates to cohabit.
Be fair while assigning spaces
When sharing a room, both children should feel that they have an equal claim to the room – be it in terms of storage, bed space or play area.
In this room, two identical beds are built in on adjoining walls. Both the siblings have separate niches to display their possessions. While the boy gets the advantage of a window, the girl gets her own blank wall that she can decorate as she pleases.
In this room, two identical beds are built in on adjoining walls. Both the siblings have separate niches to display their possessions. While the boy gets the advantage of a window, the girl gets her own blank wall that she can decorate as she pleases.
Personalise their corners
In a shared bedroom, the boy and the girl should be able to have a ‘me space’ which resonates with their personality, likes and dislikes.
Take, for example, this space. Though it is essentially two rooms held together by an internal partitioning door, the idea it presents can also be employed in a one-room space. The two ends of the room are painted blue and pink respectively. Separate styles of beds, rugs and accessories create niches that are as different as chalk and cheese. I am sure your kids would love that!
Take, for example, this space. Though it is essentially two rooms held together by an internal partitioning door, the idea it presents can also be employed in a one-room space. The two ends of the room are painted blue and pink respectively. Separate styles of beds, rugs and accessories create niches that are as different as chalk and cheese. I am sure your kids would love that!
A neutral palette works for small spaces
While it’s ideal to give each child their own bed and an area that they can personalise, in the case of smaller rooms it can be challenging. This is why you can take a standard decor route – a bunk or twin bed, solid-colour walls, identical bed linen and possibly a multi-hued rug, like in this room, to throw in some colour.
Separate storage is a must
Regardless of gender, it’s best to have individual storage spaces or corners for kids so their things don’t get mixed up and they learn to take responsibility for their possessions. This can prove to be even more useful in brother-sister rooms, as they don’t usually have common clothes or accessories that can be stored together. Separate shelves, cabinets or cupboards are a great investment – it will give them a spot in the room that’s their responsibility and will prevent daily squabbles for storage space.
Separate the study
Study time requires peace and quiet. No matter how big or small the room is, it’s always best to have individual seats (and if possible, tables too) for the children to study in. See how, in this room, the brother and sister have separate shelves inside this large, all-white unit. The kids have personalised their tabletops with pictures, accessories and notes.
Set ground rules in the bathroom
An area that sparks a lot of squabbles is the washroom, where siblings usually fight over time, and each other’s toiletries. One way of resolving the problem is by setting certain ground rules.
An area that sparks a lot of squabbles is the washroom, where siblings usually fight over time, and each other’s toiletries. One way of resolving the problem is by setting certain ground rules.
- The maximum arguments happen in the morning when the brother and sister need to get ready for school. To tackle this, try and set a fixed order for when which child can use the bathroom first and ask them to adhere to the schedule as much as they can.
- Have separate cupboards for the two where they can keep their toiletries so that their things don’t get mixed up and one doesn’t accidentally use the other’s stuff (usually a great reason to pick a fight).
Teach them to respect each other’s possesions
One of the most important lessons that parents can instil in children who are sharing a space is how to compromise and how to respect each other’s things, like toys, books, and so on. Living together can create a lot of strife between the two – therefore it’s essential to make them realise that they should treat each other and each other’s things the way they would like themselves and their possessions to be treated.
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