Kids Sharing Room

I think animal themes are great for both genders. Use earth tones(tans, sagey greens, creams). Perhaps jungle animals on his side and teddy bears, bunnies etc. on the girls side but in similar color schemes. Have fun!

Hi! I solved this problem by getting two loft beds, which fit nicely in a 9x12 room. Then, I hung curtains enclosing the underbed portion, so each kid had a totally private space. Then, I went one step further and hung curtains around the bed portion as well. It reminded me of those sleeping compartments on trains. The kids really enjoyed it. They had their privacy and it felt kind of adventurous as well.

Good luck!

On the decorating -- I think you should pick up a few decorating magazines, or one of those decorating books, you can even find some good ones at Home Depot. You can base the room on a kids' room or even on an adult room, but when you have absolutely no idea where to go in decorating, it is really best and much easier to model your room after one in a magazine.

Oh M.!

First and foremost, your son must understand that it is no longer just HIS space.

You might consider a trip with the family to IKEA in E. Palo Alto or Oakland. They have some very good ideas for small spaces. Their furniture is nice and not too expensive.

If you can’t afford to spend the $$ on NEW furniture, you can at least get some ideas and then shop for used furniture and or bargains.

Congrats on you’re up coming arrival. I would consider a partition in both rooms.

The baby will probably be in your room in a bassinette the first several weeks. If it’s possible to keep the baby in your room until he begins to sleep through the night that would be best. I say this because it he stays in your daughter’s room, she will probably be waking up every time the baby wakes up for feedings and this will be disruptive for her sleep schedule.

You sound like a talented Mama so I think that decorating will be the least of your challenges. (My suggestions—for the little kids room, yellow with storybook themes. For the 12 year olds room, neutral color with a partition and let them decide their own theme (posters—stickers etc.)

Blessings…….

My son and daughter share a room and I feel your decorating pain! The room was already a light purple for my daughter. When my son was born I didn't want to repaint the whole room, so I found a nice blue that matched the purple and painted a belly band around the room. Then I took that same blue and my mother in law made a valance for the window as well as a curtain for the closet (it doesn't have doors). The theme is celestial (stars, moons, etc), but I put girly stuff (her princess stuff) on her side, and I'm going to put some boy stuff on his side (when I get some, there is baby stuff on his side now). It's still a little more girl than boy, but it works for now. As for the older boys, my sister and I shared a room until I moved out and we had bunk beds the whole time. I slept in a bunk bed until I was 18, so it's not that big of a deal to get your 12 year old boys bunk beds. Especially since your step son is only there 50% of the time. You might consider getting a corner unit, it's a little less "kiddie" than ones that stack.

Hi,

One idea I have for your little girl and new arrival is the possibility of a care bear theme- Most of the care bears are not gender specific. I painted my grandaughter's walls a nice yellow and the ceiling a white. The trim and doors are white.
I found a large rainbow to put on the wall and care bear stickers that range in size and have miniture rainbows etc. I went a bit overboard and managed to find matching fan blades, valances and crib/toddler bed quilt in the same design.
As for the 12 year-olds- you might want to get input from both of them and see if they can agree on something. Plus check and see if they mind having bunkbeds.
Hope this helps- Angelablaniket

you might try for the older boys those loft beds, then they would have a bed up top but still some personal space down below like a desk to do their homework or play video games or whatever.....just a thought! Good Luck!

M.,

I have an idea for the room the little kids will be sharing. Decorate using a theme that a girl and a boy would enjoy. Maybe something like Finding Nemo or the Lion King, or even Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. The room would then be appropriate for both kids yet also colorful and fun where they can both enjoy the room.
- T.

I have a suggestion for the room for the two 12 yr olds. when i was in grade school, a friend had a bed that i thought was really cool. it looked like a regular twin bed that went along one wall with a square table that fit into the corner with another bed that went in under the table along the other wall and what showed of it had a couple big cushions that made it look like a love seat sized place to sit. she would just pull it out from under the table and voila ! another bed !! that would let your son still have "his" room when the step-son isnt there. hope that made sense !! good luck!

One option for the older boys would be to get them lofts. The great thing about lofts is they take advantage of the vertical space in the room. They're cool (college students use them), and can give each boy his own space underneath (where you can often fit a dresser and/or desk). They can even enclose the underneath area for privacy if they want. It saves a lot of room. For your daughter and baby, lavender and/or sage green are both colors that can be both masculine / feminine. Stripes also work. You could see if there's a theme that the 3 1/2 year old likes that can be both masculine and femine - for example, a forest theme, which allows for both animals and fairies or elves. Or you can go with a toile print (in black and white, or sage and white, etc.) that has little boys and girls worked into it. I hope this helps!

regarding the babies room, I did what you are planning and it looked great. My son was 8 when i had my daughter and i literally split the room down the middle and made his blue and hers pink. However their furniture matched. it looked pretty good but it only lasted 9 months then we moved and now my kids have their own rooms. but I even put up wall border his was sports theme and her had butterflys. so you just have get creative. as for your two sons. Just try to remind your son that the room will be his half the time and try and make special "mom-son" day where the two of you still do something together. Once my daughter was born I did that with my son to that he knew he was still important to me. We would go to the movies or out to lunch. simple stuff. good luck

Hi Maria,

When it comes to the babies room, I wouldn't put that much effort into yet. The newborn won't care, and the almost 4 yr old will have her own opinion very soon :O) I would work around that. When my step-daughter had to share a room with the first newborn, it was like the baby was invading her space. Your new daughter is much younger, though, and you shouldn't have that problem.

As far as the older boys go, I suggest loft beds. We made a "loft bed" for our 12 yr old boy. It allows for tons of space underneath for bookshelves and those video rockers that you sit in. My husband used our son's full-size mattress and then used & measured out Plywood and 4X4's to secure under the corners of the bed. The hardest part was making the ladder, but those can be bought :O) this was fun because it can be painted to match room.

Congratulations on your growing family. I hope these ideas spark some decorating ideas for you.

~N. :O)

Hi, M.,
For the 12 year olds, you could think about those beds that are elevated enough to fit a desk underneath them so they each have a study space as well as sleeping space. I agree about bunk beds--that really puts them into one space and that may be too much for your son who has not had to share until now. The elevated twins are what lots of college dorms use to fit two people who both need study space into pretty small dorm rooms, so that may work.
As to the small ones, why not just paint gender-neutral walls and hang different posters or bright stuff on the two walls? That way they definitely each have their own wall, but it works together...You could maybe do a bright contrast color band just a couple of inches below the ceiling--give the 3-1/2 year old some choices you would like and let her pick the color--but it sounds like the room will be pretty full to trick it up with lots of different patterns, colors, etc. (which you could end up wishing you had not spent the time and money on--been there, done that!).
Good luck!

futons for the 12yo?

You should get some blue painters tape and divide the room in half, along the walls and ceiling. Paint one side a very boyish blue and the other a very girly pink.Remove tape. You should have a clean white line and the room happily divided. We have friends that did that and its adorable and really depics their own space, plus it would seem special to a 3 year old.