There’s nothing quite like being the parent of twins. All brothers and sisters share a special bond, but twins share a bond that’s so close it borders on telepathy. Although their personalities may be very different, even mixed gender twins can share so many similarities (especially in their early years) that it’s almost difficult to think of them separately. When they share the same bedroom, however, twins represent a unique design challenge. While every child (particularly in adolescence) should have a space to call their own, and ideally a room of their own, this simply doesn’t gel with the economic realities faced by many parents. There are many children who have grown up sharing a room who have grown up to be happy and well adjusted young adults, but that doesn’t mean that a sense of ownership over their sleeping space is any less important for twins. Thus, when twins share a room the challenge lies in creating a bedroom that allows them space to be independent while making the most of their wonderful bond. If you have young twins, these tips will help you to create a gorgeous look for their room that you and they will love…
Embrace minimalism –
You could be forgiven for thinking that double the occupants means double the accoutrements but when decorating for twins less really is more. Just because you have twins doesn’t mean that you need to have two of everything. In fact, twice as many kids means half as much space. Embrace space saving measures wherever you can. Bunk beds are a great space saving solution if your kids are old enough to navigate the ladders on their own while if you have babies, simply leave enough space for two cots / bassinets and do the best you can with the space you have. So long as both twins have room to grow and enjoy their space, you don’t need to double up on furniture and possessions.
Keep the look and feel consistent –
As tempting as it may be to try and split the space evenly down the middle this is often impractical and can even foster enmity between the twins. You need to create a sense of “this is ours” rather than “this is mine, and that is yours”. Thus, it’s best to keep the look and feel of the room singular and consistent while allowing opportunities for personal accents or customisation. If you have mixed gender twins, it’s a good idea to use gender neutral colors like whites, creams, greys and beiges on your walls and furniture while using gender specific colours like pinks and blues for things like bedding, rugs or cushions so that each twin still feels a sense of personal ownership of the room.
Sensible seating solutions –
Aside from somewhere to sleep the twins will need somewhere to sit. Even if your twins are not yet of an age where they’re walking, running, jumping and sitting, it’s still a good idea to ensure that your room has a wealth of seating solutions so that they can read, draw, play video games or watch TV in comfort and so that you and other visitors can make yourselves comfortable while you enjoy their company. While a large loveseat or futon makes for a great statement piece a footstool should also be incorporated for easy seating and if space is an issue, never underestimate the ease with which bean bags can provide a quick, easy and portable seating solution. The great thing about beanbags is that not only are they inexpensive, comfortable and portable they come in a huge range of shapes, sizes and styles to make for a pop of personalisation that contrasts nicely with the neutrality of the room as a whole.
Storage, storage, storage! –
Since you have two kids occupying the room, it’s vital that every inch of floor space is used effectively. As your children get older and accumulate more and more books, toys, games and (the bane of every parent’s life) inevitable Lego pieces the need for tidy storage solutions becomes ever greater. Let things get out of hand and before you know it, there won’t be an inch of visible floor space in the room. Fortunately the market is awash with space saving storage solutions from unassuming corner bookcases to 4 poster beds with canopy frames which double as vast storage units.
In order to make the most of the room it needs to be kept clean and tidy at all times. Fortunately, the beauty of having twins is that there will always be someone to help out with the room cleaning duties.
Love,
*This is a collaborative post