Do your kids share a room?
These days it seems that we often think it's a basic necessity that each child has his or her own room, all stylishly decorated of course.
However, with the cost of housing and the rise of choosing spaces with environmental footprints or conscious reasoning in mind, many people are rethinking this assumption. I'm seeing more and more shared rooms online and so many creative ways to use a space.
Also with many of us trying to live more simply and clearing out what we don't need from our lives we realise that with less clutter makes more space for sharing rooms.
When we decided to downsize 18mths ago, it was really kind of a crazy thought that I would have my then 2yr old girl and 7 yr old boy in the one room, and a tiny one at that. I figured that they could probably stick it out and see how it goes for around 2 years.
Im fact since the sleeping situation in our place is like musical beds most nights plus having a shift worker in the mix I toyed with the idea of having a sleeping room for everyone. Well only half considered it. My son thought it was a great idea till he thought about his friends coming over.
However I've read many stories online of people doing it that way through both necessity and choice in wanting to simplify.
We already had a white bunk bed so we've kept the colours pretty simple and adding some pink to Willows bed. I'm updating the bedding with our new pure linen range so I'll share that in the spring but the colour palette is similar to that pictured below.
What I've discovered is how little they actually need in the way of toys. I have a box in the garage that I can rotate toys in and out as we have limited space. Mostly my son really only wants his soccer ball and living small has been a challenge with him wanting to kick balls off my walls at all times. Luckily he is now old enough to pop downstairs of our unit to play in the space downstairs. Most of his need are outdoors and with the beach and park across the road it's just meant getting out more.
My daughter still enjoys playing with toys so we've tried to keep rotating them round and have different types of play in some of our cupboards and coffee table drawers.
Although we don't have the option of another room , there is also a growing trend to put the kids in together and then use that spare room as a playroom or study.
Check out this built in bedding system designed by Petite Interiors Co. It's shared by two boys and two girls and apparently the parents decided to use the other bedroom and a play space instead of having a girls room and a boys room. I'd love to know how this is working out as it's a great idea of thinking differently.
I love that there is a little bookshelf next to each bed with a few of each childs fave books.
Room by Nest Design Studio
So if you're looking for more inspiration for creating shared spaces we have been collecting images and ideas for you over at our pinterest page HERE
As for our shared space..I'll share it with you on instagram stories and on here in the future. We will have the option to upsize again soon but having lived this way really makes it easier to see what things you really need and what things you or society think you need.
nicole x