This Sweet Shared Kids’ Room Is An “Everything Room” Designed to Grow and Change As They Do
Some parents can relate to this decision: whether or not your kids should share a bedroom. For some, it might be out of necessity, while others might want to give their children an experience they have growing up. For cookbook author and online personality Caroline Chambers, it was a choice that she went back and forth over.
Caroline has two children, Mattis and Callum, who she lovingly refers to as her “spirited little pigs.” Mattis is the older sibling (he’s five while Callum is three), so he initially had his own bedroom. But when Callum came along, the space wasn’t representative of her sons — Caroline wanted to see their personalities in the decor.
“Before we renovated, it had his crib (Mattis was a unicorn who slept in his crib until 4 years old), a leather sofa, and a little hodgepodge of hand-me-down furniture,” Caroline says. “It was cute, but I knew I wanted a space that really reflected who Mattis and Callum are — imaginative, energetic, and funny little guys. Plus, I wanted to make sure it was functional as they get older and their tastes evolve from dinosaurs and Ninja Turtles to whatever comes next.”
Caroline was working with Kate Hutchison of Kate.H.Design to reimagine her house in Carmel Valley, California, and that included rethinking Mattis and Callum’s room. It was important that the new room’s design was versatile enough to grow with them throughout time and allowed their personalities to shine. Another goal was to ensure Mattis and Callum had enough space to move about.
“We had to clear the chaos, and with kids, there’s a lot of stuff,” Caroline admits. “Once we decided what pieces to keep that were sentimental, like my grandma’s chinoiserie lamp and the red chinoiserie table, which was the first piece of furniture we ever bought together, we started to fill in the blanks with big pieces we needed.”
Sharing a room means double everything and smart storage solutions were key to ensure the boys had enough space to move about. Caroline and Kate worked with local carpenters to create the perfect closet to house all of Mattis and Callum’s belongings. “I cannot stress enough how much you’ll appreciate a well-organized and functional closet when you’re wrangling them in the morning,” Caroline shares.
Once the furniture selections and closet were organized, it was time to add some personality to the room. Moon-themed fabric from Caroline Z Hurley was the jumping-off point for the rest of the room (you can see the pattern on the beds’ lumbar pillows and the blackout curtains). Benjamin Moore’s White Dove acted as the perfect crisp canvas for the artwork and Roll & Hill’s Bluff City fun pendants.
The white walls allowed sentimental items, like the fishing prints above the beds (picked up on Caroline and her partner’s 10-year-anniversary trip in Tofino) and the swimmer block print (the couple purchased this piece in Amsterdam before having children), to really pop. Bright colors are reminiscent of the boys’ personalities, too.
“They both love wearing a lot of colors, are attracted to bold-colored toys and stuffies, and love wearing my colorful necklaces to school,” Caroline shares. “So I knew I wanted a ton of color in here. White walls, yes, but lots of bright pops of color throughout.”
While Mattis and Callum love bold colors, there are spaces for their individuality to shine. Caroline ensured they each had special areas for their things and believed it made them feel as though they had “ownership over the space.” Under their beds, they have bins that hold their favorite toys, and certain areas are just designated for either kid.
“They also have certain parts of their room that are just for them. Mattis keeps his nightstand under lock and key, literally it has a padlock on it, and inside are all his little figurine treasures that he guards from his little brothers,” Caroline admits. Callum has a bin under the bed of all his favorite trucks and cars! With being in such a small home filled with five humans, the more spaces I can give them to just be theirs, the better!”
Since redesigning the room, Caroline appreciates how it balances peaceful and playful energy. It’s the perfect space to play but also to unwind. And Mattis and Callum do a bit of everything together in their colorful, whimsical room.
“It’s their everything room — playground, library, construction site, and sometimes a wrestling ring,” Caroline explains. “I really debated having them share a room versus each getting their own room, but hearing them chit-chat while they fall asleep helps me know it was the right decision. It’s also a disaster some nights, but I love that they’re making memories as roommates.”
Product List
Paint — Benjamin Moore’s White Dove
Door Hardware — Emtek
Rug — Loloi
Beds — Crate and Kids
Quilts — Brooklinen
Duvet — Quince
Toniebox — Tonies
Monogrammed Pillows — Pippen House
Further Reading
I Tried 8 Baby Food and Kids’ Meal Delivery Services — Here Are the Best of the Bunch
The 14 Best Costco Items to Buy for Quick Family Meals
This $16 Find Is One of the Best Purchases I've Ever Made at IKEA
