Whether you are designing a beach house guest room for friends or a spare bedroom for the grandkids, it can be challenging to stylishly squeeze two beds into a small room. With the right layout, styling, furniture, and accessories, you can create a space that will make people of any age feel at home.
Check out these ideas for putting two beds in one small room that will remind you of the childhood joys of sharing a sleepover.
Add Hidden Storage
Separate twin beds in a small room with a wide dresser or nightstand with hidden storage. Interior designer Ghislaine Viñas chose a shared nightstand with double drawers that offers closed storage for each side of the bed. Mismatched lamps add an eclectic touch.
Wall-Mount the Headboard
Save space in a smaller shared bedroom by using a single wall-mounted headboard rather than individual bed frames. Interior designer Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis paired blue-and-white floral upholstery with warm coral and mustard tones for a vibrant contrast.
Try a Kitty-Corner Layout
Arrange twin beds in a kitty-corner layout to make a small shared bedroom feel more spacious. This minimalist, black-and-white guest room from Fantastic Frank doubles as an off-duty reading nook to create a multipurpose space.
Opt for a Shared Lamp
Use one oversized table lamp rather than individual lamps to provide light for both beds on a shared nightstand. BHDM Design placed a tall lamp on the narrow shared bedside cabinet in this neutral bedroom to draw the eye upward and make the small footprint feel more spacious.
Push the Beds Together
Create a hotel-style feel by pushing twin beds together. Studio Peake worked around the contours of this London bedroom by placing the bedside table and lamp in a slightly receded niche that feels cozy without being cramped.
Hang a Pair of Sconces
Save space in a small shared bedroom with wall-mounted sconces. Studio Robert McKinley hung a pair of industrial-style black sconces over a pair of matching vintage bed frames in this Montauk guest room that provide task lighting for reading before bed.
Add Storage Ottomans
Storage ottomans are a small space hidden weapon that can work anywhere from the living room to a shared bedroom. Interior designer Kara Mann decorated this New York farmhouse bedroom with antique bed frames, crisp white bed linens, floral curtains, and upholstered ottomans at the foot of each bed to hide clutter.
Tuck Beds Under the Eaves
Maximize space in a cozy attic bedroom by tucking a pair of twin beds beneath the eaves. Britt Design Studio placed matching headboards upholstered with green-and-white striped fabric on either side of the window, with a shared nightstand that includes open and closed storage.
Structure With a Half Wall
Anchor the bed wall in a shared room with a decorative half wall. Jean Liu Design chose a neutral plaid wallpaper accent, but you could add a half wall accent using paint or wood paneling such as beadboard, shiplap, or board and batten.
Unify With an Area Rug
Create a unified feel by placing side-by-side twin beds on a large area rug. Erin Williamson Design floated matching twin bed frames dressed in identical linens on a colorful Moroccan-style area rug to define the sleeping area of this Texas lake house bedroom.
Install Wall Canopies
Give a smaller shared bedroom a sense of grandeur with a pair of tall wall-mounted canopies. Matthew Carter Interiors structured this small room with upholstered printed fabric canopies that begin near the ceiling and frame the small, high windows as well as the beds.
Upsize the Beds
Maximize space and options in a small guest room by choosing the largest size beds that the room can accommodate. Marie Flanigan Interiors chose a pair of slipcovered white bed frames that fill the space to create a cozy all-white space with a shabby chic feel.
Use an Extra-Wide Table
Place twin beds with matching headboards on either side of a large window. Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona filled the space between them with a wooden console as wide as the shared window to maximize space and offer open and closed storage and display space.
Paint Horizontal Stripes
Use horizontal wall stripes to make a narrow room feel wider. Interior designer Ghislaine Viñas added an accent wall that extends to the ceiling of this small bedroom to conceal the door with an irreverent dash of color and pattern.
Try Multipurpose Furniture
Trade beds for two deep, firm sofas that can double as sleeping quarters when you have an overflow of guests. Interior designer Ghislaine Viñas installed a pair of turquoise sofas on either side of this spare room that create a cozy seating area by day.
Embrace Symmetry
Use low-slung vintage furniture in a small room to make the ceilings feel higher. Cathie Hong Interiors chose vintage-style rattan bed frames and a midcentury modern-style shared bedside table to add style without adding bulk to this twin bedroom with a perfectly symmetrical layout.
Make One a Daybed
Style a bonus twin mattress like a daybed to provide an extra sleeping space when needed. In this cozy room from interior designer Vanessa Scoffier at Paris’ Hotel Henriette, a twin bed is positioned flush against the wall and backed with a mix of throw pillows that turn it into a daybed that can turn into a sleeping spot for kids or teens.
Use Creative Lighting
Swap bedside lamps for a low-hanging pendant light for a light and airy look in a guest room with high ceilings. Leanne Ford Interiors hung a tiered Capiz shell pendant light centered above a pair of antique twin bed frames in this whitewashed space.
Use Paint to Divide Space
Use paint to create an inexpensive and inventive way to create a virtual separation between twin beds. Interior designer Vanessa Scoffier placed twin beds a stool’s width apart in this small room at Paris’ Hotel Henriette, visually dividing the space with two-tone paint in soft pastel shades.
Personalize With Wall Art
A shared headboard will make twin beds feel integrated and cut down on visual clutter. Christina Kim Interior Design hung a different photograph over each bed to keep it from looking too matchy-matchy.
Consider a Murphy Bed
Add functionality to a small bedroom or studio apartment with a space-saving Murphy bed. In this sleek space from MKCA, a built-in wall bed above the dining table is hidden in plain sight to provide an extra bed for overnight guests.
Add Extra Seating
Maximize space in a small twin bedroom by placing a small armchair, pouf, or bean bag chair at the end of each bed. This will create a place to hang out that isn’t the bed.