About a month ago, we put the Ruby and Coco together in the same room! As a newborn, Coco was sleeping in the home office room that we turned into a super fun office/nursery for a little while. But once the kids were in bed by 7:30pm every night, we lost the use of our office during those prime times that Bob and I needed to get work or other errands done after the kids were asleep. The office/nursery was always planned to be temporary, and we knew we'd move them in together once Coco was sleeping through the night.
Since we've lived in the same place for the last 5 years, I wanted to share the evolution of how the same room went from a room for a baby to a room for a toddler, and now to a room for a toddler AND a baby. Here's a look at what parts of changed and what parts have stayed the same…
The Crib and Bed
In 2011, the room focused on the crib and changing table side-by-side which is my ideal placement for a baby's room when possible. It just makes those post-nap diaper changes even easier. We had a couch in the far end of the room and a glider right by the crib for those middle of the night feedings when Ruby was a tiny babe and when I'd be too tired to go back to sleep in my own bedroom.
A few years later in 2014, Ruby was ready for big girl bed! We removed the couch at the far window and moved the changing table to that spot. While most people would put the long side of a toddler's bed up against a wall, this room has a couple large windows and very few windowless walls where a bed could go. And because the room gets really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter, we opted to keep her away from the window have her bed frame come out from the wall and sit a bit more central in the room.
Now, here we are in 2015! Ruby's bed has stayed in the same place since last year centered underneath one of the windows (we have bumpers underneath her fitted sheet so she doesn't fall out). And Coco's crib is along the same polka dot wall where it was when Ruby was a baby. This allows for some open space in the main part of the room where they can play and get dressed, while giving their beds a bit of separation from each other.
Now, the part of the room that has stayed pretty much the same…
The Bookshelf and Dressers
The dresser and bookshelf area in the girls' room is probably my favorite wall in our house. I bought those colorful dressers off Craig's List when I was pregnant with Ruby, and they've always served as the perfect pop of color for the room. They're also super sturdy and very functional. We've been keeping Ruby's clothes in the left dresser since she was born, and now that Coco is here, we keep her clothes in the one on the right. The mini library book case has held books and toys throughout and simply evolves as the girls grow. I love that this whole wall and the main furniture pieces against the wall will grow with them for years to come.
Next week, I'll go more into the logistics of having a toddler and baby share a room (will they wake each other up, how does the bedtime routine go?) and some tips that helped our kids ease into the transition!
{Photos credits: 2011 photos by Bonnie Tsang, 2014 photos by Sasha Guilish, 2015 photos by Casey Brodley for Oh Joy}
Can’t wait to hear about logistics! Our second baby is due in October, when our toddler will be twenty months. We are definitely planning to have them share a room, but feel a bit lost on how/when to make that transition.
I love the dressers!! So colorful and happy. And also the rug, it’s beautiful.
I have two boys and they sleep together in the same room. We could have separated them since we have an extra room, but they actually prefer to remain together. They feel more secure and they say it’s more fun as well.
Lovely room!
Alina
http://www.eclecticalu.blogspot.com
I’m looking forward to those tips as well; we want to eventually have our littles (right now she’s 3 yrs, he’s 3.5 months) share a room too. You know what’s funny, I remember seeing those dressers for sale on Craigslist (in SD) and I had contacted the seller about buying them. But you got to them first! 😉 Love seeing the evolution of the girls’ room with pieces that can grow with them!
I love the polka dot wall!
Kristi
http://www.beloverly.com
Yellow is my current obsession! Nothing says happy like bright sunny yellow! Love the polar bear bedding set! I’ve been searching for bedding my little girl can use and then donate to her brother! Where is this from please?
Hi!
That animal bedding is from DwellStudio:
http://www.dwellstudio.com/DwellStudio-Wildwood-Citrine-Duvet-Set-1100-50-151-DWL7610.html
Thanks!
Joy
Looking forward to hearing about the logistics! We will be transitioning our boys into sharing in the near future!
Looking forward to your logistics posts next week, as well. Ours will be sharing a room as soon as the littlest begins sleeping through the night. xo
Oh those dressers are beyond amazing!!!
Love the room in every step, dressers are just perfect. I’ll put my children together soon and any tips will be more than welcome.
Xoxo
Elisa
Thanks for sharing. We moved our little one into her own room around 6 weeks and haven’t looked back (for now). She sleeps better and through the night this way which we were surprised to find since we were ready for co-sleeping until she was 1 year. Oh well. Looking forward to your tips. And btw, where are the large decorative paper fans on the wall are from? Thx!
I love this!
Expecting a lil bub and big sister will be 26 months then.
Looking forward to all your updates including the bedtime routine etc!
Joy, so curious how the transition was for you? My boys are 2.5 yrs and 11 months and I tried to put them in the same room last Sunday. Only to promptly move them back apart on Tuesday! It was too much for our toddler for me to nurse the babe in the morning without his special basket of things (which he typically gets in the evening) and maybe it’s my weaning hormones kicking in but his temper tantrum was too much for me to handle so I moved the younger one’s crib back into our bedroom (and ourselves back into the living room, sigh).
As always, your style is top notch. Thanks for giving us little glimpses into your family life!
Hey Mai,
Don’t give up! I’m working on a post for next week and will share how it went for us!
Joy
Love Ruby’s yellow comforter! Could you share where it’s from? Thanks!
This is great! My girls are 3 and 1, and thinking about moving them into the same room this summer. My only concern is that my 3 year old loves her little sister so much, she’d climb into her crib to sleep with her and I’d worry about that! Has Ruby done anything of the sort? They both have the same sleep schedules but they both like to lay in bed and talk/play with their toys for a little while before falling asleep (we watch them on the baby monitor) so I wonder if they’d keep eachother awake.
Also, I totally copied those dots on the wall when my oldest was a newborn and we were living in an apartment we couldn’t paint!
Hi Raina!
Ha, that’s super cute! I’m working on a post for this week about it but the fact that they are on the same sleeping schedules is great and I think you can totally put them together. You might just have to make some new bedtime rules about staying in your own bed or talking quietly before bed. I bet they’d love it.
Joy
wahhh so cute! coco is adorably chubby … beautiful babes, both… i was just looking around my son’s room (he’ll be 3 in august) and thinking about changing it up… it’s easy to grow into but then i was thinking is it too babyish for him?? still have his adorable mobile up in the corner… but so painful to put away! i think once he gets into a toddler bed i can have him come along and choose something new for his room! i feel inspired… thanks joy! xo
Your kids are so stinkin cute!!! I can’t imagine toddler and baby together…good luck girl!!
xo,
Seng
http://www.sengerson.com
Love your blog. Just giving a personal shout out to my Kickstarter project launched today for my prints based on the minimalistic and Scandi/Nordic theme. There are some great rewards for my backers. Check it out. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/minimalprints/minimal-haus-prints-digital-prints-for-diy-wall-ar Thanks. Donna.
Where is the toddler bed from????
Loved this article!
Such a happy child to have such a beautifully designed room.
Colour and geometric shapes really bring this one to life.
thanks for sharing very nice article post. i love this article.
Thanks, the alternating colours with the drawers and the rug match nicely.
The concept of baby’s room is amazing and I’ve always loved the colorful baby rooms 🙂 However getting them into the habit of sleeping in a separate room may be a bit of a challenge. But after a bit of hiccups its manageable. Their own kids furniture with bunk beds, colorful rugs and toys makes them fall in love with their room!