21 Layout and Design Ideas for Putting Two Beds in One Small Room

Whether you are designing a beach house guest room that can handle any type of visitor or a spare bedroom that's always ready when the grandkids come for the weekend, there are plenty of reasons why you might find yourself trying to figure out how to stylishly squeeze two beds into one small room.

Check out these bedrooms in a range of styles and layouts that will make people of all ages feel at home, and remind you of the childhood joys of sharing a sleepover.

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Add Hidden Storage

Design by Ghislaine Vinas / Photo by Garrett Rowland

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.

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Wall-Mount the Headboard

Design by Atelier Davis / Photo by Heidi Harris

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 a blue-and-white floral upholstered headboard with contrasting warm corals and mustard tones for a vibrant mix in this inviting guest room.

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Try a Kitty-Corner Layout

Fantastic Frank

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.

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Opt for a Shared Lamp

Design by BHDM Design / Photo by Reid Rolls

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.

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Push the Beds Together

Studio Peake

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.

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Hang a Pair of Sconces

Design by Studio Robert McKinley / Photo by Nicole Franzen

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.

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Add Storage Ottomans

Design by Kara Mann

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 that provide storage. They can be easily moved to provide seating in front of the wood-burning fireplace.

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Tuck Beds Under the Eaves

Design by Britt Design Studio

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.

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Structure With a Half Wall

Design by Jean Liu Design / Photo by Casey Dunn

Anchor the bed wall in a shared room with a decorative half wall. Jean Liu Design chose a neutral plaid wallpaper accent for this vibrant and textural space, but you could add a half wall accent using paint or wood paneling such as beadboard, shiplap, or board and batten depending on your taste and style.

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Unify With an Area Rug

Erin Williamson Design

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.

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Install Wall Canopies

Matthew Carter Interiors

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.

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Upsize the Beds

Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer

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.

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Use an Extra-Wide Table

Home Made By Carmona

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.

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Paint Horizontal Stripes

Design by Ghislaine Vinas / Photo by Art Gray

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.

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Try Multipurpose Furniture

Design by Ghislaine ViÃ±as / Photo by Garrett Rowland

Interior designer Ghislaine Viñas installed a pair of turquoise sofas on either side of this spare room that create a cozy seating area by the day. The two deep, firm sofas can double as single beds in a pinch when extra guests sleep over for the weekend.

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Embrace Symmetry

Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Christy Q. Photo

Using low-slung vintage furniture in a small room will make the ceilings feel higher. Cathie Hong Interiors chose vintage-style rattan bed frames and a midcentury modern-inspired shared bed table to add style without adding bulk to this twin bedroom with a perfectly symmetrical layout.

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Make One a Daybed

Design by Vanessa Scoffier / Hotel Henriette

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.

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Use Creative Lighting

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Erin Kelly

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 timeless whitewashed space.

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Use Paint to Divide Space

Design by Vanessa Scoffier / Hotel Henriette

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.

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Share the Headboard

Design by Christina Kim Interior Design

A shared headboard will make twin beds feel integrated and cut down on visual clutter. In this twin bedroom from Christina Kim Interior Design, a long shared pale blue velvet headboard and matching linens create a unified look. A different photograph over each bed keeps it from looking too matchy-matchy.

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Consider a Murphy Bed

Design by MKCA / Photo by Alan Tansey

Add functionality to a small bedroom or studio apartment with a 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. For a budget-friendly option, try a DIY Murphy bed.