Let Kids Express Themselves

Giving kids a place in their bedroom where they can express their personality is important, particularly in shared rooms, says designer Jennifer Delonge, who shies away from bunk beds for that very reason.

"Bunks just don't seem very individual to me," Delonge says, adding that when you choose twin or double beds, you can create unique spaces within the room by tailoring design for each child's sleep area. For example, give kids an area to express themselves with a corkboard above their bed, she says.

Giving children a place to display their own photos, artwork or posters is an inexpensive and easy way to pump up the personal style in a room, Barkley says. "Creating a 'brag' space for each child, like a wire clothesline to hang the day's artwork, can be the ultimate in personalization," she says.