Ideas (non gender specific) for decorating 2yo twins' bedrooms?

[mammmamia]

We're decorating our new house and the DTs (aged 2.5, a boy and girl) are having separate bedrooms.
I'm really trying to avoid decor that's very gender specific (pink / blue / fairies / cars etc) but it's not easy. And thinking up 2 x neutral schemes is tough.
I also made the mistake of asking them what colour paint they wanted; DD said purple and DS said blue . So I might have to respect their wishes in that regard, but would appreciate any advice on how to make it look 'neutral' all the same.
All ideas welcome! Thanks

[Pannacotta]

How about painting the walls in a neutral colour and giving them blue and purple bedlinen to keep them happy?
I think a rich neutral colour works well in kids rooms, eg F&B Charleston Grey, as they set off colourful accessories more than light neutrals.

trouvais.com/2010/11/06/tall-dark-and-handsome/

There are some lovey childrens accessories around in bright colours, have a look here for ideas
www.notonthehighstreet.com/home-garden/shop-by-room/childrens-room
and here
www.thebooandtheboy.com/search/label/decor

[mememummy]

Are you doing a theme? You could do mermaids an pirates blue sea purple mermaid tails I know it's in two rooms but it could work?

[Sossiges]

Seaside theme for both just slightly different?

[oreocrumbs]

My DD's bedroom is purple - these colours, with cream, navy and red accessories. The accessories are neutral, luxurious fabrics and textures mainly in cream but with navy or red stitching. It works well, and doesn't scream 'girly'.

Not sure what to suggest for your DS, other than the same thing but with blue walls!! You can have a look for a subtle blue though, not one that screams baby boy's bedroom from 20 paces

[ListenToYourHeart]

How about painting the rooms neutral and then getting some coloured children's canvas prints.

My DD wanted a pink room but we can't paint out new place in anything but neutral colours as its rented therefore Im going to paint her walls a very light cream and put 2 big canvas prints up they are both light pink themed then she is going to have light pink curtains. I think it will actually look nicer than giving her pink walls!

[ecuse]

How about neutral walls and then stickers and soft furnishings in their choice of colour? Then you can change them cheaply/easily as they grow up and their tastes change. There are some beautiful ones on etsy

[Frontpaw]

Definately neutral! Animals are pretty non gender specific - you can get some lovely wall stickers (that come off nicely).

[Rhubarbgarden]

I agree that stickers are the way to go. Dd (2) has a garden theme with a big tree, animals and ladybirds and a veg patch rug and bedlinen (from Ikea). Ds (9 weeks) is going to have an underwater theme with fish and crab stickers, and dark blue curtains, cushions etc if I ever get round to it. Both rooms are painted plain white which keeps them nice and light and sets off the stickers beautifully.

I'm struggling to think of a neutral theme that works with purple though. Circus?

[BertieBotts]

Animals, farm/jungle/zoo/safari/nature (ladybirds, bees etc), Under the sea/beach type theme. Explorer theme. No theme but plain with co-ordinating bright stripes, spots, storage boxes etc.

I think pirates and mermaids are kind of gender segregated! Nice idea though :)

I'll try to find some gender neutral bedding/decorations.

[BertieBotts]

www.next.co.uk/homeware/girls-bedroom/22 - does involve pink, but fairly gender neutral other than that. They have curtains to match too.

www.next.co.uk/homeware/boys-bedroom/16 - star sheets are cute.

www.next.co.uk/homeware/boys-bedroom/21 - Lego bed set is awesome! (grr that it's in the boys' section!)

www.next.co.uk/homeware/boys-bedroom/23 - Nice bright stripy covers

[GreatGooglyMoogly]

We did hot air balloons in the sky for DS2. Nice and colourful but not too dark.

[Mandy21]

My b/g twins share a room so we did a freature wall with very bold barcode wall paper - something like this.

uktv.co.uk/home/gallery/aid/613940

If you want to go neutral though, I agree with wall stickers - they are brilliant. Brume have some really good ones, as do notonthehighstreet.

www.brume.co.uk/c/14/stickers-for-your-walls

www.notonthehighstreet.com/baby-child/childrens-living/painting-decorating/wall-stickers

[NormanTheForeman]

Beach/seaside themes are always good, and not really gender-specific.

[fussychica]

We did pirates many years ago. My OH painted a fantastic mural plus a large parrot on the reverse side of a roller blind! It was complete with portholes, cabin bed and rigging! Bit of a b*** to get rid of when we moved but it was great.

[GnocchiNineDoors]

Dd has a unisex room. grey walls and pea green curtains / storage etc. we did put up three little black and white prints which had liittle coloured floral cars on them so a nod to the feminine.

Seaside theme is great.

Failing that, apple white walls look lovely, and add in the colours they want to that with a rug, storage boxes and lampshade

[MrsHelsBels74]

When we get round to decorating son's room we're planning on doing it with lots of colours, e.g. the walls will be red, green, yellow & blue with purple carpet & orange curtains...or something like that, not decided the final details yet.

[annalouiseh]

We have twins B n G but same room as still only small.
have neutral walls with a nice 'purple' as a feature wall, with wall stickers on (contrasting) gran tree and white butterflies, also have white floating shelves on that wall to go with the white cot and toy box and a purple rug, looks nice and unisex

[BertieBotts]

I thought of another couple of purple themes today too.

Magic/wizards - stars, moons, lots of swirly glittery "spells", cauldrons, snakes etc.

Space - stars, moons, planets, space ships, aliens etc

Fairytale - castles, witches, kings, princesses and knights.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Love love love all the animal ideas. You could you jungle / safari / under the sea / birds etc all without resorting to gendered cliches. Also you could easily work in blue/purple to any of them, esp if used sparingly.

Also: spots / stripes?

Use their names or initials to theme things around?

[mammmamia]

Thank you thank you for all the suggestions, there are loads of good ideas here.
Definitely going to go with wall stickers and really like some of the themes suggested here.
In our old house they shared a room and we had a circus themed wall sticker - this one - www.funkylittledarlings.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=2043&prodID=11211&PHPSESSID=ceaf00c5c1cf3c5cb9c13fad871fc5ce

which was absolutely lovely but not repositionable so couldn't take it with us

Having to separate them even though they're still quite little as they wake each other up. But that's a whole different thread...

[Rhubarbgarden]

Hah! That is exactly the wall sticker I had in mind when I suggested a circus theme! I couldn't remember where I'd seen it though. It's gorgeous.

[mammmamia]

It was pricey but looked fab - the colours were so vivid and was so big you didn't really need any other decoration in the room so it was worth it. Shame we couldn't peel it off and re-use.