It was formerly commonplace for children to share room and bed.
In the olden days, the children did not have a room of their own like today, and it was commonplace for them to share not only a room but also a bed. This one is striking: a pretty iron bed probably from the late 19th or early 20th century with a very fine design that speaks of a family with a certain economic status. The mattresses were made of wool, millet and sometimes even horse hair. The sheets were hemp and the top sheet might have some stitching or embroidery to embellish it. The covers were wool blankets, which were very heavy and kept sleepers warm.
At that time, the houses did not have electricity and at night they used lanterns (a piece of highly resinous wood), candles or oil lamps like the one hanging on the headboard to see. Nor was there any toilet as we know it today. There might have been a common one at most, so alongside the bed there was always a washbasin and a chamber pot on the ground to be used for night-time emergencies.
