How would you allocate bedrooms in this situation?

[juliantwo]

We are moving house. Our current house actually has 5 bedrooms, but it is 3 storeys and the main bedroom is in the first floor with a further four on the 2nd floor. We all (me, dh, ds1 and ds2) sleep on the second floor so that we are on same level as
Dcs and the bedroom in the 2nd floor is the spare room- it has an en-suite so means guests have their own bathrooms although we don't have overnight guests very often at all nowadays - before dcs were at school my mum and dad would often help out with childcare and would sometimes stay over but doesn't happen very often. The 5th room is v small and we actually have it as a walk in wardrobe.

So, the new house only has 4 bedrooms but 2 are en-suite and have "dressing rooms" between the bedroom and the ensuite. 3 are double but the smallest one is probably only big enough for a single bed.

So the obvious thing to do it to put us in master, and dcs in double rooms each. But that would mean that we didn't have a double guest room, but I don't think that is a problem given we don't have guests v often. If we did have dc in a double bed, then they could vacate their room when if we have guests?

But, the boys are keen on these high sleeper beds with a desk underneath, so if we had one of those in a big bedroom it wouldn't be as easy to use as a guest room if dc vacated.

The other thing is our current house has a playroom. New house doesn't but we could allocate the smallest bedroom
As a sort of playroom. However, they are starting to get into gaming a bit (just mariokart, minecraft, fifa etc on the Nintendo switch) and I think if we kept games console
Downstairs in living room then we'd be able to keep and eye on what they are on (they aren't online, linked to friends or anything like that). We haven't ever allowed TVs/screens in bedrooms and don't plan to.

Just asking for advice on how to configure things.

How often do you have overnight guests, OP, and who are they? I wouldn’t stay over anywhere that had a sofa bed or air bed but if you know your guests would then go ahead.

Usually our parents or our siblings with their families (in which case dcs would share).

I agree, I'm not keen on sofa beds and even less on air beds but perhaps quality has improved since I last tried one. You must be able to get a good quality sofa bed if you pay £££££?

The thing is, we have a double bed anyway from the spare room which would ideally go in one of the boys rooms, they are keen on the high sleeper now but surely would prefer a double when they are a bit older??

Maybe they could have the option of large room and double bed or small room and high sleeper

You do not want a console in the living room.
Forget about guests - it is not your role to provide overnight accommodation. I would not give up my room (and would feel very weird sleeping in someone else's master bedroom).

I don't know 1 person who has a guest room over their kids having bedrooms as they want them.

People who unknown with guest rooms either have extra rooms like you do now or their kids have flown the nest.

You in master and kids in doubles. Perhaps if you want sleeping place for guests have a double sofa bed in spare room as playroom.

I'd go for smallest room as a games console/play room with some sort of futon/sofa bed in it. If you have an elderly guest or someone with a bad back then you could offer your room for the night.

Yes I think that is possibly the way forward. Can anyone recommend a comfortable sofa bed if such a thing exists??

And I suppose if no console in the living room we will just have to be strict with screen time limits. We do occasionally enjoy a family mariokart competition!!

The Ikea Hemnes day bed is great - we have one and even when pulled out to a double it's solid and super-comfy!

It suited me to have the console out of the living room, but they were still in "family" space, so I could keep an eye and they didn't feel like I was intruding.