Bedroom size

[Ihatethiscold]

Considering dividing up a bedroom to make 2 smaller bedrooms for our kids so they each have their own space.

This would make the rooms about 2.2 x 4.4m in size, quite long and narrow.

Do you think that's too small?

Probably depends on the door, radiator and window positions.

If you put a bed across one of the short walls, there will likely be plenty of space for a wardrobe and a desk.
If the bed needs to go along the long wall, you may be pretty limited by what else can go in.

Consider making the wall not straight, so once wardrobes are in, the walls and wardrobe doors made one straight line.

Windows are on short wall. Current radiator would have to be moved so we could put new ones wherever suits best.

That sounds a bit narrow, but the decent length may cancel it out. Won't they both be either without the door or the window?

Maybe have high beds so there’s more floor space? Can have desk or even a sofa below bed.

Ds's room is 2.4w x 4m. He has his bed down the 4m long wall and has a bank of wardrobes at the bottom of the room across the 2.4m wall. It does depend where the door is as Ds has clearance for those wardrobes. He also has an Ikea Kallax unit opposite his bed. It isn't that small. Yes narrow but my children have a massive playroom so bedrooms are for sleeping in, not playing in which may make a difference.

No, we would do it properly and put in a window and another door. It's basically cutting a square ish room in half and adding another door onto the landing.

Thanks that's useful. We have a playroom and also a study downstairs so they don't need to store any toys in there and shouldn't need desks either. So they should just be for sleeping.

@Ihatethiscold plenty of room then. You can tape it out on the current floor so see what space it gives. I think having toy storage elsewhere means it doesn't get cluttered up. At 2.2m wide a bed is 90cm wide so call that 1m, it still gives 1.2m of floor space to the side of the bed. The length gives you room to store furniture. Ds2 has the same length room but wider, he has his bed and then a 100cm wardrobe all against that 4.4m wall.

Thanks that's reassuring! I know logically that it's plenty of floorspace but I was bit worried about the long narrow shape. We'll perhaps tape it and hang a sheet up or something to get a feel for it

@Ihatethiscold Not sure how old your children are but Ds1 has been in this room from aged 6 to 21. Hanging up a sheet is a great idea to get a feel for the space, even if it means someone stands on a chair and holds it up.

I just realised that Ds2's room is not over 4m long, it is 3.6m long, hence the single bed and then the wardrobe. Peri brain.

Both my sons have those lift up ottoman storage beds for winter/summer duvets etc which helps using the space under the bed.

We did similar about 18 years ago and I have never regretted it

Most children would prefer a small room of their own rather than sharing

Yes that's what we thought. Thanks, glad to know it worked for you.