To put the piano in a 8 by 7 room?

[CredulousThickos]

It’s currently in the back room which is open plan to the kitchen, along with the guitars, amp, all the many many music books and loose sheet music. It always looks messy and it’s basically a nothing room.

We have a ‘study’ at the front of the house which is also a nothing room, it’s almost totally lined with bookcases so feels tiny, and ends up being a place for people to chuck stuff out of the way.

What I’d like to do is put the bookcases in the back room, add a sofa and a tv and use it as a second sitting room.

The piano, a single bookcase and the rest of the music stuff will all technically fit in the study, but DH thinks it will feel like a music cupboard with a piano. I think it will be snug but will work, it means he can shut the door on it so can leave it as strewn with books and cables as he wants, and it will feel more like a purposely used space.

And of course the benefits of having a second living space will be huge (two teens and a six year old so it will get well used).

Has anyone got a piano in a small room? Is this a crazy plan? I’m keen to get on and do it but DH is more a ‘let’s think about it for six months before we commit’ type of person.

Should say 8foot by 7 foot. It’s actually 7’8” by 7’1” to be precise.

Can you do a diagram of how you want it set up?
Our back bedroom was a tiny nothing room/study I wanted to put a single day bed in for guests, DP thought it was too small, I drew up how I wanted it he then saw my perspective and now the room has much more purpose!

This is the floor plan for the same house (newbuild).

The red is the current position and the blue is where I want it. Obviously not exactly to scale but you can get the idea.

Tell DH it is just a trial. Then declare the trial a success.

O/T why would you have a breakfast room and a dining room? Seems like a complete waste of space.

BTW that screenshot has your address on it

I think that looks like it would work really well, but you might want to get the photo edited because it has your address on it

It’s not my address!

We’ve always had the dining table in the ‘breakfast area’. In fact I don’t think any of our neighbours use the dining room as a dining room.

I just googled the house style to get the floor plan.

You could also measure out the piano and mark it on the floor in the room with tape if you want to feel how much space it will take up.

It is only furnature, it can always be moved back!

I'd do it, but I am addicted to moving furniture. DH has long ago given up on arguing the point and barely even notices when rooms are rearranged!

I think with two teens a second sitting room is always handy, and I think such a big space shouldn't be used as a music room if your DH is the only one benefiting from it.

Is it an accoustic or digital? If it's digital and people play a lot with headphones it doesn't really matter so much.

I'd probably do what you suggested. Might not be perfect but I can see why you would want the space. Our piano is in a room that's possibly a bit too small for it, but such is life.

I usually do just move stuff around, but this is his space and I don’t want to do it without him being 100% happy. And obviously moving the piano is no small feat.

I think I’m just going to empty the study today so he can see the space better.

It’s an acoustic upright. It’s his pride and joy so I’m treading carefully.

Piano in front room but leave the bookcases there too as they will absorb the sound a bit. A piano in room open to the kitchen will be very loud!

It is loud! It’s been there for five years though so I think I’m used to it.

I’ll leave one bookcase in there for his music books, opposite the piano.

That floor plan has sliding doors to the kitchen, ours is just an archway so properly open plan. So the room ends up feeling like a tacked on space where we keep stuff.

So we are a go for launch!

I made a 3D rendering thing on an app and now he gets it. So I’m stripping bookcases tomorrow. Hurrah!

Diagram ftw!

Well really I think that’s the minimum standard all MN diagrams should strive for. 😇

I would move it to try it.
A piano weighs a ton so he would have to then be motivated to move it back. That is how I win most of the furniture battles in our house

I play the piano and wouldn't mind at all if it was in a very small room. Especially if I could shut myself in and the rest of the family out!

I am totally doing it tomorrow. My dad and brother have already said they are available for piano shifting duties. It is ON.

I'm all excited for you. I LOVE moving furniture and rearranging rooms - it's like moving house without all the tears and costs!

Exactly!

I did the front room a few weeks back and I’m still buzzing about sitting in the sofa in a different place watching the tv in a different place.

I’m such a saddo really but it’s life.

I rearranged our bedroom recently and it still feels so new and fresh. Aaaahh. My eye is on the study next; the excuse is to get the room ready for the tree.... (we can close the baby off from this room much easier than the lounge)

The big room move has started!

The house is a disaster zone now but I’ve emptied both rooms and my dad and brother are coming over to help shift the piano. Oh, and I’ve bought the darkest of teal paints for the new sitting room.

So excited. I’d really love to stay up tonight to get it all done but apparently that’s not allowed.