Split room or not

[Raindancer432]

I have 2 daughters ages 12 and 6 years. They currently share the bigger room. We've looked into getting a room divider and giving both girls their own entrance. The only thing is that it will make 2 small box rooms (5ft x 10ft for one and 5ft x 8.5 ft for the other).
They get along fine at the moment but we are more thinking ahead for oldest.
Do we split so they both have their own room even if it's small or keep the room as it is and have the space? We could put a curtain divide in.
We cant afford to move, can't extend, no room downstairs and can't do the bunkbed divide due to awkward room shape

I would.

Sharing isn’t much fun when they want to be alone and there’s a big gap.

Adds extra rooms and it can be easily dismantled should a future family want to do that. Do what’s best for your family now.

Bump

I would, and pre-empt future arguments!

Though first I'd check to make sure they're happy with it. I know you say they get on fine but would they prefer to have their own space?

Those sound really small, would you be able to fit furniture in apart from a bed? My son's room was about 2x3 metres before we extended and that could just about fit the bed and a chest of drawers in but there wasn't really any floor space and a desk wouldn't have fitted.

If you can make the spaces work furniture wise (maybe loft beds?) then I think separate rooms would be ideal but it would need careful planning.

what do the girls think?

Split. You could ask them but I reckon it'd work better.

I know a 14 and 4 year old who share fine but only because of the split room. They've split it using bunk beds though but the beds are facing different ways if that makes sense.

Oldest has a loft bed now with desk under and wardrobe to the side and youngest has a mid sleeper (would get her a high sleeper in a couple of years). They have their own half at the moment and no arguments at the moment. Definitely trying to preempt any future arguments.
Both girls see the pros and cons. They'd like their own room but also like the space.

That's not much wider than a single bed and a bedside table. Have you allowed for the thickness of the dividing wall itself in your measurements? Realistically, I'm not sure the current room is big enough to divide.

Yeah thats with the thickness of the wall.

I would - the 12 year old especially will likely really appreciate having her own space to study in a year or two once she starts GSCE stuff. It’s unlikely to devalue the house imo- people accept that children’s rooms can be small and it shouldn’t be that big a deal to convert it back if in future you sell to people without kids.

I think 5ft would be just be wide enough for a 3ft single bed and a very small dressing table/ desk (possibly the IKEA brimnes or similar - but check measurements as you might have to get something specially made to fit) and then a wardrobe with drawers under/inside would likely have to go at the end of the bed at the longer side of the room, depending on where the windows are.

I’d obviously give the smaller 8ft long room to the younger child as you’ll only get a very small wardrobe in that one! (Unless you go for a bunk style with desk and wardrobe underneath- but some kids aren’t as keen on bunks).

Edited: Just seen you say they already have loft style bunks with space for stuff underneath - that makes it easier then!

Maybe try doing a mock up. You could, perhaps, move the two beds to the centre of the current room as though they are up against each side of the potential dividing wall. The girls would then have their single bed plus 2ft space to the current walls. After a week or so you should know if the room size suits their needs.

Do it, cabin beds with a desk underneath are fab.

Are there two windows? Bear in mind all bedrooms must have a means of escape that meets fire regs, this usually means an opening window of a minimum size.

We had this when I was a kid - my uncle is an architect and drew up a proper plan for it. I had a tiny room with a fitted wardrobe, and my sibling had a bigger room which I had to walk through to get to mine. I had a single bed, large desk, and the fitted wardrobe, and my dad made a lovely wooden headboard and wall fixed bookshelves for me - it was tight for space but much better than sharing.

Is your own room bigger OP? If so, would it perhaps be better to split that and you move into the girls room? Just a thought.

I'd split all the way along with kallax units then you get so much storage too and could get rid of some chests of drawers / wardrobes perhaps to free up more space ?

We did this for my DDs age 9 and 11 (including new windows, radiators and reconfiguring the hall so each room has its own entrance). The rooms are definitely small but fit a bed and wardrobe and older DD has a small dressing table (younger DD prefers space for toys at the minute). We tried dividing the room with kallax and opposite facing beds etc but ultimately DD1 really values her alone time and privacy and loves a lie-in (where DD2 is an early bird!). It's been the best decision for us- no regrets! We are planning on being in this house long term so no worry about effect on house price etc.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5184210-to-divide-or-not-to-divide?reply=138923663

Yes but I wouldn't do high sleeper beds in a tiny room. They take up all the space. I'd do low single bed with a couple of cushions so it can double as a sofa and chill space.

Surely high sleepers are the only way to fit in a wardrobe too?

Yes and we would split the radiator into 2 smaller ones. It reallt would turn it into 2 box rooms but they do comply with fire regs.

So we have a small double. Barely enough for our bed and wardrobes

Definitely keeping the high sleepers. They both love them and oldest likes her little nook underneath

I'd be a bit wary of doing this. The room splitting trend stems from the US where there are some very large high ceiling rooms that can be quite easily be partioned into two decent spaces. The common bedroom sizes in uk homes typically just aren't big enough.

Think about where you'd accomodate friends who come over. Is there any room to store clothes?

Different option - can you get sliding panels on runners installed? Allowing the room to be split when they want privacy but opened out for space.

We had thought about that or a floor to ceiling curtain