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Property/DIY

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Original poster

13' by 6' 10" - is this just too small even for a child's room

43 replies

nkf · 09/12/2011 21:31

For reasons to long to go into, I'm considering dividing one large room into small rooms for the children. The smaller of the two rooms will be 13' x 6'10". Is this a waste of time and I should just - oh I don't know - move house or something. I can't picture it properly. It's pretty small isn't it?

OP posts:

RealiTreeCoveredInTinsel · 09/12/2011 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bert2e · 09/12/2011 21:32

The third bedroom in many new homes is 6ft 6" square so this would be much bigger than that.

Ponders · 09/12/2011 21:33

are you kidding? there are many modern houses with bedrooms half that size!

(& not so modern - think 30s semi boxroom)

tethersjinglebellend · 09/12/2011 21:34

I lived in a flat for two years where the living room and the bedroom were both 11' x 7'. It's completely possible, you just need clever storage.

How old are the kids? I'm sure that they'll prefer having their own small room to sharing a large one.

NewBikeForChristmas · 09/12/2011 21:34

I know a child's bedroom smaller than that, although parents now looking at extending it now that child needs a full length bed.

Original poster

nkf · 09/12/2011 21:36

12 and 9. They hate sharing. I thought I could get one of those cabin beds but you're still left with about three and a bit feet to walk in.

I'm glad you think it would work. Thank you.

OP posts:

VivaLeBeaver · 09/12/2011 21:36

Thats about the size of our smallest room. We use it as an office but the previous family had it as a kid's bedroom. Boy who was in there was a teenager and had managed with it.

You might need one of those cabin type beds which could have chest of drawers and a desk under it. So you only need to fit a bed and a wardrobe in the actual floorspace. Shelves on the wall for a bookcase.

Mark the area out with masking tape on the floor and see what you think. Going to Ikea and having a look at bedroom setups for small rooms would be good for inspiration.

ivykaty44 · 09/12/2011 21:39

I have a friend who slip a bedroom which had a window to the front and back, the rooms are the same size as you state op

They both have high rise beds with ladders to get into bed. Then all the floor space under the bed and along side. my dd has been for a sleep over and there is a futon under one of the high risers.

Lots of room and keeps the dc apart

Acanthus · 09/12/2011 21:42

It's not too small. A single bed is only about 6'x3' so there's plenty over and above that.

QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins · 09/12/2011 21:48

We have 2 children in a room that size! Granted they are only 3 and 13 months but when they are older and need proper sized beds we will buy them bunkbeds.

MNHQ

OliviaMumsnet · 09/12/2011 21:51

what all the other posters said - but bear in mind ceiling height for cabin beds etc and claustrophobic feel iykwim

CMOTdibbler · 09/12/2011 21:54

I lived as a student (ie, so spent all my time in there and all my possessions, no sitting room) in a smaller room than that - I estimate it was 7' by 5'

RandomMess · 09/12/2011 21:57

massive declutter of their stuff and you'll be fine.

May be worth getting a normal bed with decent clearance underneath for pull out full depth drawers and lots of shelves above the bed - certainly for the older one.

RandomMess · 09/12/2011 21:58

also put the beds across the room, makes a difference..

Original poster

nkf · 09/12/2011 21:58

I'm heartened. I will try that thing of marking out where things would go. I'm not much use at house related stuff - can't seem to visualise things.

Thanks. If you have any space saving ideas, please let me know them too.

OP posts:

RandomMess · 09/12/2011 22:01

The tall Ikea trofast unit for the younger one. Basically you need to use the height of the room for storage.

Wardrobe with high rail in it so they can store stuff in the bottom of the warobe and the shelf above.

We got high drawers - the ikea malm.

We had 2 dc in old fashioned bunks in the "box" room!

RachelHRD · 09/12/2011 22:03

DD's (22 mths) bedroom is 6'11" x 10'11" and is plenty big enough for a cotbed, wardrobe, changing unit and Poang chair with enough room to walk around. Once she loses the changing unit and big chair there will be enough room to play and we'll get her a cabin bed when she is older to maximise space - so yes I think that's fine for a childs room especially if they hate sharing.

RandomMess · 09/12/2011 22:13

We've worked out that our small room is 6' at most by nearly 7'10" but that includes the funny bit over the stairs which has to be the wardrobe or storage.

Ponders · 09/12/2011 22:15

Instead of masking tape on the floor (or as well as) you could do a \link{http://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Floor-Plan-to-Scale\floor plan on squared paper} - then you can easily move bits around to see where (or if) things will fit

Meglet · 09/12/2011 22:15

That's bigger than our 3rd bedroom.

Cramped, but better than sharing.

londonlottie · 09/12/2011 22:15

I think it sounds fine for a child's bedroom although think about where that leaves the saleability of your house. Our neighbours divided the master bedroom of their Victorian terrace into two smaller bedrooms, and with other changes to the house ended up with only one double bedroom in the attic, with two single bedrooms on the 1st floor. It has seriously affected the value of their house...

RandomMess · 09/12/2011 22:19

You could buy bunks, stick them in the middle of the room and then board up alternate sides to great a strange wall that would divide the room cheaply. I have also seen people just use a curtain too.

frankie3 · 09/12/2011 22:22

It would also be good if you can put some of the storage in another room. My ds only has a desk and small toy cupboard in his room, we put his clothes in a wardrobe in the hallway.

ivykaty44 · 09/12/2011 22:41

this could divide a room

ivykaty44 · 09/12/2011 22:45

or use a chalk board and put in a door

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