Box room ideas - DD thinks it's unfair that she can't have a desk

[iwouldgoouttonight]

It is unfair really. We're in a three bed semi, DS (11) is the oldest and has a big bedroom, so DD (9) is stuck with the box room. DS has a desk for Lego homework, etc and now DD wants one. But there just isn't space. She has a bed across one whole wall under the window and a floor to ceiling wardrobe with lots of storage across the opposite wall. The space in the middle is as big as a person laying flat on the floor on a blow up bed. So there's definitely no room for a desk, and even if we had a fold up one there is no room for a chair. Replacing the wardrobe would mean losing storage so that isn't really an option.

So do we just have to say tough, you have the box room so you can't have a desk. Or any space. Or is there a creative solution we've missed.

Swapping rooms isn't an option because then we'd have the same issue with DS and he's got loads of stuff.

Can we have a diagram? If her bed is under a window, then could you put drawers there instead (replacing wardrobe) and high sleeper where wardrobe currently is?

Or can some of the wardrobe space go into DS's room? ie he gives up a bit of his room for fair distribution of space between them.

And yes, she gets storage space in another room.

In the interests of fairness I'd get your DS to clear out some of his stuff so he can donate storage space in his room.

Is there space on a landing that can also be her 'extension '? Wardrobe on landing?

Does it work for the girls to share the biggest room ( even if that is yours) , maybe with partitions?

She will need a desk as soon as she is in Yr 7.

In our house DH and I do not have the biggest room because we just sleep and dress in our bedroom. We don't have sleepovers, do homework, play etc.

High sleeper across the window. Blind rather than curtains and daylight bulb for under the bed pointing at the desk so she can still work in the evenings. Set up did me through uni fine and room wasn't that dark. Had a metal frame high sleeper from ikea as not so bulky as a wood version.

I've done a diagram! Not to scale. This is the current set up. There are also shelves over either end of her bed which I've not drawn.

Definitely think moving some of the storage into another room is the best option. Swapping with DS would just create the same problem for him. I said he's got loads of stuff, but I just mean the same kinds of stuff that DD also has and is having trouble fitting into her room. I certainly don't have a favourite!

When we were growing up everyone had a box room that either they or their sibling was in. My sister had the box room and had built in furniture. She didn't have a desk though. We did our homework at the dining table, which is what my DCs have been doing up to now.

You could get the door rehinged so that it opens into the hallway and a wall mounted fold down desk over the radiator. Or get a folding concertina style door. A folding chair could be hung on the end of the wardrobe.

Get a smaller wardrobe and put it against the wall opposite the radiator.

Put a bench style worktop desk all the way along the wall where the wardrobe now is. Some of it will be behind the side of the wardrobe, but that is fine for keeping things. Put shelves on the wall above this desk, that run all the way along. Make it look great, Ikea desk chair, nice stationary etc.

There will be lots of storage under the desk, too, in the corner.

Acc to your measurements, the bed will fit on the wall opposite the radiator. You could put a high level bed here with wardrobe/drawers/storage/bookshelves underneath and then a desk under the rest of the window wall. The bed will block some of the window but it may make a more useable space.

My ds has the same sized room, he used to have a high level bed positioned as above but now has a cabin bed under the window with drawers underneath for all his clothes, bags etc, an L shaped desk then fits the rest of the spare wall and he has high level shelves high up. It's tight on space but anything he wants to keep but not use is in the attic and we're just sorting bookshelves on the landing that he'll have use of.

I was just going to say the same as Deux.

You can get mid sleepers with desks that slide in when not in use - depends how low the ceiling slopes, really. Would something like this fit?

You can get cabin beds that aren't full height - I had one as a kid that had cupboards and drawers underneath but the actual bed was at the same height as my window sill (I was also the youngest kid who got the tiny box room). My dad, who happened to be incredibly handy, then basically built a storage unit with a wardrobe and a desk himself from scratch to fit into the awkward space.

I would get her a bed like that and then, depending on budget, it might be worth going to a custom shelving company and getting a unit built in that incorporates storage for clothes, a fold down or built in desk, and shelves for books and toys. They can usually build you something to accommodate exactly what you want and fit it into a super-awkward space for you, sloping ceiling and all. It will be more expensive than Ikea stuff but it does make a massive difference and would mean the room could easily become a study when she moves out one day.

How wide is the window and the gaps on either side?
Could you move the bed to the wall opposite the radiator, then get two narrow wardrobes, one between the bed and door and one in the corner opposite the door and Ikea stuva has a set of drawers with a pull out desk on top.

Yes, swapping would mean the same problems for DS, but that's the point - they would each get time in the larger room!

If DS has always had that room DD is due a good long turn IMO.

You may not have a favourite, but the set up here is unfair on DD.

I had a small boxroom through my own choice - my sibling had the larger room. I had a wardrobe in the larger room and studied downstairs. My parents said if at any time I wanted to swap it'd happen straightaway. I was very happy in there, but some DC wouldn't be.

Does she NEEEEEED a wardrobe, or could you change her bed for one with underbed storage and then put a nice desk (with drawers for more storage) where her wardrobe is now?

Get a good joiner to come and take a look, custom made furniture is not as expensive as you think and it will use every inch of available space well.

Have you tried a pull down table attached to the wall? And a gold away chair? You can just fold up/away when not in use. Or a cabin bed with built in desk underneath? I had a ridiculously tiny box room growing up and I feel your child's pain.

Fold*

Get rid of the wardrobe and put more storage in another room for some of the stuff in there she doesn't use day to day.

Midsleeper on wall opposite radiator with pull out desk etc. There's a really good one with a slide out desk that is pretty much the full length of the bed

Then a smaller wardrobe/bookcase etc where you can

Surely the cheapest solution is to put a folding table along the top of the radiator. Like this Wall mounted table . Assuming the table is not too wide

I know it will cover the radiator but if you can get the door re-hung so it opens outwards (assuming the door won't open onto another doorway or on the top of the stairs) then you will have space to put the folding table nearer the door and not over the radiator.

Then get either a folding chair to hang on the wall from IKEA which will mean the chair is out of the way when not used like this Chair on wall

or something like this to stand beside the radiator, to be used when the table is folded down Storage Stool - which also gives more storage

My friend had this layout for her ds. She took the door off the wardrobe closest to the wall so it was a bookshelf, you could combine that with a 50cm desk between built ins and bed?

How about this above the radiator? It won't get in the way of the radiator when folded up.

wall desk

Why can't they swap rooms every year? It's not fair and although the world has bigger problems don't shy away from your youngest taking a dislike to your eldest because if it.

Studybeds look great, I saw them on one of those makeover shows.