One small bedroom

TheFoldOx · 2022-02-11T01:29:50+00:00

We're in the relatively early stages of looking to move. We're in an 1830s house now but open to a newer house when we move. What has struck me is that nearly all post-war houses seem to have one very small bedroom, compared to the others. Unless buying a house with one more bedroom than you need, it means one child ending up in a tiny bedroom; and it's normally the youngest who gets the short straw. Why do architects/housebuilders not think that roughly equally sized bedrooms would be a good idea? Am I missing something?

TheTeenageYears · 11/02/2022 02:15

We bought a new 2 bed mid 90's on shared ownership. It had 2 double bedrooms while non shared ownership properties generally had 1 double bed and a single/box room. We were told at the time that there was a minimum size requirement for houses built to be sold under shared ownership scheme that other new builds didn't benefit from. Unfortunately what you are finding is the norm, at least one box room.

CellophaneFlower · 11/02/2022 10:00

It's because as they're older it was just the norm back then. Newer builds seem to have more equal sized rooms, but that seems to be at the expense of the other rooms, rather than the houses having bigger footprints overall.

My dad's house was 50s and had a box room, but he managed to steal just enough room from the master bedroom to allow for wardrobes. This made a big difference, so that's sometimes an option.

There are all sorts of clever ideas for storage now, beds built over the bulkhead etc. A small room isn't ideal but it's never put me off as they're the norm in my area and I'm not keen on new builds. My children tend to play downstairs most of the time, as they get older, boys especially, seem happy enough with room for a bed and console!

To future proof, something in the garden, summerhouse/cabin etc, if feasible, is a great way to give them (and parents!) some space of their own.

Mosaic123 · 11/02/2022 10:03

It's just the way the 3rd bedroom is usually over the hall. Wide hall means a wider bedroom. Sometimes Edwardian houses have a wider hall (to impress).

DoucheCanoe · 11/02/2022 10:45

Our (housing association) house was built in 2007, we've 2 double rooms a 7.5ftx7ft with a built in wardrobe taking up some of that.

It's built to minimum size standard for 0.5 people up to 10 years It drives me mad and I hate it but my 9yo doesn't seem to mind.

AwkwardPaws27 · 11/02/2022 11:03

They probably do now, don't they? We viewed some new build flats a few years ago and the bedrooms were pretty equally sized. My SIL has a new-ish build and none of her rooms seem tiny. I wonder if more are intended as a study now with increased homeworking?

The design is common though. My great grandparents house was like this, built in 1930.
All 4 children (2 boys, 2 girls) shared a bedroom; the small room was my great grandmother's sewing room (she made all the children's clothes but also took in alterations and made things for others as another income source).

Expectations were different then. Saying that, I left school in 2005 and only knew a few people who had their own bedrooms, most shared with siblings. It seems v unusual to share now (going by Mumsnet, anyway ).

CellophaneFlower · 11/02/2022 12:57

My box room is 6'8 x 8'... but 1'7 of that is bulkhead. It originally had a cupboard built over bulkhead and could fit a single bed in and nothing else really, apart from a bedside table. I was just about to gut it and make a bed to fit over bulkhead with loads of drawers underneath... my middle child has lots of fitted wardrobes so could store both their clothes. However, my eldest moved out yesterday so he's having his room instead But I'd have made it work and am now annoyed about all the months I spent planning it in my head

AwkwardPaws27 · 11/02/2022 13:23

@CellophaneFlower

My box room is 6'8 x 8'... but 1'7 of that is bulkhead. It originally had a cupboard built over bulkhead and could fit a single bed in and nothing else really, apart from a bedside table. I was just about to gut it and make a bed to fit over bulkhead with loads of drawers underneath... my middle child has lots of fitted wardrobes so could store both their clothes. However, my eldest moved out yesterday so he's having his room instead

But I'd have made it work and am now annoyed about all the months I spent planning it in my head

I'd do it anyway, if you can afford to - you've done all the planning & if eldest wants to come stay over Xmas (or move back in for a bit!) they'll have a room. Otherwise it might end up as a junk room like the box room at my mum's

CellophaneFlower · 11/02/2022 14:35

It's going to be an office. I don't need an office at all, but will be lovely to have somewhere to store paperwork and have access to a printer without having to drag it out a cupboard! Going to put a sofa bed in the playroom for guests. If he does want to come home he'll have to stay in there till we work out where to put him 😂

AwkwardPaws27 · 11/02/2022 16:24

@CellophaneFlower

It's going to be an office. I don't need an office at all, but will be lovely to have somewhere to store paperwork and have access to a printer without having to drag it out a cupboard! Going to put a sofa bed in the playroom for guests. If he does want to come home he'll have to stay in there till we work out where to put him 😂

Sounds good! Always nice to have the printer and cable together too (my DH seems to hide them in different places!).