Small bedroom for child. Over thinking??

[Billyvoo]

We’ve been looking for a home for almost a year. My DH loves a flat where we used to rent (SW London). Fab flat, ground floor with the most amazing grounds straight onto the river. Outstanding schools. But! Second room is small
10’2 - 6’4. We’ve seen it twice and I’m not sure. He’s only 2 now; but in a few years I think it might be an issue. DH says we can just move and eat the stamp j’. We might join a members club so would help us not committing murder.
Am I over thinking this? Just go with the flow?

Depends whether you plan to stay for the long-term. 2yos only really need a cot, they don’t spend much time in their rooms. Teenagers need a place to retreat to, have friends over, space to do homework.

would the flat work for 5-10 years in terms of the other living space? Got enough storage, decent size bathroom, eat-in kitchen, etc? Then I wouldn’t worry about a small room for a small kid. So long as moving was on the cards later; though who knows wtf the housing market will be doing in 10 years.

Everything about it sounds fab. We have a small room for our DC too (similar age) and it's certainly fine for now. There are options when they're older, like getting mid-rise beds (so they have storage/desk underneath their bed) to make the most of the space too.

It sounds ok for a few years, but I wouldn’t have a teenager in there.

I think it would be fine. Accepting whilst he at the toys stage his room will never be his play room. So you’ll have toys in the living space. When it gets older you can get a clever captains bunk with storage and desk underneath.

but, what if you have a second child?

The room could be fine, or could be a disaster. It totally depends on where the doors, radiators and windows are.
If you can get a bed across the short wall, you are laughing.
Play about with a single bed, wardrobe, drawers and a desk.
DS1 got a mid sleeper aged (in a toddler bed til then), which gave him bookcase, drawers, pull out desk. Then just needed a wardrobe. It's a smaller room than yours.

My DS's room is 6'4" x 8'4" and he is now a teen and will be in there until he leaves home. He has his bed, bed side table, wardrobe, desk and shelving. It's a squeeze and took some planning but it is doable if you have to.

If everything else about the flat is perfect I don't think the bedroom should be a dealbreaker.

Look for beds with a decent gap underneath for storage boxes and no headboard / footboard and it should fit along the short wall.

My dd was in an IKEA toddler bed until she was nine. We couldn't have a high bed because of the window. Most of her clothes were kept in her sister's wardrobe.

My sister was in a smaller room than that from birth until she left home. Her clothes were in wardrobe in the other bedroom. Just takes planning. If everything else about the home is fitting your needs, I’d go for it.

That will be fine. Only thing I would ask though is, is it fenced off or open down by the river? Huge drowning risk there

My DS had a room like that but asked to move to a double room when he was 11. He was all legs and sports kit, he just needed more space.

So ok for a few years but not forever.

Nearly all my friends had a child in the ‘box room’ of the typical housing layout round us until the end of primary. They graduated from toddler beds to cabin, to high sleepers with space to sit, play or have a desk underneath.

So I reckon you are fine for 8 years.

And if your family is now complete.

My sons room is about same size and has a box bit over the stairs underneath. Theres small built in wardrobe, single bed and small desk which my husband built to fit. We then made a load of shelves on top of box area. And put 2 small plastic drawers in bottles of wardrobe from wilkos. TV is up on wall and playstation on yet another shelf down the other end. He loves it, we offered him to swop with his brother but he says his room is lovely and warm and cosy. If you plan it you can make it work.

Agree with pp - if the door / window etc mean that you can have a bed along the short wall, it will actually feel much bigger. Plenty big enough for a bed, wardrobe, desk. I think the vast majority of 3 bed semis have a room this size (or smaller) and "normal" families make it work - not just whilst the children are small but until they leave home.

We have a room of a similar size and you just need to be clever with design to maximise space (e.g. custom build furniture - we have a desk/bed combo that a joiner built, a very slim vertical radiator so you have maximum wall space for furniture, potentially moving the door etc etc - all stuff you can do over time as your child gets older).

@Kittykatmacbill yes my concern is the toys and mess. I don’t want to be living in a mountain of cr*p!

Plenty of teenagers share rooms In bunk beds as there isn't the space for 2 singles... He'll have his own room.

This is a non issue.

My son had the box room until end of primary ish but needed more space for secondary. His bedroom is now downstairs (used by previous wonders as dining room) as it fits a double bed and more.

It will be absolutely fine. You just plan excellent storage.

Our kids never really played in their rooms. They always dragged the toys through to the living room. In the end we put nice looking storage into the lounge. Now they are getting to the age where they want to go to their rooms more, but the toys have reduced. It's mainly screens, books, writing and drawing.

So they never actually needed big rooms.

I think it can be fine. Depends how much space you have elsewhere in the flat. Are you in a really lively area? If so then that's great for when he is a teen. Loads of teens don't have friends back to their homes

that's Small but not tiny. My child’s room is 5 by 9. Friend’s box room is 5 by 8. With your dimensions you’ll be able to get the bed along the short wall leaving plenty of floor space. As he gets bigger you can move to a cabin bed and then a loft bed if you really need more space.

DS2 had the box room from 1 up. He had a loft bed to maximise floor space when he was older and to fit a desk in. He's at Uni now and we've squeezed a small double in - there's not a lot of floor space but there"s still a small wardrobe, desk for gaming and a shelving unit.

yes super safe regarding river. It was a hotel in the 1920s, it has high walls. But a locked gate so you can paddle board and such if you fancy it.

We have a lovely cabin bed that has more storage than a double wardrobe and our child went in it around 3. I think you'll be fine.

Failing that, as I assume it's not a cheap flat based on the location, could you reconfigure? I saw a lovely one on Houzz a couple of months ago which I can't find right now but they have lots of ideas about moving walls slightly and little hints and tips on how to maximise small spaces.

@OuchitHurtstoomuch yes it’s a fantastic and lively area. It’s not a huge flat, but I think pp are right, it’s all about storage. Plus there are a ton of parks around also. And we’re definitely ‘out and about’ types. We don’t watch a (ton) of TV etc.