2 bed flat layout for lone parent with 2 children

[Silv321]

I am separating from my husband and am in the process of buying a 2 bed flat (no garden, but comes with parking-yay!) 25% shared ownership in London, and cannot make any structural changes as shared ownership. I will have the two children (DS8 and DD6) 50% of the time.

I would like advice on sleeping arrangements/temporary partitioning of the flat (if possible!). I'm going to get a decent sofabed for the living room, and thinking I'll share with DD until she wants to be on her own.

Current living arrangements in marital home: DD prefers me sleeping in her room at the moment whilst we are still in the marital home (I sleep on a mattress next to her mid-sleeper). DS prefers his own room.

Question: Is anyone living in a similar situation and can give alternative ideas?

I've included a screenshot of the floorplan below in case anyone wants to see, total area 57.2 sq/ft.

Please, no advice about divorce/separation/equity, or moving to another area for more space; just thoughts on how to arrange the flat
please:)

I'd put DS in bedroom 2, you and DD in bedroom 1. No need for partitions.

I agree, you and DD in Bed 1 with either twin beds or a bed and some kind of fold out. This means when DC are with their Dad that's still your room. DS in Bed 2. And then yes to a Sofa bed in the living room for when DD wants more privacy. (How old is she btw?).

You can easily partition bedroom one once your daughter is ready for her own space. Split so you have the bay window and she has the single window. Ideally, you’d have another loo, which could be in the cupboard space next to bedroom one depending on plumbing access.

Just settle in as it is with a big shared bedroom for you and your daughter. It will be fun to decorate cheaply as a nice team project. In a couple of years you can do the work. That gives you time to plan and save.

I'd have the kids sharing at those ages, in the bigger bedroom and you in the smaller one on your own. Whilst the kids might have other preferences, perhaps the house move is a good opportunity to change the status quo.

Decorate the room in two halves and use a large IKEA type unit to separate it.

You deserve your own space too! It won't me too many years when you'll need to have three separate spaces - how will you manage that?

Thanks BeBop! Daughter is 6, son is 8.❤

Lovely, thanks Sparla. I can't edit the post annoyingly, but there is a boiler in the bedroom 1 cupboard which takes us most of the space. However, in the 2nd cupboard is loft access (the airspace is owned by the freeholder so I can't 'extend') so I'm thinking maybe a little cloakroom in there, although not sure if I can do this as I'd only own 25% under shared ownership. I'll check with my solicitor 👍🏽

Thanks @SilverHairedCat , interesting, I'll give this some thought! I like the idea of changing the status quo ❤️ Yep, not long until we will definitely need more space, so I'm hoping I'll be in a position to afford a 3 bed somewhere (even if another shared ownership 😅).

The big bedroom is plenty big enough to create 2 nice spaces for the kids with clever furniture 'hacks' to create privacy.

I'd put ds in bedroom two.

Partition bedroom one for you and your DD..

Decent sofabed in living room for when your DD wants her own room

I'd put a bunk bed in bedroom one with curtains all around the bottom to make it princess like for your daughter, with pretty cushion set and then you sleep on the upper bed.

That might free up space for a clothes rail as I can't see where any of your clothes are going to fit.

If be looking at whether you could make changes to the doorways like the edited layout below. It would free up space in the main bedroom.

Use the gaps to put in built in storage under the windows, build a cupboard in the cubby. Look at whether there is any functional storage in the cupboard with the boiler. Swap the door out for a sliding door or a folding door to reduce the footprint into the room.

I'd skip the sofabed and buy something more like this to divide the big bedroom https://funkybunkbeds.com/product/room-divider-bunk-bed/

You'd be as well getting them to share from the beginning otherwise it's not fair to your daughter as she gets older.

It's a good side room and looks like it would have plenty of light.

That should do a good few years and you could eventually add a curtain or extra separation but for now they could have shared toy space or a little table in the bay.

I would have both kids in the big bedroom with one of those divider units that you can store stuff in down the middle as high as is safe and stable, basically creating 2 spaces - you have the other bedroom - then think again in a couple of years .

@SilverHairedCat this is fantastic! It really helps to understand things visually, and I didn't even think about changing the doors round ❤️

@Silv321 just a word of caution. The doors may currently meet fire regs. A lot of space saving ones don't.

@Marblessolveeverything We installed pocket doors and got full building regs sign off this year.

Are you sure this is the right flat for you @Silv321 ?

It seems like a 3 bed would be preferable given your children are different sexes even if 2 of the bedrooms are small.

Shared ownership also has issues so I would try to find a flat that either isn’t SO or isn’t 2 beds even if it meant moving further out.

Absolutely do not share the smaller room (bed 2) with DD.

You are there 100% of the time. You either get Bed 1 with a specific space in it for DD, DD and DS share bed 1 and you have bed 2, Dd and DS have bunk beds in bed 2 and a play area in bed 1.

I would pick the first.

Then use the partitions suggested to give DD one the “smaller half” of the room with the little window, and then your space is the bigger half.

Wow - that bed is amazing! What a great idea, never seen anything like that before.

Agree with this.

If OP does buy this flat they should at least get the nicest bedroom if sharing with daughter!

I'd make the living room 'my room' and put in a proper bed. You can all watch TV on the bed together, but they keep all toys etc in their rooms.

I would start off with dd in with you but in time this might be possible depending on the layout/size/ structure and permissions. Take the door off the cupboard and put a stud wall up to divide the biggest room into two. You have the biggest side and dd in the smaller side. Hopefully if the space above is loft then that wall is not load bearing. It is a bigger job and depends on how functional the larger room is when divided (i.e. can you get beds in etc.) but if it is likely to be a long term home then it would give a more permanent solution.

Or I guess you could just use the cupboard door as the door to your half and then just have an opening where I have put the doorway. It does all depend on the size of the cupboard and if it is a walk in size.

I think it would be wrong that the person there 100% of the time is the person expected to cook, live and sleep in one room, whilst there are two bedrooms empty 50% of the time.

@GladiatorsFan that is great news. I was advised they wouldn't meet them. That the fire time wasn't sufficient in a building over four storeys .