How would you use this layout with a 5 and a 7 year old?

[LayoutDilemmas]

We are still in our first house, and for a multitude of reasons moving (or extending) is not an option for the foreseeable future.

Although we have three bedrooms, it's quite an awkward layout, as you can see. Our daughters (5 & 7) share the smallest room currently. It's not a tiny box room, but not quite a double. They have a bunk bed and plenty of space for a wardrobe, chest of drawers, a chair, book case and a few toy baskets etc. But they do have a lot of stuff and it's quite cramped.

My husband works from home, and has basically claimed the whole top floor as his office. We've had arguments about this but he's very stubborn and it's just not worth pushing at the moment. I'd really like the girls to share that room eventually and move his office to the small bedroom. They do still come in to our bed at night, and of course, it's best for them to have a toilet on the same floor while they're still quite little.

I just feel guilty because we're really not putting our already limited space to very good use. Can anyone think of any clever solutions?

Is renovating an option down the line? If so, making the top floor two bedrooms could be an option.

For now though, I'd tell your DH you're swapping your bedroom with the DC. See if he wants a smaller room, or a smaller workspace!

Why don’t you put the girls in the bigger bedroom on the first floor and you take the smaller one?

DH should take the smallest room as an office space. The girls are plenty old enough to take the top floor bedroom.

DH would be having further discussion if this were me, you have a great sized home, the children and their needs are also important not just him having a whole floor for his home office!

That’s pretty selfish of your DH. Unless he’s an architect or graphic designer, and therefore needs lots of space, there’s no reason why he’d need the big room.

Move yourself into top floor. Dc can share bedroom 1 and your DH can have bedroom 3 as office.

He is being selfish.
The kids should have a room each given that your house has enough rooms to allow this.
There is plenty of space to still have a work station.

it is worth talking about with your DH. It’s the only option.

Either you switch bedrooms with the girls, or they get the top floor.

You could add a loo/bathroom to the top floor. I personally would also remove the ensuite to add more space to the small bedroom but i really dislike ensuites.

You could turn the ensuite into a family bathroom and the current bathroom into an office.

The dressing room in the loft could be an ensuite as the plumbing is there underneath. Then either you or the girls go up there.

Either way the office has to go into the little bedroom.

I’d let them share the larger room and use the one upstairs myself.

I would ensuite the top floor and move up there yourself, then get rid of the main bathroom or the ensuite and make that an office. DDs can share for now but they will want their own space once they hit the teen years.

Yep. You have a DH problem whichever way you look at it. If he really needs the top floor because he uses all the space for drawings or storage of business items, then you and he should move into bed 3 and the girls have bed 1.

tell him he can sleep up there, you will take the smaller room and give the larger one to the girls

let him know there will be a lock on your door

Sorry but I think absolutely worth pushing DH to swap office to bedroom for the girls.

Unless he really needs a lot of equipment to wfh, I really wouldn’t be happy with DH just deciding he was getting that larger room as an office. He’s being completely selfish and unreasonable.

you could make that upstairs into two "rooms" by adding a book case or similar as a wall. Give him the dressing room as an office.

one child gets "bedroom two" the other gets "Bedroom 3"

You’ve got plenty of bedroom space, he’s just taking up most of it. You could have the top floor and the study as his office space? Then your DCs could have a room each, or share a room and have a play room.

I think at this age its fine, and perhaps preferred for them to share a room. But as they get older they will need their own space. Will your husband be working from home forever? Does he need more than a desk and laptop?

How many hours does he spend in his ‘work zone’?

How selfish. I wouldn’t be able to move past a parent putting his own desire for an office over a bedroom for his kids. Selfish.

I'd probably swap it around when the girls are a bit older and give them the top floor, it feels like the best use of the space. The small bedroom should be enough for a home office anyway. Before moving everything around, maybe try one of those home visualizer apps (like this one or similar stuff) to see what layout works best, it can help way more then just guessing. For now maybe use more wall storage and keep bigger toys somewhere else if you can, it might make the room feel less packed.

He’s selfish isn’t he

no need for the big room just for his office