Tiny bedroom for DS, feeling guilty-futon advice needed!

[JandT]

In the summer we are moving to a smaller house which amongst all the other problems means DS (who will be aged 12-14 when we live there) can only fit a single bed and possibly chest of drawers in his room. The room does have a cupboard which we can put other things in but my concern is that he won't be able to have space to play/chill out or, space for a desk (he has two noisy younger brothers!).

So, my current thinking is we could get him a futon plus a 'fold down' desk and if he wants to use it he folds the futon up, desk down and can put up a folding chair (see how this works?!).

Does anyone have any futon advice? I've seen the 'normal' ones for £100ish but I don't know if it would survive a boy that age (although super skinny he's already over 5 foot), I'd also prefer something that wasn't directly on the floor (just think psychologically it might be preferable). I'm not so concerned about cost as I think it would be worth spending the money and him not being miserable in a tiny room-a futon which looks fun/different would be amazing as ideally he'd probably want one with built in train track/cars but I know that might be asking too much!!

Thank you!

[skyblue11]

Futons..... I worked for a futon manufacturer so know all about the making of them, but also about how many 'crap' ones there are out there to be had. Pity the company is no longer with us as we handmade all ours to specific measurements and they were of the best durable quality made with an inner superbond which would not go flat like most do after a while. He needs a good supportive bed and if it's be be a futon just check its good quality perhaps not from our Swedish friends!

[JandT]

Toomuchtea - did you get a particular futon or do you think the mattress is what made the difference? We had agreed that if we got a futon the mattress had to be really thick but does that cause folding problems?

flow4 - That is pretty much our plan except can't fit the drawer unit (but might have one and/or shelving in his cupboard) and the hanging storage as he'd never get past. Sounds like you have the same amount of floor space as he'll have.

[flow4]

JandT my DS2 also has a tiny room and is a collector of a truly unbelievable amount of random stuff! He has no room for a chest of drawers or wardrobe in his room, but he has lots of shelves and storage boxes - so many that he literally only has a strip of floor 80-85cm x 1.5m that is clear for him to stand in! (When the door is closed!)

Everything is very organised though, because he has loads of little storage boxes like these on the shelves (making some of the shelves effectively wider), one of these 4 drawer units under his desk, a couple of bigger storage boxes like these and two of these hanging from his ceiling!

[JandT]

Maryz-hadn't thought about getting rid of the bottom, that could work (his bed currently looks like that one without the futon under). I think we could cut the 'legs' as I'm not sure how long they are but my Dad has loads of tools... I like the back of the door thing, that could be useful, even on the inside of his cupboard (which isn't too small and goes to the ceiling for all the stuff he doesn't use too much). Think boxes and shelves are going to be the way forward. We plan to have two shelves all along the wall above his bed (or whatever it is) that have boxes of his toys etc in so that he can chuck things in and it still looks neat. I reckon his main problem will be 'clutter' as he is awful at binning things and loves collecting random stuff but if we have enough boxes it won't show, plus he won't have the space to make the mess!

[JandT]

Thank you all for your advice. Working my way through it;

-sofa bed would never fit, even not as a sofa(too deep)
-like the idea of a shelf but have no idea where I would get one/how we could make one strong enough to survive DS1
-have already thought of swapping rooms and the issue is; DS2 and DS3 will be 3 and 1 (just) as we move. Can't put them in bunk beds and tbh we also have a massive problem with their room as it won't fit their cotbeds in without them being able to put fingers in plug sockets (it could be a whole 'nother thread!)
-have considered us going in DS2/DS3 room but; our bed would only just fit in, would have to keep our furniture in their room (meaning we have to be very organised or wake them up when we get ready) and there are massive cupboards in our room which will store everything for the family and the boys will be able to open it and thus potentially dangerous. Of course that doesn't solve the DS1 issue anyway...
-DS does currently use his desk as he feels more organised like this, even uses it to build lego and drawer. Of course that might change when he doesn't have a loft bed he has to crawl into.
-hanging rail is an idea but he will have a cupboard which has a rail. Clothes wise he has loads (MIL loves shopping) but; even with binning loads I don't know if we can fit them in boxes without taking as much space as a narrow chest of drawers.
-hates his loft bed with a passion having desperately wanted one. Just can't sit on his bed (has the bean bag, desk and drawers are underneath), can only just roll over (would be alright if higher ceilings) and it is really really rickety to the point we can hear him getting in and out of bed from downstairs.
-bureau is a good idea but don't think he could fit his clothes in and it wouldn't fit anywhere if he had drawers as well (will probably have a fold down one)
Keep the ideas coming please, I'm determined we will get there somehow!

[purplepenguin86]

Those study beds look amazing - I want one!

[cavell]

What about some sort of bureau - you know, with drawers underneath and a fold-out lid as the desk part?

Something alomg these lines:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/solid-pine-writing-bureau-waxed-finish-ref-a50-/350720173174?_trksid=p4069.m2059&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D5912445890454935105%26pid%3D100039%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D350720173174%26

[slug]

Her room is so tiny there's no real option. The idea is to use the space freed up by moving the chest of drawers under it to put a beanbag/chair

[slug]

DD has a tiny room. She currently has a cabin bed but, as she starts secondary school next year we are moving up to this There's room underneath for the drawers and a desk.

[janek]

Or if a double bed fpr you wouldn't fit in the room, how about bunkbeds for the younger DSs and your DS1 have the larger room intended for them, so he has a sanctuary, they presumably already have the run of the house...

[flow4]

Throne?! futons

[flow4]

The trouble with throne is that they don't just need making; the mattress actually needs rolling up every dqy, or they get v lumpy. My DS had one when he was a pre-teen, we didn't roll it, and within a year it had become uncomfortable. If a walk bed is out of your budget, folding foam chair beds are much cheaper and should last him a couple of years... They're not 'proper' beds, but my DS2 has a platform bed, and still regularly chooses to sleep on his foam chair.

The other thing to consider, if the room will fit a double mattress at all, is for you and DH to have it. Teenagers generally spend much more time awake in their rooms, and if you're the kind of grown-ups who just crawl into bed to sleep, your DS might make better use of the double room than you would.

[sashh]

Do you actually need a bed/futon at all?

As a teenager a relative had a 'shelf' with storage underneath and a mattress on top.

[ripsishere]

A sofa bed? we had that one it was honestly the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on.

[zipzap]

Another vote here for futons being the most uncomfortable thing I've ever had the misfortune to sleep on.

Fold up bed sounds good - might be worth looking on eBay from now onwards - I've got some nice furniture cheaply that I couldnt have afforded to buy new. Even second hand it is better than the new that I'd have if i paid the same money for. Set up an assortment of saved searches and then you will get notifications if anything suitable comes up.

[JandT]

That one is amazing & a lot cheaper! I wonder what the wall fixings are like-house isn't ours but they did say we can put up shelves so I figure not too many fixings/much damage should be alright...