Is this already built? Can you change a few things?

The reason I'm asking is that we are about to close on a mountain property with a similarly sized detached garage with open party room upstairs. It is a pretty space with Windows all around and a small screened porch. My biggest problem with trying to design this room is there really is no wall space due to all the windows. If I were rebuilding it I'd get rid of some windows so I could put a flat screen somewhere for example. I would put skylights in if I felt like losing some Windows would make it darker. I think my kids and their friends would use this space the most.

I'm dividing mine into zones for now.

Hi,

No, it is not built. I see your point about wall space, but OTOH I like floating furniture. And we will not have a TV in the space (i know, I'm a curmudgeon). We might do a murphy bed, so that will require wall space.

Mine may also become a short term rental during fall leaf season and fishing season, so I need a tv and a kitchenette. I'm going to have a queen bed, the sofa will be a sleeper and then a twin on the porch. I'd love to do a Murphy bed but no wall space except right by the kitchen.

We thought about renting this and or the main house, but ended up deciding against. The peeps we know drive us crazy enough as it is!

I agree about adding some wall space, if only because, I've always loved the coziness of a bunk house sleeping space. For me, there's something so attractive about sleeping in a nook.

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Annie, thought you might like this pic. This is the bunkroom at my mother in laws beach house. This pic is at least 10 years old and she is getting ready to do an update of the room. I still love it.

Annie, I think the area at the bottom of the plan is where we would put two bunk beds, end to end, with drawers beneath and between them, built in.

Or you could figure out a variation of the Levittown thing: so some of the beds were more hidden.

Pal,

I don't have eaves on the long sides, they are full height dormers.

Annie,

Prob like this, but I would use smaller, somewhat hgiher windows and more of them.

Mtn...I am going to have a "bunk room" in my new lake house for grandkids but I hesitated to do the beds like this because they are hard to make.

i am planning on twin beds with each bed having some type of individual storage.

Confession: I don't make them, so I don't care about that too much. If the mattresses are light it isn't so bad anyway.

But I was thinking about getting, for lack of a better term, upholstered mattresses that worked more life daybed sofas. And then just making them up when they are actually in use as beds.

Or this daybed custom sunbrella mattress with piping.

I do like it where the bunks are enclosed enough to provide for a personal light so one can read while another sleeps.

LOL, that's kind of an adult concern. My kids want the beds close enough to talk and they want a surface in between to do nails or play a game.

I assume adults would use the Q murphy

Pal, now that I look at it again, the asymmetry of the end wall really bothers me in that photo. It's clever but if you do it on one side you get an awkward wall shape, kwim?

Mtn, is it possible code wise to do a bathroom in this space? As an adult I would appreciate that above all else. At 22x32 I think you could do a nice 1 bedroom apartment instead of studio and this would be so useful for adult guests. For example, carve out an 10x14 bedroom with a 10x6 bath on one side of the space and that still leaves you a substantial 22x20 romper room that could hold bunks. Plus an interior wall.

I have a loft apartment over my lakehouse garage which has proven especially useful for small families and they definitely make use of the bedroom (adults), romper room (kids share), light use of the kitchenette and heavy use of the bathroom. I also enjoy having the kids and parents a bit separated from the main house and pets are welcome there more so than the main house.

The bedroom is small, no closet, only hooks, and holds a king, a bookcase and a dresser only.

Oh yes, it will have a bathroom.

Hmm, I hadn't thought of dividing it ... i saw it more as a large suite.

I may have to play with that idea...

Divide off a bedroom and bath if at all possible. My husband likes ours the way it is and won't hear of changing it. Such a stupid layout.

edit: by stupid layout, I meant mine not yours!

lol, so cute. But visually they take up so much space!

And the Queen will be a Murphy built into the wall.

I am thinking more about the separate bedroom. I don't think that is needed. Our primary users are 1)kids and a group of friends or cousins, and 2)childless couples. I don't think either would want tiny rooms over one large airy one.

If we had guests with young kids, they can stay in the adjoining guest rooms in the main house (a Q adjoins room a two twin room). But for the foreseeable future that is the least likely combo of guests for us.

Here is an interesting idea on stack bunking with a window in the way. I don't care for the materials much but that could be changed. I also like the idea of a big curtain rod to divide the space if privacy was needed for changing and such. However, I would bring the rod out several feet and have the drapes hanging on each end.

Justterrilynn,. Love that bunk around the window. My kids and their cousins would have been all over that!

That's so cute, but I am building from scratch so I don't think Id choose that.

Moreover, I don't expect a ton of people to use this, esp with just one bathroom. I am only looking to do two twin beds, and one Q murphy --- not even a sleeper sofa (people just don't like them). So it will sleep 4 or 5, which is more than enough given the size.

Also, the style is Dutch colonial and the roof slopes, so even with dormers I would not have room for two levels of bunks.

In re the spiral stairs ... we could put in whatever we want .. regular stairs would fit and we could even build a larger building. But I've always liked spiral stairs and I want them here. If there were ever a place for something impractical, it is this, the overflow space of a main house, that itself is used less than 3 months a year. For the foreseeable future., no one will be carrying babies up the stairs or much food (it will have a coffee nook/wet bar). Furniture can come in during construction or, after, via the French doors. Yes, the cleaning person will probably throw the sheets down and carry them up. I would not put spiral stairs in a primary living space, esp. not in a primary home. But here I can be impractical...

Oh I understand now the "not enough height" for a stack bunk. However, since others are following your thread I wish I would have saved another photo of stack bunking for lower ceilings and center window. The bottom bunks section was on the floor height.

Its kinda crazy how many people you can fit! Like a ship bound for Ellis Island.

If you have a gambrel roof can you fit a small sleeping loft up in the peak? Kids love those! You could do your spiral staircase there and a standard into the main space. Personally I've always wanted a spiral or even an off set staircase somewhere but never have found a good spot.

Annette, I know exactly what you mean; we have that in our Itty Bitty Stonehouse at our primary residence. It was an old gardening shed we turned into a playhouse.

The gambrel ends here are take up by the doors and balcony on one end, steps on the other.

If you build the spiral stairs you need to be able to bring furniture in through a large window on the second floor. Many trinities here have French doors on the upper floors in back.

Yes, my plan has French doors in it already.

So here is my first pass. The intended use of the space is 1)hang out space or quiet office space when I work from home at the beach (all I need for that is my laptop) 2) possible sleep overs of 4-5, all girls, and 3)childless couples, not elderly. This is seasonal overflow space; and will be lightly used. The garage underneath however, is very much needed for the golf cart, convertible, bikes, golf clubs, kayaks etc. The french doors will be to a small balcony facing the ocean. Form is as important as function - if not more. : )

The blue rectangles are not usable because of the roof line or one of the dormers (there are three dormers). The closet and bathroom are not laid out as specifics will depend on chases and the location below it for laundry, outside shower, hose bib,etc.

There are a lot of limitations to the software, esp showing built ins like the two twins and the Murphy, so bear with me. The Murphy bed (white rectangle) will be built into the wall and flanked by open shelves. Yes, there is plenty of room for it to open and to walk around it. The twins will be built in w drawers below and inbetween the beds and the beds and walls. The wetbar is across from a rolling cart and 2 chairs. Another 2 chairs flank the french doors and all four can go around the sofa table which triples in size when opened.

Aerial:

3d

Question, actually 2 questions...

1. Could the spiral stairs be in the main living space so they can be more of a visual feature?

2. Would you consider building a small lightwell/cupola or widows walk up on the roof? That way could extend spiral stairs up, maybe a bit lighthouse inspired, and it would just be so cool.

Oh man, that widows walk would be cool. But I think it is too ornate/Italianate for our main house, an ordinary Dutch colonial. I posted it way back, but I am copying this garage I found on line. The main house is a similar style and the same type/color of cedar shake.

Even a barn can have a cupola! I know, losing battle on the cupola. But look how cute!

Great idea, robo...reminds me of the cupola at wentworth mansion in SC.

One word: weathervane.

Ok, I'm leaving the cupola behind. Mtn I love the style of your garage. It will still look very carriagehousey.

There is something that bothers me about the rolling cart and chairs greeting you when you first come up the spiral stairs. I feel like it's sort of a busy and utilitarian welcoming area when I would like it to be a "wow" view. Tell us about the cart.

I sent you an email.

Dear cupola groupies,

Be still my heart. As a fan of form over function, you can imagine a cupola is just my thing! And widows walk? Sigh. But I really think the building is too small and too busy already to carry such a thing. Plus, truth be known, I am not using an architect and I trust my GC's ability to copy this (which was done by an architect) more than their ability to create something de novo. I did the Itty Bitty stonehouse de novo and I think the building is too tall for the footprint, but it was driven by the loft inside. I don't want to make that mistake again here, esp with a much much larger and more expensive project.

As for utilitarian. Moi? Non.

I actually like where you land coming up the staircase. One, you look straight ahead to the french doors ( flanked by porthole windows) and the view. Two, you will be in a mini entry hall of sorts. On the right is the bijou "kitchen" (wet bar really, coffee nook most often). On the left will be something that looks like a typical entry hall. A table/cart flanked by two occasional chairs, probably with a mirror or art above it. There are lots of choices in rolling carts, open or not, or I can do custom (in the main house there my custom ktichen cart has the wheels hidden in the leg). The occasional chairs will depend on what kind of accent color I am leaning toward. They may be ghost chairs, or tolix in a bright color, or dark wood antique, or wicker or a laquered Chippendale. They will be repeated with two occasional chairs on either side of the French door. If people wanted to sit at a table, the sofa table opens up and the four chairs could be gathered.

Here is the coffee nook/wetbar. I love how it is in its own nook, and I would do that too. I am just itching to style it with breakfast stuff and Jadeite salad plates, cups and saucers.

There are lots of cute carts, to wit:

I like it. And I actually like the placement of the spiral stairs because it puts it out of the way of guests in bed or kids wandering around in the living area. I think your girls, especially, will really enjoy this space. As will you if you need a quiet work environment. Love the coffee nook/wet bar and the sofa table already.

I can see holing up there on a rainy day.

Thank you, Outside. I am trying to finalize the layout first but really dying to do the fun-ner stuff!

This is going to be a great space, and I agree no cupola. I think one would detract from the main house. Can't wait to watch you work your magic and see it come to fruition!

The fold out sofa table is a great idea for games/meals/etc.

Last night I saw an ad for cabinet beds, kind of a smaller scale Murphy bed using a mattress that folds. Looks like a credenza not a wall unit.

Traditional Pekoe Queen Creden-ZzZ Cabinet Bed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IOWQKZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lIHOxb2GTM9PZ

I want the Murphy Bed to be as high quality as possible, for adult guests. So a real mattress.

I think because it will recessed and built into the wall and flanked by built in shelves, it will reduce some of the visual mass. I can order it in whatever wood I want, finish it however I want (thinking maybe aqua or celadon paint) and use my own hardware.

They come in so many choices..

The american craftsman one reminds me of ship cabinetry which I like.

I like palimpsest's layout. A little less busy around the stairs and the bath is a little separated.

I think the stairs would end up in a corner in that iteration. It turns out there is some tricky math with the distance between floors, and where the stairs begin and end (not custom and to code).

Also, moving the steps implicates the space below of course. But itd probably be nicer then running right into it when you enter

This is just s shift from one corner to the other so you should be able to make the shift. I think the rotation would just go in the other direction. This is why a put them as a complete circle rather than determining the landing There should be no difference except rotation, unless there is something weird going on downstairs.

Although it looks like they will be around back instead of facing the door Is it an enclose hallway or the garage? I would think something could be worked out in any case.

As far as I understand it, you do not have inside corners downstairs, only upstairs. Downstairs you have a complete rectangle. So the stairs will land relative to the wall the same in your version as my version (maybe something like the red line.

Where they do not land the same is relative to the door.

However, there is nothing to say at this point that the door to the upstairs isn't on the ocean side of the house instead of on the driveway. You could have two, or have a door only on the yard side, not the driveway side. But it might make sense to have the entrances to each completely separate anyway. The green door is the one that's there, but I don't know if there is anything stopping you from having a door in the blue position.

Thanks for that, Pal.

The door has to be in the green spot, because if the french doors and balcony face the ocean, then the side with the green door is where the cars pull in. It works best functionally plus for cars to pull in there and also the side with the door and the two carriage doors is nicer, and that is part of what you would see when you pull onto the property.

This is a rough draft of the first floor. If you push the stairs back further, you lose usable space for things like bikes, golfcart, laundry etc (we have not laid that out yet).

PS ignore the slatted lines, it is a trellis along the front and the side entry

I am not trying to beat a dead horse here but there could still be a door to the storage in that location, or a nice window, and a door directly out to the back from the stairs going or not. You maybe lose a few square feet of storage.