I have a Cape Cod Shingled home. All our bedrooms have those wonderful sloped ceilings that I love. I will share some pics, but tomorrow I am going to go out and get more as all the cabinetry is now in. We have 6 boys in these blue rooms. Room #1, I did built-in desks with bookshelves on the wall with the dormer and in between built in desks a nice window seat with big drawers. Room #2 did wonderful built-in beds in L shape with bunk above, these beds have big drawers. They also have big window seat with large drawers. Room #3, closet on wall with dormer (picture shows that) a built in bed on other wall next to dormer with book case, seat at end of bed with big drawers. Daughter's bedroom has built in desk on sloped ceiling wall as well as window seat with large drawers. My goal was to maximize storage and give the children space that was easy to take care of. Built-in furniture gives the home that classic style that I wanted and also fulfilled my design goals. I love the ceilings, we also put tung &groove on them and they really add to the wonderful cape feel. As I said all the built-ins are in and its time for me to get pictures so I will post them soon if you would like. The yellow room is the master bed sitting area, on the tall wall to the left of window is cabs with bookshelves. I am so excited to move as we live in 2200 sq. ft. right now (9 children still at home). There are a total of 15 drawers in my current home, that includes 3 baths, kitchen etc. In my new home I have to order over 100 pulls for drawers, that doesn't count cupboards. All I can say is ... ....." Yippee, A place for everything and everything in its place ".

I tried roof vents, I do know what you're talking about. I destroyed two or three of them trying to get one put in on top of the existing insulation. I ended up ripping out the insulation in the channels and replacing it with R-13, which leaves about 1-1/2" of air between the insulation and the bottom of the roof deck. Holy COW did that make a difference already. I'm used to the house being 77 degrees after a sunny day in the summer and the bedroom being so warm you cannot have even a sheet over you without sweating to death. I got home to find the house at 75 degrees and the bedroom was cool enough to take a nap with a sheet and bedspread on top of me. Here's a picture: http://www.ankylosaur.com/images/housetopfloor.jpg A) The triangular, unheated, space in front of the bedroom. B) the "channels" The top of the 2X6 is the roof decking and the bottom of the 2X6 is where the bedroom's ceiling is nailed. These channels are about 5' long from the storage space to the attic, proper. C) the standard attic (yes, the ceiling of the bedroom has a down slope in the back of the room) D) the bedroom, heated in winter, cooled in summer.

A pic would be helpful. You can float a bed in the middle of the room...nothing says it has to be up against a wall. Do something with the space behind the bed to parse the room up into different areas....maybe a reading area, or dressing area, or put a desk behind the bed where they can share a lamp. Or maybe hang a drape from the ceiling to define a different area behind the bed.

I know of no building code in the US that recognizes "equivalent" R value for a reflective radiant barrier (other than the R value for the air space) although the barrier will definitely lower your energy costs. Maybe there is a performance trade-off you haven't told us about or a code amendment for your jurisdiction. I would have expected the designer and/or builder to have anticipated providing space for the code required insulation before starting the foundations. Why are insulating companies proposing R 20 if the code requires R38? What R value was shown on the building permit drawings? Your entire post is a conundrum. Even with no venting and closed cell spray foam you will need at least 2x6 roof framing which looks to be the case although it would be helpful if you told us the space available. I suspect there is something important you haven't told us about this project. For instance, if you are using the Prescriptive compliance method and if the roof insulation is full height over the exterior wall top plate, the R38 requirement can be reduced to R30. Is that the case? This reduction does not apply to the U-Factor, Total UA Alternatives or Performance compliance methods. Another way to reduce the Rvalue requirement is to use software that allows tradeoffs between different parts of the envelope. Any of these insulation design methods must be calculated and recorded and approved in the building permit documents. You should not be discussing the required roof R value with contractors.