Awkward kid's room - help!

3 years ago

We're moving into a lovely townhome but I need help with one of the bedrooms. It'll be for my 9 year old daughter.
First, it's small, it anyway much smaller than her current bedroom. 9x9 are the dimensions of the new room. She currently has a Kura loft bed from Ikea which helps with storage, but she wants a new bed now. I'm fine with that but we need to solve for the storage issue.
Secondly, as you'll see in the photo, there are 3 doors that all open inward which make furniture placement tricky.
And lastly, she has a walkout balcony. Would anyone trust their 9 year old on a balcony at the third floor? I think she'll be fine but my paranoid side is envisioning the worst possible scenario unfolding.
So, how would you all approach this situation? Bed ideas? Balcony advice? Furniture arrangement?
Thanks in advance!

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Comments (3)

Rachel Bales
Original Author
3 years ago
Maureen
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
My daughter had a room that was even smaller (and no cupboard) when we downsized. She had a day bed, which allowed for extra storage, but the saviour was an armoire due to height storage vs a dresser taking up floor space.

Placing a day bed on the outside wall may allow for both side walls to be used to their potential. If she wants to have a friend sleep over, you give up the storage drawers for a trundle.

You could somehow seal the door or place a night stand in front. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a third floor balcony.

An armoire on one side (use baskets to separate the types of clothing). You could look for a second hand piece and chalk paint it a great color.

On opposite wall, add a desk/vanity with lots of drawers and shelving.
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I'm late to the conversation, but I'm glad you are leaving the room the colors it is. I went through this with my dd two years ago. She was almost six and had picked out the bedding, curtains, and pink wall color herself. She was really upset that her room was to be changed. It wasn't worth stressing her out any more than a move already does. At the stager's suggestion, I took down the pink curtains and replaced them with white. I switched out the bedding for a more nuetral color that went with the garden theme of the room. Dd's stuff (with her permission) that wasn't used for staging went into a box for the new house. When we walked through the house with the new owner, she complimented the room. It was the only room in the house that she complimented. IMO, it helped sell the house. I think if your rooms look magazine worthy, then leaving them as is, is fine. If they are just a hodge podge and a mix of stuff, it is better to repaint or stage so that it looks more appealing. I have seen some kid's rooms that made me cringe because everything clashed or looked like it had been thrown together with no thought of what worked.
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Hi Alexandra, Thanks for the additional pictures and taking the dimensions...The dimensions in my drawing are right there, I was only a few inches off in the distance between the door and the wall in front of it and a few inches off between the door and the corner. So there will be a few inches less between the door and the bookshelf, and a few inches the other way will not play much into that setting, so something like will work. This is just an example to give you an idea what it can be done, you can choose other type seating to your liking, I just dropped that in there so you have a visual and IMO that will make a nice reading or hangout nook. Also, you can make that built-in double-sided, and have books on one side and shoe storage, some shelving with seating on the other. Something like this.
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Thank you for the responses! And that walkway idea is awesome. Great questions too. We have a family of 6 but our larger extended family is always over so we want space for about 10 people if possible. Mostly young children (under 12) and adults. We also have friends over often (late 20s early 30s) so the space would double as a game night/grab a beer or wine space. Family time would include reading, board games, occasional movies, conversations. We were def considering a bookshelf in there if possible along with floor seating for the younger kids. We don’t need dining in the room because we do have space near the kitchen for a dedicated 10 person dining table. I think conversation and comfort is key for us in the space as we do have a tv room and play room on the second floor. Most of the inspiration I have seen online features longer skinnier rooms and less square rooms like we have here. Makes it harder for us to create zones in the space. Again thank you for the suggestions and responses!
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
IMO you can't block that balcony door since that is the only other egress from that space . But maybe the door can have the swing reversed. That leaves the side walls for a bed so a twin with storage under it and a really good organizing of that closet for clothes that need to be in there all the rest in the storage drawers. I think if renovating is in the future that balcony could sure be more useable as bedroom , shame on the architect that designed this upper floor. IMO the smallest bedroom really is 10x10 . Maybe some shelves along the left wall for some decor too. I think you will need to trust her to be careful and make the balcony a cute place for her to sit and read or play , at 9 she should have good sense and the fact she is a girl instead of a gutsy boy is a bonus.

Awkward kid's room - help!

Comments (3)

Rachel Bales
Original Author

Maureen

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Awkward kid's room - help!

Comments (3)

Rachel BalesOriginal Author

Maureen

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

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CONNECT WITH US

Rachel Bales
Original Author