Totally agree with you on the form factor of the futon. I am not loving it either. But we have it and until I find some thing better in my price range. It is very comfortable to nap on left in the couch position. Also to sit on and read. I pull the desk /sewing table chair over for feet up position. It is a small cheerful room that makes me happy to be in. Our company said the futon is great for a few days. He usually spends 4 or 5 nights with us at a time. I added a foam topper on it. Drawbacks on other sleeping options. Twin love seat sleeper will not be long enough for our friend. He sleeps cross wise on the full sized futon. The click clack couches are darling but also too short. We have cats that will claw so air bed is out of the question. LOL The nicer looking couch futons are so uncomfortable. Fold out beds usually have the bars in them in the center of your back unless you can get the ones with springs all around the edges and a mat to hold the mattress. AND the fold out beds take up more floor space when open if that is an issue for you. You should be fine in a 10 by 10 room though. I would think my best option should I ditch the futon would be a murphy. But then I do go in there and nap on the futon some times so that would be over with. Also when I am sewing I find myself sitting down on the futon to do little bits of hand work when needed. We did buy the upgraded mattress. I am not trying to talk you into a futon at all because I totally think they are ugly as sin. I did doll mine up with pretty comforter and pillows and a friends granddaughter said the guest room is very girly. LOL

NaviJen, pleased to see you posting with us. Mass. is a whole different style of housing than what I'm used to in Alabama. Like lower ceilings, big basements, storm windows, dormers, angled ceilings upstairs. And I've been surprised at the absence of air conditioning (a necessity built into every home in south Alabama), and the intrusive nature of many heating systems--including radiators, baseboard heaters, boilers and oil tanks! Those things take up a lot of space and money to operate also. As older folks who married almost four years ago (second spouses), my DH has a home up there, and I have one down here. That's why I sometimes do a flip-flop from north to south, you will notice. I've been redoing his house AND mine. Jen, be sure to hang in there with us, a lot of creative ideas come from this group of folks. And Steph, you are so unique, giving your boy his own bedroom!!! I'm thinking you need to get out more? hehehehe Having huge antique furniture can be a drawback in a smaller home. Of course, ONE PIECE could fit, maybe, if it is a featured piece. Something that WORKS FOR ITS KEEP. I do hope you have room for the things you've STORED FOR 14 YEARS?!! At least, put it in place and see if it leaves enough breathing room. After all this time, you may have fantasized it into something it can never be, and you've grown out of it....so to speak. Dreams are hard to give up. If I had a good spot to put it, I'd be looking for a nice armoire...just because I like those. But I realize it won't fit my house or my lifestyle any more.

Hi! Thanks for all the advice. I went to help her set things up and to look at it in order to decide how to provide privacy. I decided to get ceiling tracks (found some at BBB for $9.99 on sale from $39!). I got 4 tracks of 48" each to cover the 12' span. I'm going to attach to the ceiling and I made 4 blackout curtain panels (bought ready-made panels from Target and added blackout fabric to them) to hang on the tracks. The opening at the staircase will not be covered so light will come in there,but for privacy that will be okay. She'll decide later if she wants something added there. So here's is my final question: The ceiling is 9' tall and the half-wall is 4'. So that leaves a 5' space to fill with the curtains. I am all done making them except to hem to the final length. Should I have them extend beyond the top of the half-wall, so maybe hem them to 65" or so? I was thinking that if the curtains are a little bit longer than the opening, they would stay closed better if there are slight breezes from AC or the nearby ceiling fan. Would about 5" extra inches be sufficient, or should it be more, like 10 or 12"? So far: Ikea bed with drawers, over-bed storage rack form BBB, a soft-sided Ikea wardrobe, Ikea shelf with plastic bins (instead of a wooden dresser), shelf from BBB. Adding soon, a small laptop desk and a swivel chair from Ikea with will fit at te foot of the bed where there are about 4' left. We realize nothing matches but we were going for function and had to choose from what was available.

First cut power to the ceiling box so you have no live wires. Then use a pliers to pull on each side of the box and figure out which side has the nail into a joist.. Use a reciprocating saw to cut right next to the outside of that side of the box and cut the nail off that is holding it (cut out just enough sheetrock for the blade to fit). Pull the box down and disconnect the wiring. Remove the wiring plugs on the side of the new box and insert the power wires into the box. Install the new box using the manufacturers instructions and tighten in place. It is adjustable so it can slide and be installed anywhere along the bracket, and you should be able to install it right next to the joist, or within about 1/2" of the original box installation. This may require slight cutting of sheetrock again. Use minimally expanding foam or putty to fill in the area around the box and seal it to the ceiling to prevent air infiltration from the attic. Wire up the new fan, which will have a base that is large enough cover the small areas you cut around the old box. Bruce