Second Bedroom House Dilemma

jweb2k

Hi all,

I've got a dilemma - my partner and I are buying our first house - a three bedroom home and have found the perfect one. I have a 5 year old son from a previous relationship who stays with us every other weekend, but I also see during weekdays at his mother's. The new home has three bedrooms, one master, one of the same 12x12 size, and one 9x7.

My partner feels strongly on having a guestroom - which would have to be the 12x12. It's my feeling that 9x7 is too small for a child, but in her defence he much prefers to play in the lounge than on his own.

What do others think about a 9x7 room, is it big enough? What would you do in the situation? A guestroom obviously has its benefits and my son being in the larger room means the smaller one would have to become storage or an office, not ideally what either of us want.

Am I just overthinking everything, and 9x7 is fine?

Your thoughts are much appreciated!

monty-doggy

We have our son in the box room, he has a cabin bed with a desk wardrobe and drawers underneath it and he loves it! Gives him room to play too.

jweb2k

A cabin bed was my thought as a possible solution for space, thanks!

NoAngel

At 5 years old I'm sure the smaller room will be fine, especially as he is only with you every other weekend and is likely to play downstairs for a long time yet. If your partner feels strongly and you don't mind either way then go along with her. He can always change rooms in the future if needed.

Ms_Chocaholic

I'm with your partner on this, I think you should give your son the smaller room and have the larger room as a guest room. Just think, if your son was yours and your current partner's and you had an older daughter too, the older daughter would have the larger room and the younger son would have no choice but to have the smaller room.

Just wanted to add, when you do move into your new place, your son may experience difficulties adjusting (based on personal experience of my own), in that he thinks the new house is yours and your partner's, so please make sure from the outset that he knows in his own mind that it's all three of yours house.

If you're in two minds about a cabin bed, have you thought about getting a single ottoman style (gas lift) type bed, that way you can most of his toys under his bed when he's not at home.

GobbledyGook

How often do you have guests? If you have guests more often that your son stays I'd use the bigger room as the guest room. If you have guests infrequently then I'd give your son the bigger room and put a sofa bed in the smaller room for guests.

Gloomendoom

My sister had room smaller than 9 by 7 until she left home for university. She had a cabin bed.

She grew up to be a normal, well adjusted, adult.

ska_lover

Many guest rooms go largely unused, and seems to me to be a waste to put your son in the smallest, whilst leaving the biggest room empty for the most part..why have the second biggest bedroom for occasional visitors, when you have a regular visitor, your son?

One of my friends have done this, put her daughter in the box room and created a large guest room, which has never once been used in the two years she has lived there - its more 'just for show'

Why do guests need a room in my house, they dont pay the mortgate - it is how I see it - In our house, we have a seperate dining room which houses a bed settee. We do have a 'spare room', but prefer to utilise it for ourselves, it is a hobby room we spend lot of time in - and to be fair, if we only wanted use of two bedrooms, we would have brought a two bed. That is just me though, and obviously just sharing my thoughts - we dont tend to have lots of visitors to stay over, only two in the last year, so no way would I set a room aside to be used twice a year

jweb2k

How often do you have guests? If you have guests more often that your son stays I'd use the bigger room as the guest room. If you have guests infrequently then I'd give your son the bigger room and put a sofa bed in the smaller room for guests.

One of my friends have done this, put her daughter in the box room and created a large guest room, which has never once been used in the two years she has lived there - its more 'just for show'

This was my original thinking - but I'm assured the guests will be flooding in. Part of me believes this is a "just for show" thing as you say, a bit says it's the practicality of a 5 year old not needing anything bigger than the small room, but I'm assured we will have guests (various siblings, my parents live away and friends) on a steady schedule to warrant it.

Thanks all for your replies so far!

arbroath_lass

Do you usually have your son and guests at the same time? Could your son have the small room as a playroom but sleep in the "guest" room. Kids love big beds. Or, with decent storage, and a good guest bed the larger room could be both.

ska_lover

Well you could set the bigger one out as the spare room, and see how well utlized it becomes mate, say after 12 months it hasnt been used as much as you believe, it may be worth broaching the subject again with your missus?