Is having a tween/teen hang out space worth it?

[Anonymous]

My kids are 10 and 12 and we turned our basement into a hangout spot for them. We have a big screen tv, cool lighting, comfortable seating, and an easy to clean up floor so we’re not too worried about spills down there. We also have a popcorn machine, a selection of candy like the movie theater, and the mini fridge. Right now, out of all the houses, this is where they mostly choose to hang out (like the random day off on Monday, kids were here all day so we ordered some pizzas for them). Not sure if the space will continue to be the fun place to hang out, but I’m glad we turned it into one for them.

[Anonymous]

PP here - editing to add, we have an 1800 sqft house so this spot pretty much takes up the entire finished portion of our basement.

[Anonymous]

No to second floor. My mom tried this decades ago in a room above her bedroom and then got mad when we wouldn’t hang out at our house with friends. Why would we when she would come upstairs and tell us to quiet down every time we tried to use the “hang out room”? Don’t do an upstairs room or any other room that doesn’t have a sense of privacy or you’ll be wasting time, money and space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here— thank you for the replies! This room would be flanked on both sides by tween bedrooms on the third floor. There is nothing else on that floor. It’s kind of the middle bedroom that sucks because it just has one tunnel-like teeny dormer window. We would take out the middle bedroom door and widen the opening as much as possible without making a structural change. We would also put in skylights. It feels like a risk because the older girls (9 and 11 still technically) are scared to even go up to the attic. It’s a pretty primitive space fit only for parental offices (!) and thus we are planning renovation — also trying to put a bathroom up there. But husband thinks a guest room is just as good and cheaper…requiring no work. But i think it’s an opportunity and we have to mess around up there anyway since we need a new roof.

If the kids will not use it, don't bother till they will but i would not bother with a skylight and door change.