or how high is the ceiling--can you do a loft so the kid can have some floor space?

Also, flip the door so it opens outward--that is so easy and will create space!

OP, I just read your post re dimensions...can you do a futon mattress--forget the bed frame? Will make it a little less tight

Anonymous wrote:Loft bed with desk underneath for younger kid.

The younger kid does nit need a desk. He needs play space.

The teen who is never home just needs a bed to crash or a place to watch YouTube videos.

Loft bed with desk underneath for younger kid.

My teen is designing his tiny room with a loft as we speak. He is having a blast doing it too. Treat it like a dorm room. So many cool ideas on line.

I'd give the small room to the 9 year old but go all out in decorating it for him. Get a low loft with built in storage below to give him more room for his stuff (though clothes could stay in big brother's room if need be) - but he won't be squished up close to the ceiling where the circulation is bad. Get a ceiling fan if you don't already have one.

Then get him in on the project - repaint, go all in on a theme, etc. He's 9 - he'll survive. Just let big brother know that if you are still in the house when he goes to college, he loses the big room.

Try a pocket door for both the door to the room and the closet door to gain some space. We have a tiny guest room with similar dimensions and that helped a little. I think the barn door may take up too much room. We also bought a lamp with a USB port in it, so people can charge their phone at night without hunting around and trying to pull the bed out for a socket.

We have the 5 drawer Hemnes from ikea and the Trestle 3 shelf bookcase and they are perfect for a tiny space.

https://www.target.com/p/trestle-3-shelf-bookcase-white-room-essentials-153/-/A-51117863

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20360416/

Personally it sounds like the older one uses his room less. He comes in later, only sleeps there, doesn't do his work there, so he doesn't really need a bigger bedroom. He's not there a lot. Plus the younger one has more toys and needs a play space for them.

I would put the older kid in the smaller room with a setup like the photo below and put the younger one in the bigger room. Put a couch or lounger in the room near the toys with the assumption that if the younger is not there, the older one can hang out there. If the younger one is there, the older one can hang out in the public spaces. Sounds like he's busy enough he doesn't hang around the house that much anyways.

If you have a basement you can make some space in, do it! Give the area to older DS and set him up with a desk, computer, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Put the 9 year old in the smaller room with the promise of moving into the bigger room when 14 year old goes to college.

This, and get him a cool loft bed so he has more room.

Thanks, I didn't see your post before posting!

Agree with the loft bed. We’re kind of in the same situation but with two girls ages 7 and 10 sharing a large bedroom. We’ve promised whoever gets the small bedroom (current guest room) a loft bed to sweeten the deal.

Could you do a sliding barn door instead of a folding door?

I have 2 boys similarly aged sharing a room out of necessity. We have a 3 bedroom house and DD is in the 3rd bedroom so we don’t even have your option. I will say either of my boys would be overjoyed to take DDs teeny bedroom. My youngest doesn’t care about space and is tired of being woken. My oldest is desperate to have some privacy. Just pick out of a hat and be done. The loft bed is a good idea. I hear you about heat rising as we have the same issue with bunk beds but you can put a fan in the room if it’s that big of an issue. Or just put in a bed and dresser. That’s all any kid really needs. We have desks in our kids rooms but they often study at the dining room table or spread out on the floor (which I discourage).

Anonymous wrote:I think you should try the use the small room for sleeping only, but realize this could come with problems (whoever sleeps in the larger room will want to claim it).

Maybe a better way to go is have the 14 year old sleep in the smaller room. Sell it as giving the older kid some privacy. But then ensure the bigger room is designed so that they both maintain thier own space.

Agree with this solution.

Give the older one the smaller room to sleep in so he has more independence and privacy.

The older kid gets the larger room...5 year age difference. The little one will get it when he is in High School. Clean out the basement and make a play area for little one.

Give the older child the small room with a loft bed and desk underneath. If it has storage like the Ikea Stuva loft, it should be all he needs. Tell him it's practice for the tiny room he'll have in college.