How to decorate/re-organise my spare room
January 29, 2018 4:24 AM   Subscribe

I’m looking for some advice on how to update my spare room in terms of layout/decoration/storage. As background, my partner and I live in an old Victorian flat in Scotland. We have our main bedroom and the spare room is used for storage and has a platform bed built in (quite common here). I’ve spent this weekend ruthlessly clearing out the spare room to see what I have left to work with - photos are here. Currently it is used for: working from home; writing; occasional art projects; and for people to sleep who are visiting (kids on futons on the floor, adults on the platform bed). Everything needs to be able to be put away fairly easily as we share it and it can quickly look cluttered (i.e. I am writing or working on art projects, my partner then working for a few days). Dimensions of the room are 2.75m by 2.05m (9ft by 6.7ft). The platform is 1.95m off the ground (6.4 ft) and the storage unit under the bed is 40cm deep (15.7 inches). Total height of the room is around 3.3m (10.3 ft). Background and specific questions below.

On the square shelving unit we keep art supplies (one box), computer stuff, some kitchen stuff (vacuum bags etc), toys for visiting kids, DIY stuff (extension cords, drill etc), and old photos and files. I have pared the photos and mementos down as much as possible to two boxes each, which I think is reasonable (in the cubes under the desk). In the wardrobe/dresser we keep outdoor gear - boots, waterproofs, compass and binoculars, snorkelling things, travelling stuff (we travel a lot), and the suitcases. Bookshelves have also been weeded and you can see we keep essential files there too (I got rid of so much paperwork this weekend!). On top of the bed are futon, duvets, pillows, exercise ball, and we do use these as we often have a lot of guests, especially in the summer. In the rest of the flat there is really not that much room to keep any of this bulky stuff (no attic etc.)

The platform bed (small double) was built in before we moved here, and I think I want to keep it. The bookshelves are also attached directly to the wall - that particular wall is brick, so will support the weight of the books - the wall under the window will not. The wardrobe/dresser is left over from the old owners and can be moved/replaced. The desk is a cheap IKEA job - legs can be unscrewed when we have guests etc. The storage unit with the cubes and boxes is from IKEA and works pretty well as flexible storage but is not the prettiest.

Finally to my questions:

1. If i keep the layout as is, what can I do to make it more put together? I’m thinking about painting the platform bed, ladder, shelves and shelving unit all white to match the walls. Good idea? Terrible idea?

2. Should I get a smaller desk, or even two desks?

3. Should I replace the wardrobe/dresser with something else? Any suggestions? I’m thinking maybe a tallish cupboard with doors so that stuff doesn’t get dusty. There is a bit of room inside at the moment, but nowhere else to keep the suitcases except for on the top.

4.Is there a better way to keep the stuff on the bed organised? You can sit up on the mattress but not stand. Could I put shelving up around the edges? The actual bed is only used a few times a year but if it was easier to access we might use it more.

5. The storage unit of cubes - I am thinking about decorating the doors (probably with maps) - or to match a yet-to-be decided colour scheme. I’ve managed to keep a few cubes free so that we can put stuff away quickly if we need to. Should I get doors for all the spare cubes? I am quite organised but my partner is not - so it’s probably best if she has spare cubes to stick stuff in and then close the door!

6. Colour schemes? Any ideas? I’d like to keep things relatively light as the window is north facing. Open to styles.

7.Carpet is old and green but I’m very hesitant to replace as I’d have to move all the furniture. Rest of the flat is old varnished floors. Rugs maybe?

8.Bookshelves - re-arrange? I’m thinking to get matching file storage at least for the bottom row. There is no room for the books elsewhere in the flat so I think they will have to stay, but I could paint the shelves etc.

I’ve had a look on pinterest but most platform bed ideas seem more skewed towards kids or dorm rooms. I’m fairly handy in terms of painting, putting up shelves, DIY. I don’t want to get into anything too major like moving the radiator, tiling, or sanding the floors.

Any advice or general thoughts are much appreciated - especially if you have made a space like this work! Many thanks in advance :)
posted by sedimentary_deer to Home & Garden (7 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
That is a tiny room, but very organized. I like your idea to paint everything white, or maybe use a shade like a very very light ice blue to paint the bed so it' different, but not so contrasting. I think a rug or runner on the floor would be nice and you could add some color there. Rather than storage solutions with doors, which would need to open out into the tiny space, maybe you could makes some sort of curtain that can cover things, but be slid out of the way for access.
posted by WeekendJen at 8:47 AM on January 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Paint the storage thing with the suitcases on top white to match the bookcase and get storage cubes that fit in the shelves. It would look a lot neater if those cubbies weren't hanging over the edge of the shelf. I also think it would look cozier with brightly colored thin curtains on that window.
posted by ilovewinter at 8:52 AM on January 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


Your room is super-organized for all the things you do in there! I would focus on cutting down on visual clutter and coordinating the color palette.

You could make/buy a curtain to hang over the suitcases and maybe shelves below to cut down on the visual clutter. I'd go for a heavier fabric because things stick out over the edge of the shelf and a lightweight fabric will show the outlines.

I would paint the bookshelves and cupboard but not the bed white. I think all-white-errything would look overly sterile.

I would also make the doors on the desk storage match / coordinate with the rest of the room - contact paper or you can probably buy the pieces at IKEA. Maybe you and your partner could each have an open-front cube to display some small art / aesthetically pleasing thing?

Get coordinating laundry bags for the stuff on top of the platform bed.

The cupboard under the suitcases could hold more, maybe get some clear plastic bins to work as drawers? Maybe some of the files from the bookshelf could go there?
posted by momus_window at 9:52 AM on January 29, 2018 [3 favorites]


Response by poster: Thanks all - some really great ideas already - hadn't thought to use curtains!
posted by sedimentary_deer at 1:19 PM on January 29, 2018


To me, the problem areas are the suitcases and the stuff on top of the bed. Everything else can be improved by color coordination. Re the suitcases, would they fit under the bed in your bedroom? Would they fit inside one another? Can you store little-used items inside them? Could they be stored on top of the bed, back near the wall so they'd be less visible? Could you hang a curtain from the ceiling so it just hides the suitcases where they are now? Likewise you could hang a curtain from the ceiling to make a Pullman berth for the bed. It might make the room seem smaller though so I think coordinated storage bags for the stuff up there is a better idea. Or even a row of nice file boxes, lined up along the edge with all the bulkier stuff pushed further back. Try breaking up the books on the bookshelves with other objects, like colorful small boxes that hold office supplies or old photos. A small rug (not a runner) in the desk area and a small table lamp will make that area more inviting.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:41 PM on January 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


Kudos for getting all of it in there!

I love the natural wood finish of the bed, but every other thing needs to be a bright color to make the room appear spacious as possible. A nice bright colored rug will add a bit of color (and padding for sleepers.) Agreed, light weight curtains for the windows, and keep the natural light.

I'm not sure of the dimensions on your desk. Are there cubbies built in under the desk that go all the way to the floor, similar to those on the right side where the vacuum cleaner is? If they don't, could you add a shelf 10-12 inches wide under the desk without it hitting your knees? If you stash seldom needed stuff in the lower cubbies to the right of the door (in boxes easier to remove) could you stack the suitcases to the right of the desk in front of the cubbies?

Would it be possible to get a rolling drawer unit for art supplies (or boots/camping) about 12 inches wide and the length of the desk to slide under the desk next to the wall with the window? Like this or this? Plastic is easy to clean up with spilled art messes, but you could get a something nicer, if you prefer. Wheels make it so much more portable.

The shelving unit is a nice enough piece of furniture, but it's a pretty big footprint on the floor, especially if you're trying to wedge bodies in there to sleep. Having stuff up off the floor might give a feel more space, too. If you--
1. Remove the shelving unit and build shelves all the way across that wall, you could have the floor space open for sleepers. Having the new shelves only stick out as far as the first set of shelves won't break up the room visually as the unit does.The vacuum could move to the left of the window under those shelves, or by the door when the heat isn't on. Light weight curtains the length of the shelves would hide some of the mess.
2. Move all the larger books and items onto the first (bottom) shelf by the door, or across the room into the cubbies. You could then get a fourth book shelf on the wall for small seldom-used items on the top.

The one part of the bed I would change is to paint or finish the bottom of the bed above the desk in a white, or light, color to open up the desk space. Under the bed there appears to be a space about 2 foot deep by about 6-8 inches where the supports holding the bed attach to the walls. If you really wanted to get serious, you could put two open ended 24 x 24 x 8 inch shelves to hold blankets or clothes--soft stuffable items. The openings to these shelves would run perpendicular to the desk, so you'd have to reach up and under to stuff things in. (make sense?) If you wanted to get fancy, you could put drop down doors or curtains to hide those items.

The problem of shelving inside the bed spaces is the theory works better than the actuality in terms of banging an elbow or foot on the shelf edges. Above the bunk on my horse trailer, I have a 7 ft wide x 2 1/2ft deep x 2 foot ft long cargo net hanging from the ceiling over the foot of the bunk. Extra sleeping bags go in there. It's not big enough to feel claustrophobic, and if you roll over and kick it, it doesn't hurt or make noise like the old cupboards did.
posted by BlueHorse at 3:49 PM on January 30, 2018 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Great stuff - thanks! Yes, the cubes go down under the desk and have stuff in them.

I have already made some progress - managed to stash the suitcases elsewhere and that really does help. I've taken down the horrible brown blind, and repainted the window frame which was kind of chipped. I've spraypainted some of the doors bright yellow and an old anglepoise lamp to give a bit of colour and have plans to get some curtains and a rug.

I think, for the moment, I will keep the storage unit on the left, but I'm going to get some boxes for it that don't stick out - but I like BlueHorse's idea to eventually build in some shelving there that matches the book shelves.

Cargo net for the stuff on the bed is an excellent idea, thank you! Will put it in the corner and then if needs be someone can climb up and get in and only their feet will be under the sleeping bags (like to keep them un packed so they don't lose their loft).

When little kids sleep on the futon I usually take the legs off the desk and lean it up against the cubbies, which generally works ok...

Still swithering on painting the shelving unit and under the bed. Should get finished this afternoon and will post an update - thanks again!
posted by sedimentary_deer at 1:53 AM on January 31, 2018


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