How do I turn my tiny bedroom into a studio/guest bedroom??

Jane Dough
by Jane Dough

I have an 8' x 6' room with a 7' ceiling. I need shelves and a counter area fir projects and to store supplies and tools. Three walls have a window, closet and door. The full wall is 8' wide and the closet is 2' x 5'. I need ideas!

  8 answers
  • Eileen Eileen on Jul 25, 2018

    You can do a ton with any vertical wall space that you have. Pegboard is awesome for holding supplies and super easy to install. I made a craft corner in my office and was able to empty a whole closet and desk worth of stuff. You can check it out here - https://www.justmeasuringup.com/craft-room-makeover/. For counter space, you could use tables or build tables. If you're still using the space for a bedroom too, you could make a folding table. Hope this helps :)

    • Jane Dough Jane Dough on Aug 01, 2018

      I like your idea of the pegboard and using a daybed with a removeable table. I looked at your page and liked how your room turned out. Thank you

  • B. Enne B. Enne on Jul 25, 2018

    I had similar dimensions. At first it was a nursery, then an office.

    I put floor to ceiling shelves in the closet which was more narrow than yours, maybe 3 feet wide. I chose to remove the door and decorate the inside, but you could leave it. You would be amazed how much you can put in there.

    Is there a space between the closet and the wall about a foot? I had a space like that and put shelves and drawers. The crib and later love seat (in your case a daybed or loveseat sleeper could work), I put on the longer wall.

    • Jane Dough Jane Dough on Aug 01, 2018

      Sadly I don't have a wall space between the closet and door, but I do like your suggestion of having narrow shelves so that I do not take a lot of floor space. Thanks for your suggestion a hard work in creating a floor plan.

  • Maybe you could possibly consider installing a murphy bed, which would fold up into the wall when it isn't used. Or maybe you could get a hide a bed that function as a couch as well. As Eileen mentioned, pegboard is another great way to use your walls to organize supplies.

    • Jane Dough Jane Dough on Aug 01, 2018

      Chelsea, I have definately decided on a couch/daybed. A murphy bed for me is something I can't afford financially or with my schedule. Thank you for your suggestions.

  • Kmdreamer Kmdreamer on Jul 25, 2018

    I would get a trundle bed but under it store a foldable craft table or desk instead of a bed

    • Jane Dough Jane Dough on Aug 01, 2018

      Kathy, I'm definitely leaning toward a foldable work surface. Thank you for your suggestions.

  • Dwp7470b Dwp7470b on Jul 25, 2018

    How do I put this nicely? Hmmm. Well...when I was a boy, the entire family on my Mom's side, thought that my parents operated a free Bed and Breakfast.

    Of course, this gets tiring when this occurs each 3 weeks, and is not for an intent to visit the homeowners but instead: Visit others and conduct business in the area.

    For I to deter this, I made an Ugly Green Room and use it as a spare closet with 2 windows.

    You, to deter this, may not need to go to same lengths as I did.

    Your best bet is seemingly already there, as is, to have a cot in a closet, that:

    they can sleep in the closet on a cot

    Or

    they can find a nearby hotel with more legroom.

    It may seem unkind.

    It may seem cruel.

    But, hey, a person can only tolerate so much, and the room is a perfect size for a young grandchild, you do actually want as a guest now and then.

    You may want to consider one of those one way closet locks, however, so you can more easily 'accidentally' lock any self-invited in laws inside this 'children's room' in the morning, while you go for groceries and to the bank.

    Mostly any small futon bed or daybed will do.

    [Especially for the In laws, 'any' means: you can haul it in fresh from the dump and febreeze it after hours].

    Thus the best bet for reorganizing a room this size is to look up Dorm Furniture and Dorm Room Layouts.

    One of those layouts will please you, rest assured.


  • Jane Dough Jane Dough on Aug 01, 2018

    I have to say you were definately the comic relief of the responses. I agree that there are some individuals who will abuse the kindness of others, but I do not have a problem with saying, "maybe we could do something, we're are you staying?," "I'm sorry we don't have room." The exceptions would be my mother and sister whom I actually like to have visit. Maybe in 10 to 20 years I will have a grandchildren, the I could take your last suggestion.

  • B. Enne B. Enne on Aug 01, 2018

    You're welcome. Please let us know what you decided to do, when you are done.

  • Jane Dough Jane Dough on Aug 05, 2018

    I would be happy to. My estimate is that it will be a month or so before I'm finished with thus room.