Asked on Mar 03, 2014

Help ~ I want to turn a tiny purposeless room into usable space.

Deniseclohr
by Deniseclohr
This room is small! However, it has a nice big window which gets afternoon and evening sun and a small closet. I've thought of removing the closet door and converting it into a shelf/nook/reading area in front of the window. I'd also like to use a small love seat and desk or vanity. Other than that, I'm open to suggestion! The space is approximately 5'X8' and is off of my living room. I'd like to paint the walls a pale peach called strawflower, leaving the wood trim and ceiling a soft semi gloss white. The carpeting was provided by landlord and is a commercial grade coppery colored tweed with flecks of turqouise and gold. Am I being unrealistic thinking I can squeeze a loveseat AND desk in there? My home is listed on Air B&B so if this could convert to sleeping space for a child it could provide additional income.
Wall I would like to put love seat on. Approximately 60"
Opposite wall, faces front of house, gets afterooon sun
Standing in front of window looking into living room.
  34 answers
  • Amy Ogden-Paparone Amy Ogden-Paparone on Mar 03, 2014
    That is the tiniest room ever lol. I don't know if you could even fit a love seat in there, but maybe an over sized chair that opens to a bed would be nice. A small table with shelves next to it and I'd take the door off the closet too, put a few shelves paint it all white. Then i'd add a pretty lamp with a peachy colored shade to bring in the color of the walls. It could be used as a computer desk also.
  • Kelly S Kelly S on Mar 03, 2014
    A great get away room. I agree with AJ about an oversized chair that folds out to a bed. A small table with lamp or a floor lamp for reading and relaxing. A small bed and a desk wouldn't leave enough room to turn around in.
  • Z Z on Mar 03, 2014
    If you're thinking a younger child then I'd make a day bed using a crib size mattress. You'll have to add extra support underneath to use it as a love seat for adults, but it could be done. If it's just for overnight guests, you might be able to fit a twin size bed in there if the radiator doesn't get in the way. With five by eight feet, you'd have twenty inches of walkway for the length of the bed and a little over sixteen inches at the foot of the bed.
  • Kara Spurlock Kara Spurlock on Mar 04, 2014
    You could have a desk that folds down when needed the fold up and fasten to wall when not in use! Like a Murphy desk. Would be easy to do. When fastened to wall it could look like decorative piece!
  • Ceiling Tiles By Us Ceiling Tiles By Us on Mar 04, 2014
    Hi Deniseclohr, You can always turn a space into something useful! If you're thinking of turning this into a kids room check out www.ceilingtilesbyus.com for cool styrofoam and PVC ceiling tiles! We have designs with butterflies and bubbles on them which are deat Fun for kids. They are lightweight, very easy To apply and do it yourself, very inexpensive and provide insulation! Here are a few examples but we have hundreds of designs on the website. Good luck! Can't wait to see what you do with the space!
  • Pam Jacobs Pam Jacobs on Mar 04, 2014
    Perfect room for an office. Especially if you are running some kind of Bed and Breakfast place?
  • Linda Linda on Mar 04, 2014
    You could turn the closet into a mini library and put a comfy chair and foot stool for a quiet retreat for reading.
  • Eva Terrazas Eva Terrazas on Mar 04, 2014
    Maybe if you have little kids you can make it a play room . Or build a bench with a book shelf under it and a coushion to sit on and install a wall unit light
  • Deniseclohr Deniseclohr on Mar 04, 2014
    To clarify, this used to be a true office when I had a pet sitting business. Once I sold my business I tried using as a toy room but the kids never really used it as such. I do have 60 inches of width so a small love seat would fit. I really need space to sit and apply my makeup but the lighting is not quite bright enough a vanity with a lighted makeup mirror???
    • Anne Cassidy Anne Cassidy on Mar 04, 2014
      @ @Deniseclohr You could make this room into a beautiful reading room with hanging plants (2 brackets mid arm height and piece of wood natural or painted or stained) or just hang a stained pallet on the wall with plants on the shelves across from the window with a nice chair and sitting table on an angle. by the window, with a small ottoman. If you want to be creative you could cover the wood for the plant shelves with same fabric as the ottoman. You could also put a coat stand in the corner for a quick place to catch your coat after shopping. Plus scrap the plant shelves and a nice book shelf mid height. Even a place for your wool, or even a crafts room. Just ideas, hope they help.
  • Cori Warner Cori Warner on Mar 04, 2014
    For your B&B, a love seat hide-a-bed t is gonna be your best bet, I think. Then you could get an over-the-sofa table to use for your makeup, or for reading, etc. I would get a couple of plug-in wall sconces for either side of the room for light. Do a Google search for "over the sofa side table" and you will see a lot of different styles!
  • Connie Connie on Mar 05, 2014
    I would make it into a nice room for husband & I to watch the sun go down with a glass of wine, a couple comfy chairs not too big and a little table to hold wine & glass's. Romantic lighting and let the kids go to their rooms for a couple hours. Get rid of the closet doors add shelving. Make your get away. Your time out room. :)
  • Jenny Stokes Jenny Stokes on Mar 05, 2014
    If you don't want to utilize the space into a small office again, then I would take down the wall to the living room to expand your current space. Then take the door off the closet to make it a small library or shelving system for books, crafts, essentials, etc. If you don't want to remove the wall, the best bet is a nice chair and ottoman with a small candlestick table to hold a lamp. If you see a piece of furniture you like, measure it and put masking tape on the floor in your little room - you know, draw rectangles for your chair or table or whatever to see the placement. That way you can visualize the layout before putting anything in there. Maybe you can let it be a catch-all for your cat-tree and other pet essentials - a pet playroom! Sorry - I had a lot of different thoughts! Good luck!
    • Sharril Swindle Sharril Swindle on Mar 06, 2014
      @Jenny Stokes those sound like real good ideas, should have done the same in the house I lived in in Lakeland , fla, and right now I wish I were back there with this Pennsylvania winter lol. enjoy
  • Cindy Barnes Cindy Barnes on Mar 05, 2014
    I would build a chaise-type bed where the window and closet meet. You could add shelves where the actual closet is and then you would have a nice reading room.
  • Robin H Robin H on Mar 05, 2014
    I would definitely consider a built-in desk or table with storage underneath (crafting room?) with maybe some open shelves on the short wall. A love seat might take up too much walk room though, but a narrow window seat might work, with storage underneath. You might be able to work in narrow book shelves along the window wall with the seat, then work a table/desk top off that, maybe go around the "corner" with the shelving? And I like @1 result is available, use up and down arrow keys to navigate.Jenny Stokesidea too!
  • Ekip Ekip on Mar 05, 2014
    I recently converted a spare bedroom into what I call areading room. I didn’t have much space eitherso rather than a loveseat I put in an oversized chair (sometimes called a chairand a half). I then put some inexpensivelow white bookshelves along one wall and a small side table next to the chairfor my coffee. I love sitting in thechair reading and looking out the window at the trees. J If you wanted to go with the extra sleepingspace for a child you could get a loveseat or chair that pulls out to abed. Good luck!
  • Liliana Wells Liliana Wells on Mar 05, 2014
    Great idea from Kara.
  • Rose Rose on Mar 05, 2014
    I have a laundry space about the same size. We took the doors of the closet and make a craft space using the entire closet space - It really came out nice. You can also go to http://www.houzz.com/ and put in the search space what you are looking for - you will have loads of fun on this sight...I go there for everything house related. Good Luck...
  • Mo Burke Mo Burke on Mar 05, 2014
    How about putting the desk inside the closet with shelves for craft/office supply storage?
  • KathrynElizabeth Etier KathrynElizabeth Etier on Mar 05, 2014
    I am looking at my 5x8 rug and loveseat, and yes, a loveseat with simple lines could go in the space. You wouldn't want to put too much more in there because you'd have nowhere to walk. Instead of a loveseat, you might consider a padded bench which would probably give you the room for one or two endtables (or use your imagination, and fashion shelves to be endtables). I'd warm it up with a throw/area rug over the carpet, soft lighting, and repurposing the closet into a nook. I think you could also put a youth bed along the 5' wall, which would still leave you about 25 SF of floor space to work with. If a youthbed wouldn't work, you could consider a pallet bed.
  • Sandy Lueker Sandy Lueker on Mar 05, 2014
    That picture of your dog on the wall looks just like mine!
  • Laurette Laurette on Mar 05, 2014
    I took one small bedroom and created a library with bookcases all along one wall and brought in a two person chair with an ottoman. I spend many hours reading in that room, love it!
  • Sistah Sunshine Sistah Sunshine on Mar 05, 2014
    I would line the closet with shelves for ... what ever you need. Books, crafts, seasonal decorations etc. a SMALL table and chair works well for a vanity (cover the top with glass for easy clean) right in front of the window, you don't need bright light, but natural light for makeup application. Maybe use a covered coat rack to store seasonal coats or other clothing or what I call "fancy clothes" that you only wear a few times a year. (I turned an 8x8 room into a walk in closet for all my clothes, bedding, linens and towels)
  • Diane Arnold Diane Arnold on Mar 06, 2014
    You might also think of one of the built in murphy bed units, removing the closet for more room. Reading area with chairs,small table and bed only if needed. Dual purpose room.
  • Reinventing Space Reinventing Space on Mar 06, 2014
    The room is really tiny - So you have to realistically use the space.You have one end that is the window/closet. I see a radiator in the space as well. An average loveseat is 62x30 Your room is 96x60. Remove closet door, use the closet as part of your space. I see as a small office/library - With the closet converted for books and files, a cute narrow Parson's style desk, chair. Don't paint the ceiling with gloss paint, use flat.
  • Sharril Swindle Sharril Swindle on Mar 06, 2014
    I would also look at Ikea if you have one near, I GET SOO MANY IDEAS FROM THERE. or get one of their catalogs, or on line. seriously you don't have to buy from them but you may be able to use stuff you already own, and pinterest ,, tiny space decorating!!! perhaps! best of luck to you.
  • Kate Allen Kate Allen on Mar 06, 2014
    Hi, Color sounds fine, if it's pale and perhaps a comfy reading chair would work better than a loveseat. Goodwill/thrift shops will have a small table to put next to it. You could paint that a more vibrant color version of the walls.Taking the closet door off is a good idea for a little desk area or book shelves. If you can swing it, go to a place like Home Goods and get a sisal rug to cover as much as the dark rug as you can. My grandchildren use a blow up mattress and love it. Good twin ones cost $99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond and with a coupon are $80. If it were me, I'd keep everything white in the furniture. I use Amy Howard's one step paint and have even painted chairs with it. You do have to dilute it with water for fabric. Good luck! According to Virginia Wolff, every woman needs "a room of one's own". This could be a charming little hideaway for you. If you put shelfs in the closet, you could paint the back wall same color as your little table to give it some punch. Best, Kate
  • Kate Chatterton Kate Chatterton on Mar 06, 2014
    I took a space about that size, placed a small dinning table (to use as over sized desk), desk chair and tall but narrow book case in it. I use it to wrap presents and my SO uses it to tinker on computers. The bookshelf holds mostly photo boxes of computer parts and some boxes of greeting cards. But I do have to say a reading nook sounds awfully appealing. For that I would use a comfy chair, storage ottoman (to hold an afghan to snuggle in), an occasional table and a reading light and call it good. Though that closet would lend it self to book shelves also.
  • Opal Opal on Mar 07, 2014
    I also think something smaller than a love seat is in order such as a oversize fold out chair to accommodate sleeping and reading plus a stool as a side table and floor lamp. For the closet, I would convert to a work space with a desk are then shelves above and take off the door. You could also have shelves on and above the radiator. A throw rug would make it even more cozy.
  • Opal Opal on Mar 07, 2014
    I think you are on the right track converting the closet and the colors. Instead of a loveseat, I think the oversize chair is a good idea and I know that some fold out into a twin bed. You might have room to have a floor lamp next to it and use a stool for a table. I would like to see what you do.
  • Jean DeSavage Jean DeSavage on Mar 07, 2014
    I would turn a single bed into a "day" bed, use lots of pillows to make it look like a sofa, put it against the small wall opposite the window wall. You could then put a chest/trunk or storage cubes against the wall opposite the door, to be used as footstools for the bed, or chairs. That would give you room for storing the linens for the day bed. Or you could get a chaise lounge instead, that would be really comfortable for reading! Another option would be to get a shallow dresser to put opposite the door, for storage, and it could hold a TV on top, or a light and goodies! Then I would paint the inside of the closet white, to reflect light better, put a light hanging from the ceiling over the "desk" shelf, with narrower shelves above for books, supplies. I would put a round table with two covered parson's chairs on either side of the table by the window (one chair can be turned around to be used at the "desk"), so that you could use the table for playing games, having coffee, etc.
  • Chloe Crabtree Chloe Crabtree on Nov 24, 2021

    I think you could make it into a tiny little sleeping space, but I really don't see a whole lot of additional use. You could build in the bed and use it as a loveseat also.

  • An old iron crib would make a nice daybed in there.