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maura_w2

converting living/dining room to guest room

Maura W
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago

We need to create a guest room on the first floor BUT STILL have an office / school space. We have 2 rooms we could work with:


LIVING ROOM (carpeted photo) 13 x 12.9 ft


this room is currently being used as an office and future school room
My husband enjoys building, so we considered building a Murphy bed + full wall shelving unit along the wall. Big undertaking?

We could also just call it a day and place a bed in there and put a door on the room.

** I think this room makes the most sense to be converted into a bedroom because we may even be able to add a “bump out” in the future to include a small master bath


DINING ROOM 11.5 x 14.5 ft

As you can see, I have put this room on hold and it has become loading dock for kids


I have thought about making it a multi functional room but am SO LOST

Any ideas how I could make this an office/ multipurpose space when it is such a visible room from the entrance?

Should / could we remove the banister and extend the wall to put in doors to make this a guest room?


We could also put the Murphy bed shelving unit along the main wall as a focal point and leave both rooms as they are for majority of the time.

Thank you for any suggestions you may have!!








Comments (9)

  • apple_pie_order
    2 months ago

    It looks like you have a good choice of spaces. A few questions:


    - is the office needed for full time work: 9am-5pm, 5 days a week?

    - is the "school room" needed for full time home schooling in a few years when your toddler and baby have grown?

    - how often do you have guests and how long do they stay? A couple visitors a year for two nights is a much different situation from grandparents who stay for a few weeks or months.

    Maura W thanked apple_pie_order
  • shirlpp
    2 months ago

    Where is the bathroom that the guests would use?

  • Maura W
    Original Author
    2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    The bathroom is right around the corner, just behind where the mirror is in the entry.

    The shower would be upstairs though.
    That is what the bump out could provide if we wanted to create a first floor master/ guest room

  • Maura W
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    apple_pie_order :


    1. the office is used part time


    2. and school we will eventually need a full time homeschool room (whether that be the living room or dining room)


    3. The guests would need to be able to stay as long as a week

  • apple_pie_order
    2 months ago

    Thanks for info.


    First, cross the home school bridge when you come to it. Use the dining room as a playroom (or even a dining room) for now.


    Second, put in a Murphy bed in the current office and vacate the room when there are visitors.


    Third, buy a 30 by 60 inch folding table ($100) to use as a temporary desk in the playroom or primary bedroom when you have visitors. The table will be useful for other purposes, too, as time goes on.

  • housegal200
    2 months ago

    This layout with desk on wheels across left wall and a pop-up trundle bed against the far wall. Forget the whole murphy bed thing--a lot of trouble to move everything around. One chair in the room--upholstered office chair like one below has a guest room feel.

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    Ikea has desktops of many lengths and legs with wheels


    Alternatively, create and attractive desk on back wall with daybed (or Murphy bed on the right wall.

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    Back "office wall" should look like this but all the way across, nice desk lamp, wonderful art on the wall, and a great chair.

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    Here's eventual foyer/schoolroom layout.

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    But for now library/sitting room.

  • Maura W
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    Wow these are great ideas!! THANK YOU!

  • housegal200
    2 months ago

    I hope you'll forget about a Murphy bed--a lot of trouble. There are loads of fairly comfortable trundle beds and futons that will work for a guest room. It's the day to day family, and future homeschooling plans, that should have priority.


    If your husband is handy, then start with wraparound bookshelves to the height of the chair rail in that space to left of staircase. Later on, baskets of teaching materials and books can be stored there with kids' art work above But start now with getting those shelves in place for an library/sitting room. Sometimes there's storage space under a staircase. Check that out.

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    Later on, add a round work table in the middle for your children, some backjacks upholstered chairs on the floor for reading, art easel, blackboard/whiteboard, piano where it is But start using that space now for a beautiful entry/reading/sitting room/music room.


    Other ideas--storage bench banquette for reading. Could go under a window.

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