Off to college…what to do with the extra room?

last year

My son moved off to college two years ago and he comes back only a few times a year to visit. I’ve been eyeing up his room and I’m stuck with what to do with it based off the size. It’s very small we live in a 1950s ranch with a total square footage of 1200 sq ft. We have no access to our backyard unless we go outside the front and around the whole house. My idea was to somehow put in a sliding patio door in place of the window facing the backyard. However, looking at it, it might be too big for the small space I’m working with. I can’t decide if I want to do a small office type space or a comfy sitting room area with the TV on the wall. The carpet will be torn out and we are in the process of remodeling the closet..

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Comments (10)

Suki Mom
last year
Would be helpful to see a floorplan of your house so we know how the room relates to the rest of the house.
Colea Raquet
Original Author
last year
We are getting our roof redone next month, and when we get our permit, we will also request our floorplan. Thanks for the tip!
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rockybird
last year
I think a sliding door would look amazing. Is there a porch or patiio on the other side? You could add a concrete slab or even some pavers. I have a room with a sofa and comfortable seat and sliding glass door. I like to go sit in there with my ipad and read the news or watch a movie. It’s nice having the cozy space.
chispa
last year
last modified: last year
Where is your son going to sleep when he graduates from college and might not get a job right away and/or gets a job near your home and needs to save some money by living at home for a year?

I only cleared out my son's room recently and turned it into a proper guest bedroom. He graduated college last year and has been at his new/first job for 7 months in another state.
Colea Raquet
Original Author
last year
We have an area in the basement that we are thinking of converting into a bedroom space. Nothing is happening overnight, but I’m just trying to plan. My main goal is to have access to the backyard by putting in a sliding patio door, but I’m not sure if having the twin bed there would be too crowded?
sealavender
last year
If not a slider, maybe French doors, or a single glass door?
rockybird
last year
What are the dimensions of the room? You could do a 6 foot wide slider maybe?
Kendrah
last year
My main goal is to have access to the backyard by putting in a sliding patio door, but I’m not sure if having the twin bed there would be too crowded?

Why would there be a twin bed there? I thought you were turning this into an office or a TV room.

Where do you watch TV now?

What space do you currently use as an office and do you work from home?

Can you just make a little sketch of your layout and post it here? I just wonder if this room is located in an area of the house that will actually make you use the backyard more or not. What is outside this room in the back yard?
PRO
lisedv
last year
Please post a floor plan of the room showing all dimensions, doors, and windows. Also show where this room is in relation to the other rooms and the backyard.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I think do what works for how you live now and yur son can sleep on the sofe if needed . Yes we need a floor plan of the whole house to unerstand where this room is There are even chairs that pullout to make a bed for those visits . You can do a floor plan yourself on graph paper to make it easier we honestly can offer little help without the plan . Post it here in jpeg format in a comment .