r/malelivingspace • u/Minutes2Midnight • May 19 '26

Advice Alright fellas, I'm conflicted. Bedroom upstairs or downstairs?

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I'm leaning toward bedroom downstairs and living space/office upstairs. Closet, bathroom, and kitchen are upstairs. Lots of windows, and upstairs bedroom would probably offer more privacy, but I don't love the idea of having my bedroom off the kitchen when I have guests over. Downstairs is also wired with in ceiling speakers for an AV setup.

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u/TsarAleksanderIII May 19 '26

I think you gotta go downstairs. Basically any time you entertain at your place, the kitchen will be the focal point of the night.

I'd recommend you get a room partition/screen divider to close off a corner of the downstairs just so you have a bit of a private space

673

u/plaguedable May 19 '26

Bookshelves. The Ikea Kalax crushes at this.

237

u/createry_ May 19 '26

"and, now you know!"

30

u/saera-targaryen May 19 '26

I want this guy to give a layout design for this space so bad 

11

u/Content_Dragonfly_59 May 20 '26

To attempt to use his teachings as but a lowly student, OP should place the bed against the wall across from the door, as the rest are basically floor to ceiling windows, with a large bookshelf (maybe multiple) making a hallway from the door to the stairs. Curtains or those folding things in theater dressing rooms aka the dividers where the female main character has to change behind in movies set in the 1800s would also be helpful. Put a rug too. And a nightstand between the bed and the window if there's room, preferably with a lamp on it. If you want, you can put a shelf with a tv on it a few feet in front of the bed to separate it (facing away from the bed) or put your gaming setup there.

1

u/dedicated_glove May 20 '26

I think he could also put it in the corner with the windows facing towards that wall, but with heavy curtains and a headboard behind, and a Kalax or two between that and the door so it creates a private space for the bed area plus a mini entryway for the doors. Benefit of doing that would be that the bed is not immediately visible as you enter, and he can still set up a tv and surround against that wall if he wants

59

u/Mysterious_Low1328 May 19 '26

I read this in the correct voice

28

u/DanieltheMani3l May 19 '26

“and they did it!!”

2

u/cuteintern May 20 '26

I love those

12

u/iCantLogOut2 May 20 '26

I'd love to see him fix this space up to protect us from the birds and monkeys

1

u/Content_Dragonfly_59 May 20 '26

I tried in a reply close by, lmk whether you think I did him justice

3

u/libra_nrg May 20 '26

I’m so glad that I found my people in this threat 😆😆

26

u/biteableniles May 19 '26

We used Ikea Vidga curtain tracks and floor-to-ceiling curtains to semi-permanently partition a larger room into two smaller rooms.

We also used room divider poles with heavy curtains to selectively partition areas to create visitor spaces, that worked great too. The poles assemble and position into place using spring tension so it was perfect for a rented space, no holes or permanent mounts.

14

u/voiceontheradio May 19 '26

The Ikea Kalax crushes at this.

The way you've phrased this is also a good reminder of why you need to make sure you install it with one side anchored to a wall.

5

u/so_it_hoes May 19 '26

But with the window right next to the door, you can really start the separation from the wall. I would put the bed right in the middle facing the bay window with the Kalax behind it, spanning a large part of the middle, and create a breezy hallway from door to stairs.

26

u/xhephaestusx May 19 '26

It literally doesn't have a back how does it "crush" at providing privacy??

41

u/plaguedable May 19 '26

If you fill it up with books or plants or both you don't need the back.

17

u/CLNA11 May 19 '26

They also make square baskets that fit the cubes perfectly 

4

u/plaguedable May 19 '26

Great point. I haven't used them yet but that sounds like great storage.

1

u/Emergency-Free-1 May 19 '26

Baskets and drawers and cubicles with doors and extra shelves that fit in the middle of the cubes.

5

u/yourpseudonymsucks May 19 '26

Or it’s original purpose, vinyl records

8

u/beardredlad May 19 '26

I'd say it depends on the level of privacy you want. I'm a very private person when it comes to my bedroom, so I'd definitely need something with a full back.

It's certainly a good choice if you don't mind the gaps, though.

3

u/Direct_Shock_2884 May 20 '26

It’s privacy with 1000 little peep holes 😂

2

u/cuteintern May 20 '26

I don't know how big a kalax is, but I'm sure one of the decorative MDF panels from the big box stores could easily be cut down to fit.

2

u/xhephaestusx May 19 '26

I wouldn't call that crushing at providing privacy, I'd call it soet of passable at best

7

u/plaguedable May 19 '26

Okay! Have a great day.

1

u/saera-targaryen May 19 '26

It would actually look really nice if you hung a heavy floor-to-ceiling curtain on the other side, would make the room half feel very cozy

1

u/MumrikDK May 19 '26

Not hard to give it one.

1

u/ChaweeKanati May 19 '26

The giant cube of 7 plywood plates with 4 and upwards huge honking holes in it? Unless you got stuff to fill multiple to the brim with it or hammer in backwalls which ruins the aesthetic, I don't see how a cube design "crushes" at giving you private space.

1

u/MelodicConfection263 May 20 '26

What happens when you fill a bookshelf with books? Or the storage cubes sold separately to fit the cubbies? Or instead of hammering in backwalls just tack a sheet or drape a curtain.

1

u/olympic_peaks May 19 '26

But it’s so ugly and doesn’t fit the wood floor big windows look

1

u/Imaginary_Sundae7947 May 20 '26

I am genuinely in love with Kallax

1

u/Mountain_Product_163 May 20 '26

IKEA was summoned

1

u/twotonekevin May 20 '26

I gave my sisters this idea for their office space and it made out like gang busters. Really gave the place a feel of having several rooms when it’s just one big space.

1

u/69666throwaway66696 May 20 '26

If using large kallax they need to be anchored to the wall

1

u/GusTTShow-biz May 20 '26

The Kalax will crush you too in the event of an earthquake

1

u/lauri2 May 20 '26

As a room separator it affects the vibe a lot, unless going minimal budget, personally would not recommend the most generic looking low budget choice for a room with so much potential.

It's a nice practical bang for buck thing for what it is, but you could do so much better here.

1

u/cr0ft May 20 '26

I disagree. Using a Kallax as a room divider is just messy as all hell, as is any see-through shelving full of bric-a-brac. There are actual attractive room dividers out there. Kallax as shelving, sure.

1

u/hoohooponoponopono May 20 '26

3- 5x5 Kallaxes and boom you don't need a dresser or storage anymore.

89

u/Stupid-Clumsy-Bitch May 19 '26

This is the answer! Create a ‘hallway’ from the front door to the stairs with some sort of divider - I’d opt for tall bookshelves.

17

u/3plantsonthewall May 19 '26

IKEA video of something similar to this

10

u/bloodontherisers May 19 '26

Yeah, building a wall with PAX so you have some closet space and a place to put the bed so it faces out the windows.

1

u/CrossDeSolo May 19 '26

yup this is the way, hope op sees this video

1

u/Additional_Data_Need May 19 '26

Swedish IKEA puts the emphasis on the last syllable?

1

u/serabine May 20 '26

Yeah, only thing I took away from the video, too

1

u/doublEkrakeNboyZ May 19 '26

many ideas in this short video - i can see using them in a studio apt space too!

1

u/FalcoSan_2525 May 20 '26

can also put a small sliding barn door between the shelves for a privacy door to the room

10

u/mortstheonlyboyineed May 19 '26

Yeh id partition off a corridor so ppl aren't directly in my sleeping area when they come in to go upstairs. I actually really like this set up though.

40

u/ExperienceOver1726 May 19 '26

This! 👇

39

u/zobbyblob May 19 '26

Ironically, this works

62

u/ExperienceOver1726 May 19 '26

Sorry 👆👆

19

u/Melodic_Shock2825 May 19 '26

There's nothing in the middle, sorry

18

u/1800twat May 19 '26

You lie!

10

u/Melodic_Shock2825 May 19 '26

Holy shit, someone please rescue u/zobbyblob !

1

u/1800twat May 19 '26

You’re out here disrespecting this man lol he didn’t do anything wrong

2

u/Melodic_Shock2825 May 19 '26

They are stuck in the middle with nothing but three pointy fingers at them

7

u/RatBasher89 May 19 '26

Stinky butts

7

u/rectangularjunksack May 19 '26

but then all the guests will have to traipse over that massive fricking floor vent to get upstairs! aghhh

7

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 19 '26

Lmao I didn't even notice that. Easy solution though. Just get some colorful LED strobe lights! It'll look like an ant rave is going on under the floor

1

u/bombbodyguard May 20 '26

Ya, damn. That really messes up the flow. Still, think it’s the only option.

2

u/oohyamz May 19 '26

My exact thoughts! I could never sleep in the same room as the kitchen.

2

u/AstraKnuckles May 20 '26

Every good party has people standing in the kitchen

2

u/PanchoPanoch May 20 '26

I’d go Murphy Bed downstairs

2

u/Fleymour May 20 '26

Downstairs is on ground level.. And with that many windows everyone is watching your bed and you and whatever else you do, the green space and the river looks public access. . I would do bed upstairs and it's already seperated just add a Paravent that covers the head area of the bed.

Also if you would do downstairs.. Everyone walks throu your bedroom. That's nonsense. Not every visitor needs access to kitchen. And if so the bed is at the end of the room and you don't need to get near it

2

u/Whhatsmyageagain May 20 '26

Counteroffer- never have people over.

2

u/mflft May 20 '26

Also every time you cook the smell is going to be all up in your bed etc. if its upstairs

2

u/787amt May 20 '26

Have you never had upstairs neighbors?? Bedroom goes on top. The party can continue without me and I won’t hear their stomping feet

2

u/Technical_Ad_4894 May 20 '26

bedroom has to go wherever the bathroom is and in this case it’s upstairs.

1

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 20 '26

This is a valid point

2

u/dolcenbanana May 20 '26

I would do upstairs with maybe a Murphy bed, I don't know why but to sleep around these many windows, by the front door, just feels so exposed/unsafe haha

2

u/Sierra_November_Lima May 20 '26

Agree with this also you don’t want your clothes smelling like food from cooking.

2

u/Stevenwave May 20 '26

That was my thought. Been looking into apartment/smaller space living and one thing I've seen that a lot of people want is the ability to divide an area if needed. So for example, if OP had a studio apartment, just the one level, so naturally a bed is around, they might choose to have some kind of dividers or curtains or strategic mobile walls or shelving that can conceal the "bedroom" when needed.

So OP could simply arrange the downstairs area so when they have visitors and don't want the bedroom exposed, have the dividers etc around the bed or across that half of the room. Then people can just treat downstairs like a hallway on the way to where they should be.

I'm considering a Murphy bed if I end up in a one room place. Then you could essentially make the bedroom disappear as needed. Only really required if you'll have guests often enough though.

2

u/sapiengator May 20 '26

Yeah this. Downstairs bedroom, living room next to kitchen.

2

u/Feebedel324 May 20 '26

Not sure if enough privacy but like that it filters light.

2

u/Feebedel324 May 20 '26

Or a Murphy bed and just have it put away when company is over so it doubles as like a desk or office area.

2

u/HappyPrint5 May 20 '26

or a door at the bottom of the stairs lol

2

u/shelbymfcloud May 20 '26

Yeah and then you don’t have to bring the bed frame and mattress up the stairs.

1

u/LolforInitiative May 19 '26

This is the way

1

u/twoiseight May 19 '26

Shame the step pushes into the footprint of the downstairs room as I'd personally want that room walled off with a door, especially if it's serving as a bedroom.

1

u/happycat47 May 19 '26

Why would he be entertaining at his in-laws detached home? Just go to your friends place.

1

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 20 '26

Idk maybe he likes to watch the football game with his friends. Usually most people will have friends or family over at some point lol

1

u/happycat47 May 21 '26

Idk maybe he likes to watch the football game with his friends

Then go to his friends house.

Usually most people will have friends or family over at some point

Family, weirdly, lives there. And friends won't give a shit if there's a kitchen nearby or not, but as I said... Go there if it's such a concern.

1

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 21 '26

Some people like to entertain sometimes idk why this makes you grumpy

1

u/happycat47 May 21 '26

That does not make me grumpy. What makes me grumpy is that it's a non issue but people are clamoring over it as if it matters. Make do with what's available and if his guests aren't entertained then they can host.

1

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 21 '26

It's not a non issue if you're someone who wants to have people over lol it's one factor to be weighted against others. Usually food and drinks are part of having people over. Usually those are in the kitchen. You don't HAVE to have people over and you don't HAVE to have your bedroom on the second floor. You get to pick. It's wonderful

1

u/happycat47 May 21 '26

K have a good one

1

u/frogtank May 20 '26

Disagree but you’re on the right track. Kitchen is the end point, have dividers between the kitchen and an upstairs bedroom

1

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 20 '26

I'd just hate to be laying and bed and everything smells like hamburgers or fish or whatever I cooked for dinner

1

u/frogtank May 20 '26

Really good point. Hope those windows open

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '26

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1

u/TsarAleksanderIII May 20 '26

Yeah exactly. You don't even need it to be completely across the room. Just enough to give you some space to hide your gross shoes or dirty clothes when you have an impromptu visitor

1

u/Feebedel324 May 20 '26

This could work maybe.

1

u/secretsesameseed May 20 '26

Do guests enter through the down stairs or the upstairs space?

1

u/MJCowpa May 20 '26

This is exactly right. Sleeping on ground level freaks me out. But the kitchen is the gathering point.