Planning Sleeping Areas

1. Planning Sleeping Areas Sleeping areas: bedrooms, bathrooms, dressing rooms, and nurseries.

2. Bedrooms • Should include sleeping space, storage space for clothes and personal items, and dressing space. • Playing, studying, relaxing, and other activities may also need space.

3. Location • Each bedroom should have privacy of sight and sound. • Group plan: a floor plan where all the bedrooms are in one area of the home. • Split-bedroom plan: a floor plan where the master bedroom is separated from the remaining bedrooms to provide greater privacy.

4. A bedroom should be located on the first floor of a two-story house for caring for a sick or elderly person. • Or to transition while aging. • Each bedroom should open into a hallway rather than another room. • A person should not have to pass through a bedroom to get to another room. • Each bedroom should be near a bathroom.

5. Size & Arrangement • Size of bedrooms depends on number of occupants, their ages, the intended functions of the room besides sleeping and dressing, and the necessary furniture. • Minimum bedroom size: 100 sq. ft. • When arranging furniture in a bedroom, a bed should be placed first since it is the largest and most used piece of furniture in the room. • 22 in. need to be on each side of the bed to allow for room to make it.

6. Arrangement • Consider windows when positioning a bed. • Early morning light should not shine directly on the bed. • Ventilation should be possible w/out causing a draft across the bed. • Neither the bed or other furniture should interfere with the circulation into the room and to the closet.

7. Bedside tables should be the same height as the bed’s mattress. • 40” is recommended in front of a chest of drawers or a dresser to pull out the drawers. • A 42” dressing circle in needed for dressing. • 33in. clearance is recommended in from of a closet.

8. Closets • Recommended location for a closet is adjacent to the room entrance. • This allows a person to reach the closet without walking around furniture. • Closets should be a minimum of 4-6 ft. long and 24-30 in. deep. • Freestanding: (wardrobes/armoires) pieces of furniture. These are not attached or built into the walls. • Walk-in closets should be a minimum of 4 ft. deep.

9. Doors • Recommended location for a door is in a corner of the room so it will not interrupt wall space. • Door should swing into the room and be able to open completely. • To conserve space, pocket doors may be used for the entry, and sliding doors may be used to the closet or patio doors.

10. Windows • Two windows on exterior walls are ideal for cross ventilation. • High ribbon windows are wide, short windows that increase ventilation. • These provide privacy and unrestricted placement of furniture below. • They also prevent drafts from blowing across the bed.

11. Master Bedrooms • Some master bedrooms offer a conversation area, work area, or private garden in addition to a sleeping area. • Some master bedrooms have an adjourning master bathroom and closet/dressing room.

12. Children’s Rooms • The bedroom needs of children change as they grow, so future needs should be considered when planning the room. • Young children need plenty of floor space for play. • Older children need more shelves and storage, along with a desk and chair for studying.

13. Children Sharing a Room • An L-shaped room or room dividers can provide privacy for each child. • Twin beds offer flexibility in room arrangements. • Captain beds provide under-the-bed storage. • Beds with bolsters can serve as couches for teen children.

14. Bathrooms • Bigger and more bathrooms is the trend today. They are also more attractive and personal. • Water closet: toilet • Lavatory: sink • Vanity base or wall-hung unit

15. Types of Baths • Half bath: has only a toilet and sink • Three-quarters bath: has a toilet, sink, and a shower. • Full bath: includes a toilet, sink, and a tub with or without a shower.

16. Location • Should be located near the living areas of the home as well as the sleeping areas. • If only one bath, it should be centrally located for all rooms. • 2 story homes and split-level homes should have at least 1 ½ baths. • A full bath upstairs in the sleeping area and a ½ bath downstairs near the living and service areas.

17. Ranch homes with bedrooms located away from the living and service areas also need 1 ½ half baths. • Houses with four or more bedrooms are more functional with two or more bathrooms.

18. Size • Depends on number of people who will be using the bathroom and the activities that will take place in it. • Bathing, applying makeup, dressing, etc. • Clearance space around a water closet from the middle of the stool to either side should be at least 16”. • The clearance space to allow in front of the stool should be at least 24”. • The clearance space between the front of the tub and the opposite wall should be at least 30-42”.

19. Toilets: can be wall-mounted or floor-mounted. • Sinks: can come in a vanity base or as a wall-hung unit. • Vanities are good for storage of grooming supplies.

20. Bathtubs/Showers: Most bathtubs have a shower head placed above. Some bathtubs have Jacuzzi jets. • Some houses have just a shower in one bathroom and then a tub/shower in another. • Standing showers (w/ no tub) are cheaper when building a house because they require less space. • Whirlpools: At least 30 to 42in. clearance is needed for enter/leaving whirlpool. • Skip proof steps are placed outside of whirlpool.

21. Heat & Moisture Considerations • An exhaust fan or a window can provide ventilation. • Electrical switches controlling fans and lights should be placed so they cannot be reached from the tub. • Wall surfaces should be waterproof and easy to clean. • Paint should resist soil and water.

22. Adaptations for Special Needs: Bedrooms • Adjustable shelves, clothing rods, etc. • Doorways should be at least 3 feet wide to accommodate a wheelchair. • Beds should be firm to allow easy transfer between bed and wheelchair. • May be adjustable to allow different mattress positions. • Clothing rods should be 40-48” above the closet floor for wheelchair users.

23. Adaptations for Special Needs: Bathrooms • Tilting the mirror forward or mounting it lower so individuals in a wheelchair can look into it-or installing a full length mirror. • Medicine cabinets should be placed at a lower level. • Sink vanities should allow knee space for individuals in a wheelchair. • Installing handle bars near toilet. • Install fold-away seats in shower, some showers are made so a wheelchair can fit in it. • Skid-proof steps and floor of tubs prevents slips.