Loft-Style Bedroom Renovation Gave Couple Sharing Room With 3 Kids More Space And Privacy

It's not unusual for couples to stay with their in-laws while they prepare and save up to live in their family dream house. While this is the case for Mommy Rachel Angela Galsim-Paronable, she and her husband found a way to have more privacy while sharing a room with their three kids.

"Yes, we are still living in my parents’ house, ayaw nila kaming paalisin dahil hindi daw nila kayang mawalay sa mga apo nila. Pero of course, we also want to have our own home in the future, not now, but soon, " Rachel told SmartParenting.com.ph.

Trying to maximize the space they have, Rachel's husband saw the opportunity to renovate the room and build a loft-type bed.

"It was actually my husband’s idea to go for a loft style bedroom because our room has a very high ceiling. He thought that a loft-style room would be perfect, because we can convert the dead space in our room into a useable one," Rachel recalled.

Loft-style bedroom renovation

Once the design was finalized, it was Rachel's husband who build the loft bed structure. Luckily they have an uncle who is a carpenter who helped them with the renovation project along with another cousin.

It took them 10 days before they finished assembling the loft bed. Another four days were spent finishing repainting the walls and replacing the flooring.

"Total of 14 working days but there were rest days, so it took almost three weeks before we can finally sleep again in our room."

As for the expenses, the couple spent P120,000 for the whole renovation project from labor, materials, to new accessories. Rachel said they opted for quality materials to make sure the loft bed is sturdy enough for use and will not compromise their safety. "Naghanap kami ng sources kung saan namin ito makukuha ng mas mura."

They were lucky that their in-laws have Gmelina tree where they got the wood they used for the loft bed. They also have relatives who own aluminum and glass supply merchandise who did their railings and the storage cabinets. They chose to have aluminum cabinets "para matibay and hindi anayin."

Loft bed gave couple more space and more privacy

The loft bed was designed to incorporate more storage areas for their clothes, personal stuff, and their three kids' toys. Rachel recalled that before the renovation, their bedroom is cramped with their cushions, barely leaving any space for storage. "Toys on the floor, on the bed, on the drawers, toys everywhere! Sobrang kalat!," she shared.

The loft bed also gave the couple more privacy since their two kids ages 6 and 3 are now sleeping on the upper level of the bed. Meanwhile, Rachel and her husband sleep on the lower level with their 1-year-old baby who is still breastfeeding.

She shared,"the main advantage for us, is that my husband and I can now enjoy a little privacy at night. You know what I mean..." We're with you on this one, mommy Rachel! Couples really need privacy and alone time from the kids every once in a while. (Read here for tips better sex life)

"Before, we are all co-sleeping with our children in between us, so my husband and I barely have some alone time together," Rachel adds.

Loft-style bedroom renovation tips

For other couples who are co-sleeping with their kids and want to go for a loft-syle bedroom as well, Rachel offers these two tips:

1. Research ahead.

With all the inspiration you can see on the internet, one can easily be overwhelmed when choosing what to follow. Rachel's advice is to plan and go for a design concept that also suits your personal style.

She says, "hindi lang dapat maganda ang kalabasan, dapat ay i-consider din ang safety lalo na ng mga magsstay sa taas [upper level of the loft bed]. So, make sure na matibay ang foundation sa baba."

2. Plan your budget wisely.

When it comes to preparing for costs, for Rachel, it's best to make sure you have all your materials ready first before starting the work.

She says, "madaming unforeseen na gastos dahil minsan yung nilaan naming budget ay kulang pala. Kaya mas maganda kung paunti-unti kayong bumili ng materials para hindi masakit sa bulsa ang gastos."

Want to share your bedroom makeover and get featured? Email us at smartparentingsubmissions@gmail.com and tell us about your project. For more home improvement and renovation ideas, click here.