Bill Chmelik wrote:
Since you are talking about making this longer term than a few months, I
would suggest that you actually build a wall,
You didn't mention the ages, or gender, of your children...would it be possible to divide the room they're in? Using one or more of the suggestions given? . I've seen this done with canvas drapes that slide closed on a rod when privacy is needed and slide open when the kids want to play in the room. The bookcase idea could also be used here -- one or two facing each side with room for a door between each childs private space. The shelves add additional storage and stuffed animals etc could be set on top. Again they would need to be stabilized if your children are young enough to climb them - or old enough to knock them over tumbling around. You could actually build a set of shelves that has a back on either side at different sections and leave a walkway in the center, the kids could paint them in their own choice of color. I used a similar arrangement in my studio. Four 6' bookcases, two on each side, with the center left open. We attached a 2x12" board, which was the depth of the shelves, across the entire 14' width, wall to wall. This "header" stabilized the bookcases, then we added another shelf a foot above that. Painted everything the color of the walls. Gave a tremendous amount of storage, looked attractive and worked well till we repainted and I re-arranged the room by using a table to divide the areas and put three of the bookcases in the garage for things I don't need everyday.
Or you and your husband could take their bedroom, which might give you more privacy, and make the living room which I believe is larger, into two rooms. This way you could utilize the bookcase idea with a simple set of attractive drapes for the "door" that faces the new living room -- or have a "door" at each end, opening into each side. This way the office dividers, canvas drapes or any of the suggestions would work to simply divide the room to give each child some privacy for dressing etc.
An actual wall with door attached will give you the most privacy for you in your bedroom and be more attractive viewed from the new living room. If sheetrock is to expensive or you don't want to do the finishing, you can get plywood panels or inexpensive wood-look paneling. Add the rolled insulation for sound and if you don't like the color, it's easily painted.
I'm a big fan of using the bookcases, I had a friend who built a very open house then found she needed a divider to separate the bedroom doors from the main area. She had the contractor build bookcases, in the same wood as the walls. On the hallway side she had doors put on several shelves and used that for storage, on the open shelves that faced the living area she added books and artwork and big plants on top. Was very attractive. They planned to remove it when their boys left home so it was a freestanding addition - that looked built-in. We've used the short bookcases as a divider at the top of the stairs to our bedroom in one house. Didn't need privacy but was afraid we might get up and stumble down the stairs in the dark. Attached them to the wall at one end and DH added an attractive piece of molding across the back to secure them.
Hope some of this helps to spark your own creative ideas. Some times when we're so close to the problem it's hard to think :)
Jan Flood
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