Small Spaces by Christine Brun

These days, loads of 20-somethings are living at home with parents again. It's quite likely that many are OK with this reality and that some are frustrated. The kids don't really like living at home again any more than the parents like giving up that spare room once they've captured it for other purposes. And once you've lived on your own, it's challenging to go back home.

Parents my find themselves much happier, however, if they help their adult children with ways to improve the bedroom and render it more private. Consider helping them out with a little cash to make one room feel like their own adult sanctuary, as their stay may be longer than either of you realize. Here are a few suggestions.

— Find ways to sound proof the bedroom.

If the door to the room is hollow, you might attach soundproof board directly to the door and then paint it out to blend. Think about giving your child the room furthest away from the heart of the house so that you still feel whole and they feel more private. Even if this means that you might have to change rooms, in the end, everyone might be happier with this solution.

Better yet, if there's a way to give them a private entrance, get a bid on what it would take to cut an entry door into the room from the outdoors. It could be as simple as installing a lock on a bedroom door.

— Examine ways to increase function.

Another useful idea might be to invest in a pop-up trundle frame. These sell for around $350 for the metal frames but allow a twin bed to convert easily to a king-size. The lower frame that stows under the twin mattress pops up and fits snugly next to the main mattress, which is left exposed. Yes, this will involve some re-arranging of bedding each night. However, it also creates more floor space in the room during the day.

Look for floor-to-ceiling storage units, such as bookcases or closed cupboards, to hold stuff.

Remember that it's desirable to hide stored items behind doors or in plastic bins or attractive wicker baskets. The goal is to create as much visual harmony as possible.

Check to see if you can coax the closet into being more functional as well. You might accomplish this with off-the-shelf closet components such as the Elfa system, from The Container Store, or Rubbermaid, from Target or other home improvement outlets. Alternatively, you can call in a closet company to maximize use.

— Let your adult child change the style of the room in any way that he or she can afford!

This might be as simple as applying a new color of paint to the walls. Even if you hate the color, it's only paint and can be easily changed later. You might opt to apply wallpaper to the headboard wall only. The pictured wallpaper example, designed by Candice Olson, is appropriately called "Bloom" and is made from harvested renewable resources. At just under $70 per single roll, a roll is 1 inch wide by 36 feet long. If the bed sits against a 10-foot wall and the ceiling is 8 feet high, you'd need two single rolls.

Another easy application might be wall decals that adhere to the wall and peel off without damaging the surface. From photographic images to written sayings, this kind of decor takes up no space and can create a feel in the room for very little money.

— Find a way to change the furniture from childhood.

No 28-year-old wants to sleep in the same bed that he did as a 12-year-old, and there are many ways to inexpensively obtain new furniture. Check out consignment stores, community sales and used furniture stores that offer gently used items. If that doesn't work, let your kid refinish or paint furnishings so that they appear quite different.

Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net. To find out more about Christine Brun and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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