Christopher Alexander's A Pattern Language is full of the practical and poetic when it comes to thinking out your home's design. One thought from the book with regard to Bed Alcoves in tiny homes...
"Conflict:
Bedrooms make no sense.
Resolution:
Don't put single beds in empty rooms called bedrooms, but instead put individual bed alcoves off rooms with other nonsleeping functions, so the bed itself becomes a tiny private haven.
If you are building a very small house no more than 300 or 400 square feet- perhaps with the idea of adding to it gradually- this pattern plays an essential role. it will probably be best then to put the alcoves off the family room."
What do you make of this idea? We've certainly seen bed alcoves in studio apartments. But what if you were building a very small house? Might you consider a bed alcove in lieu of a bedroom? Thomas Jefferson did it (in his not-very-small house at Monticello):
"Jefferson saw alcove beds while he was in France, and incorporated them into Monticello. The other beds in the house are built into walls, but Jefferson's bed is open on both sides, connecting his Bed Room and his Cabinet." Photos: Thomas Jefferson Foundation/Robert C. Lautman
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"Bedrooms make no sense"
Hah, I couldn't agree with this more. I've never understood the need for a large bedroom. All I need and want is room for a bed, some nightstands, and maybe a small chair.
Bed alcoves make a lot of sense to me.
Privacy? Quiet when other family members are being active, but you want to sleep? A door to close to keep the pets off the bed, if so inclined? Personal area temperature control? I can think of lots of reasons for having a bedroom. Alcoves for those who want them, but I'll keep my room!
It's a nice idea...but what about the other activities that occur in bedrooms?
I love the idea. I wish we could do it in our apartment. But I do understand the practical concerns about noise and privacy.
I think that the historical reason for alcoves in the central part of a home was a lack of central heating. You wanted to be near the stove or fireplace. But good heating is available now, in the modern world at least. And we know all about the importance of good ventilation while sleeping (so a bedroom with operable windows is desirable). And, yes, privacy is a must -- for all sorts of things. But I did turn a closet into an alcove in a tiny studio apartment when I was a pup. The idea has its uses, for those with limited space.
But bedrooms make LOTS of sense. Just not big bedrooms.
I just wanted to say this is a great post.
I often use "A Pattern Language" when I need inspiration for client projects. It helps you think out of the box and how to use space differently. A former colleague of mine created a bed alcove with a trundle in her breakfast nook so she could eat in the bed and have extra sleeping space for guests in a pinch.
Bed Alcoves make less sense to me. I don't see the the need a large bedroom - but there is lots of reasons for bedrooms. Privacy when you sleep or during intimate sessions, quiet when other people are sleeping, a place not in the open for someone who is sick, a room to send a child if it needs time-out, etc.
For those who want even smaller sleeping spaces, why not just build rooms the size of walk-in closets of the living space so you can have both the small sleeping space and a little privacy.
Changing the sheets on an alcove bed is difficult, even impossible for many older or handicapped people. Imagine trying to make a king-size bed enclosed on three sides!
Even Jefferson's 2-walled alcove requires running through the doors to reach opposite sides. (Of course, he had household help whose convenience was ... irrelevant.)
Another point - where do people get dressed if their bedroom is an alcove if you have company or if you have kids? I will never trade in having a bedroom for an alcove - seems so insane.
i actually just moved into a one bedroom after a series of shared sublets or studio apartments, and i found that a whole bedroom was too much for me! it felt echoey and far too big.
especially after seeing tracy falk's beautiful studio post here, and another on that alcove with a diy captain's bed, i found myself daydreaming of the coziness of a studio and even briefly looked on craigslist for a smaller apartment! (boston's real estate market being the foul pit it is, though, i came back to my senses rather quickly.)
SO, i've moved my bed into a corner of the room and am hanging a wall to wall curtain to screen it off into its own homemade sweet little nook. it will be just big enough for the bed, a lamp, a small rug and a little table.
that gives me space in the rest of the (very oddly shaped) room for a dresser, which i couldn't have before, not to mention a full length standing mirror and an entire small settee! plus, i feel tucked in and wonderful every night when i go to sleep. long live tiny sleeping spaces!
Curvatura - With you though, you still have a dressing area separate from your living area. I really get why people like small bedrooms (though I like to keep mine medium sized), but a bed alcove just seems illogical.
In a modern home, maybe a sleeping alcove doesn't seem to make sense. But if you live in a studio apt, having an alcove is the perfect solution to separating your sleeping space from your living space. If you have guests, you can change in your bathroom!
I think it's a terrific idea for a guest room in a small apartment/house. When not in use, it can act as a delightful spot to read or take a nap. It also looks cozy and inviting as this photograph proves and takes very little room. I have a friend who had a small one bedroom in SF who turned a large hall closet into her alcove guest bed and it was delightful. No door. Lace curtain instead.