I am assuming the kitchen is upstairs? I don't know if I can help much with decoration, but I would use the space in the back (the upper left corner) for your kid's sleeping area. Perhaps hang a curtain so it is a little more private for them. You might not have the height for bunkbeds, but I think you could fit two small twin beds back there. Then maybe have your living room space spread out in the rest of the T space

I hope the basement apartment is legal with a separate entrance?

Mirrors, mirrors mirrors set as opposite windows as possible to create fake window and bounce light. Also furniture as low to the ground as possible to make a higher ceiling. Big question to fiqure out is where will the children sleep when they visit ? Making their situation special and fun will keep everyone happy. Best of Luck ! C.

If the basement is 30x30 as indicated by the measurements, you have many options. Legally a bedroom has to have a window, but there's nothing that says you can't do sliding panels or curtains to section off the top part of the T and have a decent 10x12 space with considerable surplus for living space.

How about a day bed with a trundle beneath it? That give two beds for the kids and space saving when not used. I had one for years that was my couch, bed and guest bed.

Why not make the bedroom their room? and then you can have the rest of the space downstairs for yourself--studio style. This way when they are over and undoubtedly going to sleep before you, they can be tucked away in their cozy space and you can have run of the rest of the house. and it will allow you to decorate the larger space bedroom/office/living room (you did not mention what is upstairs) in a way that flows than if you were adding a kids space to the open area.

Another benefit to this is that your kids can decorate as they see fit and you can just close the door if its, for example, too bright!

And finally, it would give me peace of mind knowing my kids are in the legal bedroom.

Give the bedroom to the kids (bunks? IKEA Norddal?) as previously mentioned so they have quiet bedtime space and you can hang out. You can always add a bedroll for sleepovers.

Take the area to the right of the bedroom and divide that from the rest of the space with a large wardrobe cabinet (you're going to need closet space for sure) like IKEA Pax or Elga system wardrobe. Place your bed behind that. I would use the open area from the stairwell to window etc as your livingroom and as you'd suggested, place a desk system between the bathroom and child's bedroom, such as the IKEA Expedit desk/bookcase combo.

Keep colors neutral in a small open space like this whenever possible, add small hits of color in pillows or artwork. Give the kids a choice of one bright accent wall and their bedlinens to let them feel like it's theirs. Keep window treatments simple, blinds and/or sheers. Mirrors and lighting will be key to keep the space bright and friendly.

My advice, first of all, is to imagine a fire at the top of the stairs. How will you and the children be able to exit the basement? Do you have egress windows? Does this apartment meet local building code requirements? Good luck to you but safety should be your primary consideration.

First and foremost, what kinds of things do your kids like? No matter which section of the space you end up using for them, it's going to be a little on the small side, so you might as well get creative. If they like pirates, why not make them a pirate ship? What about Peter Pan's tree house? Or a circus tent? Instead of bunk beds in a corner, you can get creative and come up with a way that makes a small space special. I'm sure you are already thinking about this, as but hard as this transition is on you, it's especially hard on little people. You need to focus on how to make your kids visits to you as fun and comfortable as possible so it will be a positive experience for you both. Whatever you choose, make sure it speaks to what your kids like--it's their room. Let them help fill it with the things they like, too--many little kids collect stuff, so make sure there are shelves where they can put books and toys and magic pebbles and all the little treasures kids love.

Practically speaking, I would use the right hand side of the T space for your office and for storage. I would put a desk against the bathroom/HVAC wall. I would then use the left hand side of the T for the kids' space, with the beds/ship/treehouse in the upper left hand corner, play space in the center left intersection area, and perhaps a curtain dividing them. You can even do something really fun with that curtain, doing something like a big red velvet curtain with tassles that can be pulled to each side to open up the space during the day, and closed at night or when the kids are away. That one window on the left has to do a lot of work, so you don't want to block it with anything permanent, but you still want to create privacy for naptime and bedtime.

In the play area, I would try to make it work for you and for the kids. Instead of a toy chest, why not a more grown-up looking chest that can double as a seat when the kids are away? Rugs can go a long way to making it feel warmer and be more comfortable for play, as can big floor pillows.

Good luck with your new home!

First, consider the safety of this situtation. Does the basement have a second exit in the event of a fire?

If so, then I would make the bedroom for the kids. If they sleep by themselves, use a twin + trundle or toddler bed, assuming the 2 year old isn't in a crib. If they sleep with an adult, get a king bed. Make sure they have a space for their clothes, books, some toys, art supplies, and special things. Use colored paint of wall decals to liven it up.

What's all this about a fire? Couldn't Dad just pop the kids out one of the windows?

As for decorating, getting the kids involved (or at least the 6-year-old) is a great idea. You want them to know that home is wherever the people they love are and give them something to be excited about that is an added bonus of going to stay with Daddy. Ask them what they would like for a theme or colours and let them pick some stuff out. Make sure they have books and toys (thrift or consignment stores are great for this) that live at your place. The post awhile back on Montessori-style kids' rooms might provide some inspiration.

I like the idea of giving them the bedroom and making the rest of the space a little studio for you.

I would suggest using lots of white or light colors to open the space up, as well as mirrors on the walls to make it feel bigger. Also, to monopolize on space I agree with fellow posters who say a trundle bed/bunk bed would work great. But I'm confused, where is the kitchen?

Suppose there is a fire and dad has passed out. How are the kids going to get out the windows? Some basement windows are very small and some do not open or open half way. You can't assume you can pop the kids out the windows.

Two twin beds arranged as a sofa would be versatile. You could put them in the upper left section and have curtains at the walls to close off the space for sleeping. A wardrobe to serve as a closet would help too.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-tomake-a-couch-bed-and-gue-45500

I echo the idea that the kids get the bedroom - not only is this a practical use of a miniscule space but it establishes that the kids are an integral part of your life. Then, they can design it in their own style and have a place to claim as their own. You could get two small beds, some under bed storage, and a fair bit of storage with hung shelves in there.

As for that awkward space between bedroom and bath/HVAC, I'm thinking a hung drop-leafed desktop/dining table might work with some storage towers on either side and above - if you use storage to its maximum, you can keep some dishes, activity stuff for the kids, and your laptop in the same area. Then the large "living space" can become a bit of a studio with a Don Draper-style bachelor pad (circa this season) - all sleek lines and colour blocking. You'll be stuck with a fold out bed, so make that an investment and find one amazingly cool. I wonder if getting good old IKEA's EXPEDIT shelving or similar as a divider between the "entrance" and the living space would help delineate the area some.

Don't forget lighting - I like the idea of a couple of strategically placed large, heavy framed mirrors to enhance the natural light coming in, plus some great retro floor lamps in corners.

This is a good time to eliminate everything you never wanted in your life, both from a basic space saving need and from a soul-searching perspective. Good luck!

I'd create a "kid" area in the space between the bedroom and the bathroom, with bunks for the children (assuming that the 2 year old is old enough for a "proper" bed on the lower bunk) and storage for toys. A floor to ceiling curtain in a light, gauzy fabric will hide the mess and bounce more light around.

In the living space, go for furniture on tall legs or open backs - if you can see through it, the room will seem less crowded. I love the classic Wassily chair for this reason, and my Sater couch too. Given that you're handy, a floor-to-ceiling wall of cupboards on one of the short walls would provide necessary storage.

Lastly, consider getting a projector rather than a normal TV - unlike a TV, the projector vanishes when not in use.

Not that any of this matters, of course, since according to Indyanna you're all going to die horribly in a fire within the next sixty seconds.

Aww! I absolutely wish the best for you. This could really be a great experience for you and your children. Get them in on the fun and let them help you. They will then feel like it's more like home if they are part of it. I would go for some things that can be moved and converted into other uses. Like, floor cushions for the kids that can then be put on a bench, or a movable screen that creates divided space for the kids during the evening while they are there. IKEA has great things like this. They even have a curtain track that you can put on the ceiling and allows you to partition rooms off with the curtains.

Out of all the advice you may receive on here..dont forget that the most important part of your transition into this new place should be the kids. They need to feel welcome, included and settled. They will be going through much more than meets the eye, and having a stable room with furniture and toys will make them feel like they are safe and loved.

You should give them the bedroom and make the studio your space for obvious reasons already stated. As well as making them feel included and important.

I cant tell you how unsettling it was when I was first divorced and my kids had to sleep on the couch at their fathers while he had the master bedroom.
Design the space around them. Bedroom with bunk beds works good. Shelving (expedit or something of the like) for toys books and games. You dont need a theme, just make it cozy, keep it clean.
Your kids will remember how good it feels to be at dads house, and thats the most important thing!

Have you seen the coffee tables with the raising top?

We have one (without built-in storage, just 4 legs and a top) that is a good height for storage bins underneath. We have small stools for the kids (that also push underneath) and cushions for the adults that sit on the sofa when not used. This table is quadruple duty: adult-time coffee/wine & cheese table, kids play table, family dining table, and...raise it up to a chair or sofa and it's a desk. Fold-up doll houses and wooden train tracks each get a bin underneath. Stools go underneath. Voila, multifunction.

We've had this thing SO long and it's so abused, but we can't let it go because it's SO FUNCTIONAL. We bought ours from a discount place 10 years ago for a reasonable price, <$300.

As for space saving ideas, go for a swag lamp (with plenty of head room) that hangs over the sofa instead of a floor lamp that sucks up valuable real estate?

I agree that Ikea has a lot of inexpensive solutions. If you're looking for transitional items until you have a more permanent place, this is a good option.

Best of luck to you!

If you are looking for a bunk bed, I highly suggest the IKEA Kura bed for low ceilings. You can flip it and have one mattress on the top and the other on the ground below.

does your landlord have a certificate of occupancy? this really does not look like a legal apartment to me. you need to have 2 means of egress, and windows do not count.

Trundle bed is perfect for a two year old. Keeps them low to the ground.

Is it because he is a soon to be single dad that everyone is jumping on him about the potential death trap that he wants to bring his kids into?

The worst part about being a weekends only kid is that dad's place usually doesn't have anything that is yours. I never felt like it was "my space" but my dad's spare room that I used when I visited. Having a dedicated little bookshelf or something that is only for each kid's stuff will be cool. Use some of their artwork to decorate. Make it feel like a space that kids actually inhabit, and not just tolerate the 4 days a month they may be there.

I would recommend giving the bedroom to the children - plenty of room to set up either bunk beds or two twins. It also will make them feel like you honestly have room for them when they visit and like they are not unwanted. Set up the rest of the space like you would if you was living in a studio. The top left corner easily could be your bedroom nook, the bottom right maybe a study/den area, and the rest the living/dining space.