I think option 2 is the only viable option. Are you really going to want to (or have room to!) squeeze between the bar and the bedroom wall in order to get out onto the patio?

Regarding lighting, do what they do in the lofts in Brooklyn. Frame out a window opening that is high enough up on the wall to give your brother privacy. No glass needed -- just a finished opening that will let light and air into his bedroom.

Here's a (posh, but illustrative) example:

http://www.architizer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/cabin4.jpg

I'm fairly sure the law says you have to have two forms of exit from a bedroom in case of fire. Please do check this out before making a decision.

To legally be a bedroom, it would need to have a window as well as a closet. I would recommend expanding the kitchen to include a door to the patio, and opening it up to the lounge area. The bedroom also goes along the exterior wall in the remaining space. It shouldn't result in many changes for plumbing, which is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel.

I know that in a lot of apts that are smaller (a 1 bedroom) have the bedroom a similiar location to option 2, but have sliding doors in the corner (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/at-europe-a-multitude-of-slidi-53880). If it's done with glass, there would be the natural light without having to block the balcony doors.

Do check local building codes, though in many cases the requirement for a bedroom is to have a certain amount of glazed material (determined by square feet of the bedroom) - and that may be met by using a glazed sliding door. I agree, otherwise, that option 2 is better.

I'd tear down the cupboard and build the new bedroom parallell to the big bedroom. If you make it 2m broad that leaves 80cm next to the front door where you can put hangers or wardrobes. Probably much better used space than the end of that long closet. Your suggested placement now also makes a lot of the floor space into a corridor that cannot really be used. Removing the cupboard gives your livingroom area a much better flow imo. The downside of placing the room there would be the lack of light in the new bedroom - but this can be solved by putting in windows high up on the wall between the new bedroom and the master bedroom and/or the livingroom.

Definitely option 2, but because you legally need a window and a closet for it to be a bedroom, perhaps your family could build it as a potential office or dining space, but use it as a bedroom.

"Option 2 — see the diagram — fits more nicely. But the bedroom won't have its own window. Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated!"

Option 2 is the most viable option in terms of layout...but it would leave your brother without a second way out in case of a fire. If something blocks that one door, he's stuck in a box.

In order to have a window, cut an opening as suggested above, and in order to have a closet, subdivide the current cupboard and put a door from your brother's new bedroom into the back of the cupboard space, which will now be his closet.

Window and closet, solved.

Why are you all assuming that building codes are the same in entire world? AS far as I can see other bedrooms do not have closets, so it looks to me as this apartment is not necessarily in The USA. To answer your question, it all depends on the budget. I think the best option is to put 3rd bedroom into kitchen and put kitchen on wall where bar is now( with that wall closed) Make that into Dining/kitchen area and the rest into living room.

option three: more similar to 1, but i would maybe go without hanging bar table/open kitchen and direct access to balcony and just "close" the wall prolonging from the kitchen. will still be smallest bedroom of all and looks kind of natural solution to me. no akward corridors and such. the lounge will have no natural light then, but for me this would appear as the fairest division.

Try a loft in the corner if ceiling clearance permits.

I'd definitely go with option 2.

I know storage is essential, but could you possibly take out the cupboard, moving the bedroom back to create a larger living space? You could do a large entertainment centre/storage unit in the living room to add storage space you've lost. The Ikea Besta systems are a fairly inexpensive solution and hide clutter. If you widened the entryway, you could have hooks for coats and possibly a sideboard.

option 2 with a transom window towards the north - with or without glazing - that could be the whole length of the wall. Glazing would allow privacy. You could also just build a partial height wall that is a foot or so below the ceiling.

@Maria-Belgrade - I'm going to assume you're in Belgrade. It's always good to see how many people from all over the world connect through Apartment Therapy. It's a good point you make about differing building codes.

I'm pretty sure, though, that no American here is assuming that building codes are the same in the entire world. Local building codes differ hugely from one city to another in the US. Some places require a closet/ window/ 2nd egress etc. in a bedroom, but others places don't. It depends on size, population density, local conditions (e.g. risk of earthquakes or flooding etc.) and other factors.

No one, anywhere in the world, wants to construct something they have to tear out later because it doesn't meet local building codes or is deemed unsafe. So checking building codes is just good advice no matter where you are.

The placement for option 2 makes it the only viable option. That said, the idea of ripping out the long, awkward cupboard is a great one. Barring any structural walls, this would be incredibly easy. Then you can add a wardrobe for storage on the new wall that faces the living area. As far as light, a transom window above the door would be awesome. Leaving the wall short isn't a good idea for a 12 year old boy's room in my opinion. At that age, as they approach puberty, they need more privacy than that.

I agree with option #3- close off the kitchen bar and put a wall across that end of the lounge. A bedroom REALLY needs a second means of egress in case of fire; and you can tell your brother that the stipulation of getting his own room is that he has to keep the floor clean enough for people to get out to the balcony!

Not sure what gender/age you are but how about sharing the bigger bedroom with your brother? You could create privacy with curtains or furniture and your family would be left with a living room. I'm guessing you are older than he is, so this would only be for a few years.
OR go with Maria-Belgrade's idea: move the kitchen into the living room and use that room as the bedroom.

I think you have a third option... divide the larger bedroom in half - splitting the window in two. Add a door to the new 3rd bedroom next to the long cupboard. The newer two rooms will be small, and the master bedroom will now also be small, but the advantage is you will have a larger living area for the entire family, everyone has their own space, and a window!

Single loft beds can maximize your smaller rooms... and provide a study area under.

Your two existing bedrooms seem grossly out of proportion compared with the rest of the apartment, including the already small living area. Using your options 1 or 2 both reduce this to almost zero, besides creating unusable corridor spaces in an already over crowded apartment. I suggest you try dividing the larger bedroom, it seems huge in comparison with the living area, and offers the advantage of being able to crate two sleeping areas, each with a window. Hope this helps.

I would do Option 3: remove the hanging bar and close off the open "window" to the kitchen and extend the new bedroom wall all the way to the kitchen diving wall. Yes, you will lose access to the balcony but that is ok. For options for more light, I would just make the top half of the wall glass. This way you will have two exits from the new bedroom. And you don't need a closet in order for a room to qualify as a bedroom. That is just what realtors tell you.

You say you'll also be renovating the kitchen - would your budget extend to moving the kitchen entirely to the Bedroom Option 1 Area, where it would become a kitchen-diner with direct access to the balcony? Then you could close off the bar table hatch and turn the original kitchen into a small, but windowed, bedroom. Some clever storage choices could just make it work. This option would also preserve all the existing daylight for the common areas.

BTW, is it really a requirement that a bedroom have a closet in some parts of the world?

I like option 3 as well, it gives you the most usable living space and gives you two exits out of the bedroom.
If you don't need that cupboard though, you could remove that and shift the bedroom in that direction.
And as far as building codes go, others are correct that in some places you need 2 forms of egress for it to be considered a bedroom legally, but there's nothing to prevent you from sleeping in an office or den. I work for a city and whenever people come in for permits and we can tell they're using a room without a window (or too small of a window) as a bedroom we let them know that the plans can't be labeled as "bedroom". If the plans say "storage" or "office" or "den", then we're okay.

I think many of us have brought up having a second means of egress not to conform to building codes (which are different from place to place) but moreso because it's a common-sense safety issue. If everyone is asleep when a fire starts, it's easy to miss early warning signs, and become trapped in a room- having an opening besides the doorway will save lives no mater what country you live in!

I send a email with picture. I chose option 2, but I was little changed. may help

I agree with B from Stockholm.

Tear out that long closet at the entry area. I would go one step further and also take down the side wall of the larger bedroom. Then I would make two small bedrooms, both with entry doors at the hallway area. I also agree with the idea of a high window along the top of the dividing wall between the 2 bedrooms. High enough to maintain privacy, but allowing some natural light into the new bedroom (and a possible egress in case of emergency). Build a narrow closet all along the wall on the lounge room side for storage.

If that doesn't work, maybe the 2 brothers can share the larger room!

Ask an architect - he or she will have knowledge of building codes for you. If codes aren't an issue, I'd say option 2. We did something similar in a law office I used to work in and they built a "window" into the wall that faced the door, but the glass was covered so it let the light in but still gave the privacy required to have firm clients in there.
Good luck!

It only matters in terms of appraisals and loans. In the US (I think in all of the US) a bedroom has to have a closet to be considered a bedroom. It is funny, since so many bedrooms in Europe do not have closets.

Option 2 but you need to reconfigure the cupboard storage down.

Charleston sc homes

None of these options really leave you with a "livable" space. For one thing, with both of these options the family have virtually no living/family room space. This might be an ok option for roomates but I would think that a family would need a communal space outside of the kitchen. In any event, based on the two options I would go with option two...but I would tear down the wall on the adjoining bedroom, remove the cupboard and just extend the room to the end of the opposite wall using a frosted glass shoji type screen (see link below for illustration) making one large bedroom and still leaving the balcony and a very tiny living space open. I would then divide the large bedroom into two equal spaces with an interior frosted glass shoji type screen/door allowing for light to filter in but still maintain privacy. Perhaps something like this: http://www.slidingdoorco.com/home-room-dividers/hrd-006

if you are going to renovate the kitchen, turn it into the third bedroom instead and build an open plan one where the hanging bar is, maybe with a counter dividing into the lounge

Could you put the bedroom in option 2 position but make a doorway to the cupboard? Then the cupboard could serve as a second (emergency) exit. I second the transom window suggestion. I'm sure you've thought about dividing the bedrooms to make the extra space. Moving the kitchen to the main living space might be a good option, but it looks like the kitchen is pretty narrow and moving the kitchen would be an expensive option.

Since you're renovating the kitchen anyway, I would say DEFINITELY open up that window at the end into a door, and then give your brother the full space of Option 1 to the kitchen wall. For the pass, either block it up entirely (boring but sensible) or go to some jumble sales and flea markets and find a stained glass window that will fit and put it in. If you put it on tracks on his side of the wall, it can work like a sash window only without having to tear apart the whole wall.

If budget allows, I'd definitely combine the smaller bedroom and the kitchen to make two new sized bedrooms and then move the kitchen to the living room. That would allow for a window in the bedroom, leave the balcony alone, and actually create a nice open layout for the living room.

My first choice would be to turn the kitchen into a bedroom but that may be too expensive and complicated.
My second choice would be similar to option two with take out the closet. The room could have a door, a window either high up or with a covering. If you put the window up high (facing the balcony) you could also add a sliding emergency exit that looks like a wall when not in use. You could even make one wall completely sliding.
I wonder .. if you included only the back half of the closet in the new room would a single bed slide partially into that corner? I still think getting rid of the closet is your best option for having a liveable family space left over.

Maria - Belgrade: Just because it might not be against legal building codes doesn't mean it isn't unsafe. Building codes exist for a reason - health and safety.

YES - check local codes - I would recommend hiring an architect as you'll see below.

AS for the code requirements everyone is throwing around here: In the U.S. the requirement for bedrooms to have an emergency egress window is part the International Residential Code (IRC) - section R310. However, that code DOES NOT define a sleeping room as having to have a closet. that part of the code is usually amended by the local village/city to add the closet definition to allow offices that do not have a code-conforming window.

HOWEVER: Assuming the apartment is part of a multi-family unit that is more than 2 families the International Building Code (IBC) governs. Herein is where the requirements are a little different. In a sprinkled building, a bedroom can exit through another space to get to the exit corridor which leads to the vertical exits out to grade. A window is NOT necessary as a means of escape as the code takes into account the fact that the building is multi-story which eliminates that as a means of exit fairly quickly as one gets higher up. Multifamily buildings rely on fire-rated corridors and sprinklers to get people safely out - something single family homes do not usually do.

Not sure what your budget situation is, but I would opt for a totally different solution, which would be to place this third bedroom to where the existing kitchen is, and move the kitchen to the corner in the living area, next to the closet/cupboard. The bedroom would be very bright, though narrow, so I would suggest one of those elevated beds with a desk underneath. It would get your brother plenty of light and space for studying, playing/hanging out with his friends, relaxing. I think that an L-shaped kitchen with an island and plenty of light would work beautifully in that corner which I just mentioned. Hopefully this helps.

Don't 12-year-old boys love cave-like spaces? You have to go with Option 2.

If this is a permanent bedroom, I agree with B From Stockholm - tear down the cupboard wall and build his bedroom around that so you can gain a little more living space. You can cut a transom in it or something (though plenty of my NYC friends created a bedroom out of their closets).

If it isn't a permanent bedroom, I'd explore modular walls from someone who assembles them for office spaces (e.g. http://www.southwestsolutions.com/image/demountable-moveable-walls-modular-glass-office-walls-images). They have power outlets built in and can be (relatively) easily disassembled, so you can reclaim your living room once your brother moves out.

Btw - you are an awesome sister for taking in your brother.

I like two, too. I like the idea of taking out the cupboard and moving it back even more, then adding a wall of storage on the other side facing into the family area.

Why not a 4th option? Use option 2 but close it off with something like this: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/japan-86069.

If the long closet wall isn't load bearing, consider tearing it out and pushing adjusting the footprint to give you add'l space in the main living area.

The solution of turning the kitchen into the third bedroom seems the most elegant, especially as you'll be tearing the kitchen out anyway.

in nyc, code requires that sleeping rooms are min 8 ft*10 ft (2.44m*3.05m) & have a window >= 24 sf (2.23 sm) for health & safety, closets are not mandatory but in design guidelines, siblings of separate sex > age six s/b be in separate sleeping rooms. neither original proposal is an option, moving k appliances may be costly, but subdivision of the larger bedroom w/ an insulated wall down the middle is an option. either the wall stands free w/ enough space to provide passage to the inside room or move the closet 90 deg to the b/r wall, leaving enough room to cut a door where the end of the closet was. maybe one end of the closet is accessed near the new b/r door & the other end is accessed across from the kitchen for efficiency.

Forget about building codes -- would you really want to have your brother sleep in a death trap? I know it sounds harsh and overly dramatic, but I actually have a family member who died in a fire because he was trapped inside his bedroom with no window for escape. So, though building codes might not be the same anywhere, this particular rule is set for a reason!

Option 2 -- but put potentially a high window on the walls you are going to construct -- that way he will have privacy but also some secondary natural light.

If these were the only options, I would chose option 2 if building codes allow. Your brother would have his privacy, and the family would still have natural light in the lounge area. Option 1 will completely eliminate any natural light in the lounge. If you do go with option 3, I would strongly suggest getting rid of that hanging bar, as it no longer serves a purpose (it seems the area you are suggesting for option 1 is meant to be a dining area, hence the bar is probably used to facilitate handing food to that area).

If you are willing to get rid of all natural light in the lounge area, you could block in that bar, and put a single wall up to give him all of that corner, however then you would have to travel through his room to go to the balcony. That should take in consideration how much time you spend there.

I do like people's idea to move the kitchen. If possible (I don't know how your appliances and piping are there) you could move the kitchen to the area outside the window (that might make relocating piping and wiring easier), close in the room, and turn that into the bedroom. This is the option I personally like the most, if its possible, as it makes sure all of the rooms do have a source of natural light, the balcony door remains in a common area, and it also takes the least space away from that living area.

If the smaller bedroom would allow enough space for your parents, you could also attempt to split the bigger bedroom into two rooms.

I agree with Kanberra: split the large bedroom.

I'd demo the cupboard, split the large bedroom (and the window), and place the entrance to the third bedroom where the cupboard was. Bonus: the lounge will be larger!

I'm on the kitchen as bedroom bandwagon. It looks like with about a meter of inlet and outlet pipe you can move water to where the bar is now and put a nice tidy galley kitchen where the bar is. Patch up the reach through and you have a separate room with no major construction.

I think it makes the most sense to get rid of the cupboard and use that space as part of the extra bedroom.

The idea about a high up window facing the lounge is great, and you could use a wardrobe closet or two for storage.