Inside 2 Bedroom Tiny House
NAVIGATION
You may be wondering: Is there a way to build a two-bedroom tiny house while keeping such a small space comfortable? Adding more bedrooms to your tiny house is a great idea, especially if you have a family or want to host more people.
The challenge with such a small space is that if you try to do too much, your tiny house can feel cramped. There are many ways to add a second bedroom to your tiny home without sacrificing the feeling of openness and still giving your family or guests the privacy they need.
While less is more in any tiny house, you can leverage design tricks like stairs with storage, multiple lofts, and bunk beds to add space without crowding your home. Here's what you need to know about two-bedroom tiny houses.
Hi, I'm Ryan
When I first stepped into a tiny house with two bedrooms, I was stunned how so much could be packed into such a small space. The most successful two bedroom designs tend to group the private spaces together in order to maximize open spaces in the rest of the house.
Explore these options to find the bedroom floorplan that's best for you:
Why Consider A Two Bedroom Tiny House?
There are several reasons why a two-bedroom tiny house is ideal for those who have the need. The first thing to note is that a tiny house can be any size that's right for the people that live in it. It's more important to be intentional about your space than to adhere to some arbitrary square footage "rule."
Adding more rooms gives you the freedom to house your family or host friends to come visit. More bedrooms will make your home more spacious and comfortable for your family. Creating a space that is inviting for everyone will make your tiny house feel like home.
Designing a space with more rooms and features also gives you the flexibility to repurpose those rooms as your needs change. If, in a year from now, your lifestyle and daily habits look different, you want to create a tiny house design that can change with you.
At the end of the day, the lifestyle you build in your tiny home is more important than the size. There are major benefits to adding more rooms to your interior, so if you end up going small instead of tiny in your build, don't worry!
How To Design A 2 Bedroom Tiny House
Having helped countless people design and build their own tiny homes over the years, I've seen where many people go astray in their designs.
The first piece of advice I'd give is, before you even start designing your tiny house, sit down and write out what you want your house to do for you.
- How many people do you want to sleep there?
- Do you want to cook large meals for your group?
- Do you need a workout space? A spot to work? Another specialty zone?
- What kind of outdoor space do you want?
- How much storage will you need to store your stuff?
This is your chance to dream. Create a list of daily habits your home needs to accommodate.
From there, use your list to make different floor plan ideas that fit your desires. Look at the specific needs you have for your tiny house and add in features that make sense. Generate a picture of your needs, then chew on a lot of different designs. Don't stop at just one design. Take your time going through 10, even 20 options that might work for you. This will help your end result suit your lifestyle perfectly.
What Features Should My Two-Bedroom Tiny House Include?
Whenever I help with two-bedroom tiny house designs, I have to figure out what to include. Below are some suggestions of features that can optimize the space in your tiny home.
Adding A Loft
Adding a loft bedroom to your tiny house is extremely beneficial for maximizing space and including more room for people to sleep. What I did with my tiny house floor plan was use the loft space for my bedroom while using the main floor for my kitchen, living room, and bathroom.
If I were to go back and add a second bedroom, I would probably create my guest room up in the loft and keep the master on the ground floor. That way, I'm not climbing my ladder every single night.
The great thing about adding a loft is that you have the freedom to use that space in whatever way you want. In my tiny house, I added a skylight to keep the room feeling open.
I also chose to only have one bed in my loft. However, you could easily have a loft with two beds to make room for a larger family then divide the space for privacy. You can do this by adding a shelf, a wall, or curtains between mattresses.
Another option would be to put one bedroom in a loft at the front of the trailer and one in a separate loft towards the back. That way, you still maintain a central open space that has vertical height where your ground floor can be totally open.
Next, decide how you want to access the loft. If I was trying to make room for a family, I would choose to have stairs leading to the loft. This makes it easier and safer to go up and down each day, especially for kids who might have a hard time climbing a ladder. If I was using the loft space for the occasional guest only, I would probably stick with a ladder because it takes up less space on the ground floor.
Check out the more detailed post on how to best use your loft space.
Adding Stairs
One of the main benefits of adding stairs to your two-bedroom tiny house interior is that they are multipurpose. Not only will stairs make it easier than using a ladder to get up to your loft, but they can also provide extra storage and look attractive.
When I first started building tiny houses, the largest one I saw was about 150 square feet, which is a lot smaller than many of the houses I see today. Now, people are going bigger, including more rooms, and using larger trailers. If your tiny house is on the larger side, stairs will make it easier to access that second bedroom.
Adding stairs will also give you more storage options for your tiny home. You can install drawers for toys and games, a bookshelf if you're a bibliophile, a closet to hang your clothes, cabinets for extra snacks, or even a hatch for extra blankets and pillows for family movie night. Whatever you choose, you can customize a staircase to fit your needs.
Check out the more detailed posts on how to build your stairs.
Maximizing Storage Spaces
Stairs aren't the only place you can create more storage space. More people will inevitably take up more room and bring more stuff into your home. The best way to deal with this is to maximize your storage.
There is a plethora of options for creating storage for larger families including hidden floor and ceiling storage, storage in benches and chairs, pullout cabinets and shelving, extra closets, or nooks for larger items.
My suggestion for deciding where to add more storage would be to think about what purpose you want to fill. If your goal is to give more private storage to each person, maybe create a storage space under each bed. For lesser used items, you might consider a hidden floorboard panel. The idea is to create storage spaces that are most conducive to your needs.
Designing A Kitchen For A Larger Family
More people in your house also means more mouths to feed. All that food needs to come from somewhere, so a big pantry is a must. I've found that the best way to go about designing your kitchen space is to think about your personal habits.
If you aren't regularly cooking large meals, expanding your kitchen might not serve you well. But if you have a big family or a love of cooking, you should probably dedicate more space to those activities.
If you prefer freezer meals or meal prepping, you'll need to plan ways to include more freezer space, whereas if you eat more canned vegetables and dry foods, you might consider a shelf on the kitchen wall. You could include a barstool counter, a platform kitchen with stairs, hooks for produce bags, or even a fold-down table.
In my tiny house, I opted to leave out a dishwasher. If I was planning to cook for a large family, I would probably rethink that choice. In the long run, the best way to design your kitchen is to design a space that fits your cooking style.
Designing Extra Bathrooms For More People
More people in your house also means more bathroom needs. This is just one of those things that you can't get away from — everyone is going to have to go, so a two bedroom, two bath might make sense for you.
Take into account the amount of time you spend in the bathroom. You're likely only going to use the bathroom for a maximum of an hour a day, and this isn't where your friends and family are going to congregate. The smallest bathroom you're going to create will be about 60 square feet. Given that a 20-foot trailer gives you about 200 square feet total, that's a lot of space to dedicate to such a low amount of time!
My advice would be to keep your bathroom(s) as tiny as possible. If you can swing it, I would stick to standing showers. A bathtub is going to take up a lot more space that adding an additional bathroom will already occupy.
I would also suggest considering the weight distribution through your tiny house based on its place on the trailer. It's important to think about how you're distributing weight over your trailer for when it's time to tow your tiny home. Bathrooms will tend to have some heavier things in them like toilets, water tanks, or tiled flooring, which means it's wiser to spread these rooms out.
Kids Room Design Inspiration
Kids come with a mixed bag of their own needs. When thinking about housing your family in your tiny home, you might wonder: Where will my kids keep their toys? Where will they do their homework?
Consider your family's personal needs upfront. If your child is a big reader, you may want to include their own private bookshelf. If they spend all their time playing Legos, you might include extra storage on the floor or a chair and table in their bedroom.
If you have children who get along well, you might consider lofting their bedroom with two parallel mattresses. On the other hand, if your children need alone time, you might split their beds across two separate lofts. Cater the space to their needs, too.
For the most part, I would steer clear of sectioning off too many areas. This can make your house feel crowded. A great way to include multiple sections or "rooms" for your child while still keeping an open feel is to flood the entire space with natural light.
Natural light has the power to make a small space feel open and windows will also extend sightlines. If you have curtains or walls that divide your bedrooms, you should try to include a window that widens the feel of the space.
Another aesthetic suggestion to keep the space open would be to stick with a lighter color palette. Dark colors have a tendency to make the house feel more cramped, while light colors do the opposite.
Bunk beds are another great way to include multiple bedrooms in your tiny home, especially for your kids. Stacking bed space vertically is a really smart way to sleep more people and fit the needs of your family.
Feel free to play with the placement of the ladder, storage drawers underneath the beds, or even trundle beds that extend from the bottom layer.
Expand By Adding A Deck
More beds and more people also mean you'll want to make your living space bigger and bring it outdoors. For a larger family, you might enjoy a deck with different seating styles for cookouts, barbecues, and bonfires, or you may want an enclosed yard for the kids to play.
Creating a deck that works for you is going to depend on your needs. If you see yourself traveling a lot and keeping your trailer mobile, you may want to build a rooftop deck. You can use it as an outdoor dining space, a lawn with games, or even throw a hammock up there.
I designed my tiny house to be more stationary and created a deck that feeds right off of the main house. I added a fire pit, two Adirondack chairs, and a grill to support my lifestyle.
At the end of the day, you're going to want a deck that represents you. Get creative with adding different features that fit your needs.
Two-Bedroom Tiny House Floorplans
You might be surprised at all the floorplan options available for building a two-bedroom tiny house. Here are some suggestions to best satisfy you and your family.
CLICK TO JUMP TO A TWO BEDROOM THOW FLOORPLAN
One Story Two Bedroom Tiny House With Two Queen Beds
This setup is great for couples who want a guest space. The bathroom is in the corner, keeping the living and kitchen space super open for cooking and activities. Each end of this plan provides space for a queen bed.
Single Story Tiny House With Two Full Beds On Ground Floor
This setup is also great for couples who want a guest space. With this setup, there isn't as much space in the kitchen and living room. However, there is an added bar section giving the kitchen separate seating. Notice this plan has space for full-sized beds.
Two Bedroom Tiny Home For A Family With Kids Room
This setup is great for couples with one child or one guest. Having a twin bed in the guest room instead of a full or a queen will open up more space in the bathroom, kitchen, and living room areas. This plan also has room for a barstool and TV in the main living area.
Two Story Tiny Home With Two Bedrooms: One Queen and One Twin
This is also a great plan for families with one child. It includes a storage space loft above the master along with a twin bed loft for a child or guest. Lofting the guest room creates space on the ground floor for a three-seat couch, TV, full kitchen, and dining table.
Two Story Tiny House With Guest Bedroom
This is a good setup if you want to comfortably have both a master bedroom and a queen-sized guest bedroom. With two lofted queens, this plan creates space on the ground floor for a combined kitchen and dining area, a full living room, a bathroom with a standing shower, and a laundry room with extra storage.
Two Bedroom Tiny House For A Family With 2 Kids
This is a great plan for families with two kids. Lofting the master and the kid's room creates space on the ground floor for a full kitchen, a spacious living and dining area, a sectioned-off bathroom with a shower and tub, and additional room for laundry and storage.
Two Bedroom Tiny Home With Stairs To The Loft
Consider this plan for a guest or a kids room with a private bathroom. Both bedrooms are lofted on the right side of the trailer, allowing the main floor to be extremely open. Rooms aren't sectioned off, leaving the living, kitchen, and dining spaces connected on the ground floor.
Two Bedroom/1 Bath Tiny House: Master + Guestroom
This two-bedroom, one-bathroom plan is also great for hosting guests. It separates the living room and kitchen area while also giving the master a private bathroom and a closet directly below the stairs to the lofted queen.
How Much Will A Two-Bedroom Tiny House Cost Me?
The average tiny house costs around $30,000. A two-bedroom tiny house means more bathroom space, storage, features, and appliances to accommodate extra people, so you're going to have to invest a little more in the project.
However, you can still budget effectively to keep your two-bedroom tiny house matching your desired price range. You'll need to build on a longer trailer to fit everything. This will probably bring your price up to about $35,000.
Bedrooms aren't that expensive of a space when compared to kitchen and bathrooms, so they won't cost you too much more. But if you add a second bathroom, it will probably bring your total closer to $43,000.
Check out the detailed cost breakdown for building your tiny house.
Your Turn!
- What features do you want to include in your two-bedroom tiny house?
- Which two-bedroom tiny house floor plan works best for your lifestyle?
Source: https://thetinylife.com/two-bedroom-tiny-house/
