How to Position Twin Beds to Create Separate Areas in a Room

Reviewing How to Layout Twin Beds So They're Separate from Each Other

The standard room layout for twin beds, is to place them side by side with a nightstand in-between.

However, there are creative ways to define areas in a shared room.

Below are three typical bedroom shapes you'll find in most homes: Rectangular, Square and L-Shaped.

Furnishings for a room with twin beds tend to be two beds, two nightstands, two desks, one or two dressers and or storage trunks and accessories.

Tip: If the room has a decent sized walk-in closet, put the dressers inside of it. You can place dressers under a section of clothes, and use the area above the dresser to hang smaller items.

1. Suggested Layout for Twin Beds in an L-Shaped Bedroom:

An L-Shaped room is the easiest floor plan to distinguish separate sleeping areas.

This floor plan makes the twin beds appear almost hidden to each other. Both areas have a nightstand, a desk and in this design a shared dresser. Again, if possible, put the dresser in the closet.

Floor Plan Layout by Funkthishouse

2. Suggested Layout for Twin Beds in a Rectangular Shaped Bedroom:

With a rectangular shaped room the tendency is to assume the beds have to be positioned side-by-side. That's absolutely not the case.

If the room is narrow, and doesn't allow for a lot of furniture, then use twin sized beds with drawers built in the bottom. That way you've eliminated the need for a dresser. Or again, if there's a walk-in closet, put the dresser in the closet.

When space is very tight, choose beds with built-in drawers. Here are a few examples:

Remember, if you decide to get beds with drawers, a nightstand positioned incorrectly can block the opening of those drawers. Twin beds with storage can also come in a large number of designs including some with storage in the headboard. If the headboard doesn't offer built-in lights, add creative strip lighting.

Floor Plan Layout by Funkthishouse.com

3. Suggested Layout for Twin Beds in a Square Shaped Room:

This layout will depend upon where the doors and windows are positioned in the room. However, you can still create defined areas by thinking outside the box.

In a square room, our design instinct is to place twin beds side-by-side. But don't let that thinking stop you from setting up defined areas. Even square rooms can have separate areas for twin beds.

In the floor plan below you'll notice the room was split in half. The position of the main door allowed for that. Essentially one half of the room is allocated to one twin bed area and the other half for the second bed.

In this design there wasn't room for a dresser, but as mentioned above, there are multiple ways to accommodate storage. Here you'll see a storage trunk at the end of each of the beds. The beds can have drawers, or a dresser can go inside of a large closet.

Floor Plan Layout by Funkthishouse.com

BONUS TIP: Small Bedrooms and Selling Your Home

During my real estate years frequent comments were about bedroom size. Most people feel that an empty room is larger than a furnished room. It isn't.

An empty room looks small.

People tend to need a visual to gage what will fit into a space. If the room is small, use bed and wall storage to illustrate how efficient the space can be.

Measurements to give you a sense of bed sizes and space:

1. Standard king size beds measure 76 inches wide by 80 inches long. (6.33ft by 6.66ft)
2. California king size beds measure 72 inches wide by 84 inches long. (6ft by 7ft)
3. Standard queen size beds measure 60 inches wide by 80 inches long. (5ft by 6.66ft)
4. California queen size beds measure 60 inches wide by 84 inches long. (5ft by 7ft)
5. Standard double size beds measure 54 inches wide by 75 inches long. (4ft by 6.25ft)
6. Standard twin size beds measure 39 inches wide by 75 inches long (3.29ft by 6.25ft)
7. Extra long twin size beds measure 39 inches wide by 80 inches long. (3.29ft by 6.66ft)

Next, learn how to affordably convert twin sized beds into a king bed...

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Ed McBain's 87th Precinct Mystery Series – Book & Author Review

The 87th Precinct Series

This series of police procedurals were featured around a group of detectives in a big city police department. McBain's publisher was looking for a new group of mystery stories with a fresh and original lead character.  McBain decided his character would be a cop dealing with murders, along with the other crimes most cops have to deal with on a daily basis. But then he thought if he were going to do a whole series, then having just one cop as the central character wouldn't be realistic enough if the character was the only person solving the crimes over and over. 

Instead, he decided to base his characters on a squad-room full of cops with different traits and ways of handling situations, all working together. That way he could introduce new characters along the way as one cop got killed or transferred to another department.  Thus his 'lead character' became a conglomerate of characters, different ones being featured in different books in the series, with the others being visible to various degrees throughout each story. 

New York City - Source: Pixabay

McBain wanted to place the series in New York City, his hometown with which he was familiar.   As he began his research, he found he was at the NYPD almost daily and soon became a pain-in-the-neck to that police department who were too busy working real crimes to sit and discuss fictitious ones. If he were to base his books in New York City, he'd have to verify every fact.  

Instead, he decided to 'invent' a city that was LIKE New York but not quite New York.  Thus, a mythical city was born.  McBain named his city Isola, which is Italian for 'island' and if you are at all familiar with NYC you will recognize Isola as Manhattan, as well as knowing that 'Calms Point' is Brooklyn. McBain stated that he had a ball 'inventing' historical background and naming places to suit his fancy for each section of his 'city'.  Along the way, the city then also became a character. Quite a unique approach to a mystery series and one that did not seem to have been done previously. 

Who was Ed McBain?

Evan Hunter a.k.a. Ed McBain nee  Salvatore Albert Lombino (Source: Wikimedia)

The 87th Precinct police procedural mystery series was written under the pseudonym of Ed McBain. Prior to this series, the author had written and published a variety of short stories under several different pseudonyms.  But unknown to me until I did MY research, Ed McBain's real name was Salvatore Albert Lombino which he legally changed to Evan Hunter in 1952.  

Evan Hunter was the author of the well known book and movie 'Blackboard Jungle' and also the screenplay for the Hitchcock film The Birds. By the time he switched to writing crime fiction, he was best known in the literary field as Ed McBain. 

How Ed McBain Wrote the 87th Precinct Mystery Series

Source: Pixabay

"I usually start with a corpse. I then ask myself how the corpse got to be that way and I try to find out—just as the cops would. I plot, loosely, usually a chapter or two ahead, going back to make sure that everything fits—all the clues are in the right places, all the bodies are accounted for.”

*(quoted in the Wikipedia article about the 87th Precinct.)

  

Summary

My favorite part of the background for the 87th Precinct series was the story McBain told in an afterword to the third book, The Pusher.  He had set up this group of characters, detectives working in the 87th Precinct, which he called his 'Conglomerate Hero'.  He introduced them to us individually (see the list of regular characters in the Wikipedia article called 87th Precinct - the detectives of the 87th Precinct), let us as readers find our favorites, then proceeded to bump off mine and everyone else's top favorite ~ Detective 2nd Grade Steve Carella ~ in book three.

See, McBain had originally described the series as being about cops going and coming, cops getting killed and replaced by other cops, as a way to keep the readers interested by introducing new characters here and there. Steve Carella gets shot in The Pusher, mistaken for someone else, so McBain ends the book by killing him off. He thought he was pretty hot stuff, doing something no one else had ever done in crime fiction writing, killing off a guy we'd all been rooting for throughout the first two books. McBain figured he was being innovative! 

So he gleefully sends off book three to his agent, who calls the next morning and said “What did you do?  It's Christmas Day, Carella is dead, you've killed the hero.”  McBain tried to tell his agent that no, Carella isn't the hero, he's just one of the characters. It doesn't matter that this is the third book he's been in and that the story ends on Christmas Day!

The agent sends the manuscript on to the publisher and the  next day McBain gets a call from his editor saying “What did you do?” “It's Christmas day, Carella is dead, you've killed the hero.”  McBain kept saying “No, no.” Remember what I told you in the beginning about cops getting killed, other cops replacing them…..remember all that?”  His editor answered with, yes, but nobody said you could kill the hero.  McBain tried again to say “but he isn't the hero.”  His editor replied “He's the hero. Period.”  McBain went back to his typewriter and rewrote the ending.  

Needless to say, Steve Carella survived and remained the hero of the 87th Precinct throughout the series! 

McBain's first 87th Precinct book, 'Cop Hater' was published in 1956. By the time the series ended shortly before the author died in 2005 at age 78 McBain had written 55 books in the series. (And I've read them all more than once). A truly terrific series of mysteries!

For more book and author reviews, check out

ReviewThisBooks.com

Quick Links:

List of Ed McBain books on Amazon
List of Ed McBain books on eBay

(c) Wednesday Elf - 9/1/2018

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing & Photographing The Tupelo Automobile Museum in Mississippi

Visiting The Tupelo Automobile Museum in Tupelo, Mississippi

1929 Cord L-29 - Tupelo Automobile Museum - Photo by ©Sylvestermouse

When my husband first suggested we jump off the gorgeous Natchez Trace Parkway to visit a car museum, my thoughts were not pleasant, but I did agree to make the stop.  To my surprise, what we found was a completely different kind of beauty.  I thoroughly enjoyed touring the Tupelo Automobile Museum in Tupelo, Mississippi.

It is a different kind of museum than what I normally prefer, but the relics made it well worth my while.   The museum is 12,000 square feet, but it was an easy walking tour thanks to the way the cars are lined up in rows.

I was fascinated by the older cars!  The Tupelo Automobile Museum has over 100 antique cars on display.  Some have been restored, out of necessity, while others appear to have just been well maintained by their owners.  

I especially loved the way the museum was laid out in chronological order.  From the entrance of the museum, we started our tour walking straight ahead with the oldest cars.  However, you could turn left and start with the race cars and take the route backwards to see the newest cars first.

Oh, and lest I forget to tell you, the museum is air-conditioned.  A huge improvement over an outdoor car show.

Exterior of the Tupelo Automobile Museum

Sadly, the Tupelo Automobile Museum Closed Down in 2019
Please enjoy the photos from the past!

Photos of The Tupelo Automobile Museum

1904 Reo

The exterior of the building doesn't begin to reflect or represent what you will see inside!

This collection of cars was originally a private collection owned by Frank Spain.  Mr. Spain decided to build the museum and share his collection with the world.  He had bigger plans for the museum that included a coffee shop for women and possibly a restaurant, but he died before he was able to add them.  I do think having a coffee shop for women, who are often less intrigued by cars than men, was a wonderful idea.  I would have welcomed a break for a sandwich and coke myself and then return to the museum to see what I might have missed on our first pass.

I took lots of pictures at The Tupelo Automobile Museum.  There are audio boxes by the cars that tell some of the history of the cars and interesting facts.  Honestly, I was more interested in looking than listening.  Of course, I was with my own historical scholar and I would much rather hear what he was saying than the recorded voice.

1904 Model D

Unlike the Reo in the photo above, the Model D (below) provided covering for all of it's passengers.  However, the feature that got my attention here was that basket on the side.  This was a fun exercise for my imagination as I considered what would have been stored in that basket.  Perhaps a picnic (food always comes to mind), but then I thought what about the ladies parasols or the gentleman's hats.  Would they really make a provision for parasols or hats?  Why not!  Comfort was obviously a factor.  And, either way, I love the creative covered storage area. 

1904 Model D - Tupelo Automobile Museum - Photo by Cynthia Sylvestermouse

1908 Columbus Firestone

1908 Firestone Columbus - Side View

1908 Columbus Firestone - Front View

 

I was fascinated by the 1908 Columbus Firestone. It is the first time I have ever seen this car. 
I couldn't help but note, if I only saw it from the side, I would have assumed it was a horse drawn carriage. Expensive, yes. Self-propelled automotive? Nope, I wouldn't have recognized that immediately.

1915 Trumbull

The 1915 Trumbull was notable for a totally different reason. It may not be obvious in the photo, but those seats were tiny!  A stark reminder of how much smaller people were in the early 1900's.  

From side to side, I doubt the seat is as wide as a Ferris wheel seat.  There is no question there is less leg room than a Ferris wheel seat.

1915 Trumbull

1912 Carter Car

This is one you would not want to miss!  At first, it did not grab my eye.  However, once I heard the history of the Carter Car - 4 Door, Model R, I was mystified by this car.  This is 1 of 6 known to exist! 

1912 Carter Car - Photo by Cynthia Sylvestermouse

 

The 1917 Pierce Arrow

The Pierce Arrow design appealed to me greatly.  I hated to move on past it.  What a difference a few years can make when truly creative geniuses are at work.  

Needless to say, I have expensive tastes.  The 1917 Pierce Arrow originally sold for $6,500.  Compare that to the 1915 Trumbull (shown above) that originally sold for $425.  Yes, I am still laughing, but I would love to own a Pierce Arrow, even today.  But, I would only sit in it in an enclosed garage.  I would never want the sun to touch that beauty and definitely not the rain!

1917 Pierce Arrow - Tupelo Automobile Museum - Photo by Cynthia Sylvestermouse

1923 Brewster

Take a look at the interior of the 1923 Brewster.  The front seat was leather, while the back seats were cloth.  The window between the driver and passengers could only be opened by a passenger, thus the reason for the "speaking tube" intercom.

1923 Brewster - Photo by Sylvestermouse

Brewster - Photo by Sylvestermouse

1927 Ford Model T

When we reached the Ford Model T, I felt I was in more familiar territory, simply because I have heard of a Model T before.  I have never ridden in one and it is considerably older than I am.  Yet, it looks like it is in a lot better condition.

Ford Model T - Photo by Sylvestermouse

Clearly with over 100 cars, I can't show you all of them.  If you like the cars featured in this article, you should definitely visit the Tupelo Automobile Museum.  There are dozens more that are just as beautiful and just as interesting as the ones I have shared.  You will note that I focused on cars from the first quarter of the century, but there are decades of cars that followed and are on display in the museum.

Inside the Tupelo Automobile Museum - Photo by Sylvestermouse

The Gift Shop in the Tupelo Automobile Museum

For those of you who really are not interested in looking at the cars, or who have seen all you wish to see long before your partner has, there is a huge gift shop.  It is beautifully arranged and full of wonderful gift or souvenir items.

 See More Photography Reviews On
ReviewThisPhotography.com!

 

Reviewing & Photographing The Tupelo Automobile Museum  written by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Gifts Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

Treasures from the Archives of Review This Reviews!

We all buy gifts for many different occasions.  The Contributors of Review This Reviews frequently review the gifts they have purchased and given, as well as gifts they have received and loved.  Therefore, you will find a wide range of recommendations by exploring our gift reviews, for a wide variety of recipients.

Whether you are searching for gift ideas for women, men, children, friends, co-workers or even pets, you are sure to find some excellent suggestions on Review This Reviews!  

From birthdays to Christmas gifts, Father's Day, Mother's Day, anniversaries, and even gifts for communions, these gift reviews and more, are all included.  There are reviews for specific personal preferences like "Gifts for Tea Lovers" or "Gifts for a Vegan Teen" that make it easier to identify what someone will like.  

Most often, you will find the gifts we have reviewed are unique.  They are not the items you normally see listed in the gift category of many shopping sites.  Yet, they are the items we have given or received that have made a bit hit with the recipients.  We hope our reviews make your gift shopping easier and fun.  Don't be surprised if you find a few things you want yourself.

Welcome to Our Gift Library of Reviews!

A Preview of the Pinterest Board - Gift Reviews 

There are dozens of gifts reviewed on Review This Reviews!  This small board features the most recent 50 reviews. 

Click through to Pinterest to see all of the gifts that have been reviewed on Review This Reviews!  

Links to Additional Pinterest Gift Boards from Review This Reviews! 

Birthday Gifts Ideas & Suggestions

Christmas Gifts

Gifts for Mothers

Gifts for Fathers

Valentine's Day Gifts

Easter Gifts

Gifts Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

For a written list of the gifts reviewed on Review This Reviews, please visit our Site Directory and select "Gifts" from the "Fast Click" category tabs on that page.

Read More Product Reviews at
ReviewThisGifts.com  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Come to the Quiet by Denise George: A Book Review

Are You Tired Today and Longing for Rest?

I know I am. Although I now live only with my husband and neither of us works outside the home, I still find it hard to find the rest I need. It's especially hard to find quiet rest. It seems there is always some kind of noise in the background. Maybe it's a neighbor using a leaf blower or my husband watching television or a motorcycle driving by. Since I've moved to the city it's never been quiet. That's why I have to use white noise to block unwanted sounds and get to sleep.

Even though I work at home as a blogger, it seems I never have time to relax. There's always something to read or write, photos to take or edit, other blogs to visit and comment on, and social promotion to do. That's on top of the normal chores involved in keeping us fed and in clean clothes, doing necessary housework, and paying bills. Interruptions come in the form of phone calls, husband, workmen, and knocks on the door. There are errands to run, doctor appointments, and emergencies to deal with. I have to plan carefully to spend time with friends.

Many reading this have even more on their plates than I have -- a full time job outside the home, children to care for, getting children where they need to go in their own busy lives, etc., etc., etc. It never stops, and probably neither do you until you drop physically and emotionally exhausted into bed at night.

The Right Book at the Right Time

Solitude and quiet have always been important to me. Up until we moved into our house in a small city I always had a place to get away to de stress . Since we now live in a one story house and have a television which can be heard from almost every room, it's been much harder to have my solitude. And I've been feeling the tension build. Sunday I had almost the entire day to myself and I spent most of it reading this book: Come to the Quiet by Denise George. I found it sitting on a shelf of samples publishers had sent me years ago. For me it was certainly the right book at the right time.

 GARDEN GATE POEM POSTER

My husband was gone almost all day. I took advantage of the solitude to rest my body and my spirit. This book was like a drink of ice cold water on one of those triple digit summer days we've had this summer. It confirmed my need to escape to solitude more often.

When my mind and body can't rest my spirit suffers, too. Rest for body, soul, and spirit are essential for physical and mental health. George's book explains how we can find the quiet and rest we must have even though it seems like there is no time or place for it. We were created for quiet. To be healthy we must leave room for quiet rest in our lives.

 Be Still and Know I AM GOD Scripture Psalm 46:10 Square Wall Clock

Finding Rest in the Midst of Stress

George points out that we often bring unnecessary stress on ourselves. Maybe a mother doesn't really need to work outside the home. George helps a woman who has a choice evaluate the value of her job to herself and her family. Denise George also recognizes that some women must work -- especially those who already have the stress of parenting alone. She suggests ways even single working moms can find quiet rest in the midst of their stress.

She also helps us work through our priorities. Misplaced priorities are a major source of our stress and overwork. Some stresses are easy to get rid of by changing habits we might not have even thought of as stressful. She points out some of those stresses that have easy fixes. She explains ways we can tune out external noise we can't control and have a more peaceful life.

I think many of us are so used to some stressors we don't even realize they are there, but George shows us some practical ways to escape them. There are changes we can make and places we can go to rest our stressed minds. George's suggestions will help anyone, no matter what causes the stress or how economically well off one is.

Christian Answers to Stress

Christian women's lives can be as stressful as any other lives, but our faith and relationship with Christ mean they don't have to be. It's very easy to buy into the world's mindset and get our sense of worth from what we do instead of who we are in Christ. This book shows us how to let Christ transform our minds. It also offers suggestions for resting our bodies and spirits.

Stress eventually affects our bodies enough to make us sick. Researchers have determined how much stress we can take before this happens. The book contains a stress test that gives points for various life events and pressures and you can see how close you are coming to the 300 points that can make you sick. As the points add up, quiet, self-care, and solitude become more important than ever in keeping you well. There are plenty of suggestions in this book for lessening the stress both you and your children have in your lives.

George invites us to come to Jesus when we are physically and emotionally overburdened and find rest for our spirits and minds. She shows us how to do that. She leads us to the quiet place of healing and shows us how to guard our hearts against the hate, prejudice, bitterness, and selfishness which stress us and  hurt others. Jesus can replace those things with agape love in our hearts.

Jesus invites you to come and rest with him. He wants to lift your burden of stress and lead you to his quiet place of refreshment for your body, mind and spirit. Come to the Quiet will give you the details on how to rest in Him.

Come to the Quiet: The Secrets of Solitude and RestCome With Me to the Quiet Place (4 Book Series)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: