Does a den count as a room?

Author: Deion Greenfelder  |  Last update: Tuesday, January 27, 2026

In the context of apartment living, a den is a smaller, more flexible space that serves as an extra room but doesn't necessarily meet the legal requirements of a bedroom. Unlike bedrooms, dens in apartments don't always have closets or windows that can serve as emergency exits.

Is a den considered a room?

Dens are their own rooms, clearly delineated by walls—you won't often see dens as part of an open-concept floor plan. The room itself must have both a window and heating and cooling to be considered a den, according to Mayfield, though technical or legal requirements may vary by locale.

What qualifies as a room in a house?

Generally, it is agreed that bedrooms, living rooms, dens, kitchens, and dining rooms are counted as rooms. However, if the dining “room” is a space in a larger living room with a table chandelier, it may not count as a separate room. Laundry rooms are not considered rooms.

What does a den mean in a house?

A den is a small room in a house where people can pursue activities in private. A large den for casual entertaining and watching television A small "man cave" den used as a study. In North America, the type of rooms described by the term den varies considerably by region.

What counts a room?

In general, a room is a kitchen, a bedroom, a living room, a dining room, a family room, an office, a study or a den. Rooms do not have to be divided by walls as long as there is space for the intended function.

Why is it a "Den" and not a "Bedroom"?

What defines as a room?

In a building or a ship, a room is any enclosed space within a number of walls to which entry is possible only via a door or other dividing structure. The entrance connects it to either a passageway, another room, or the outdoors. The space is typically large enough for several people to move about.

What is the legal definition of a room?

Room means space contained by a floor, a ceiling, and walls extending from the floor to the ceiling that has at least one door.

What's the difference between den and room?

What Is a Den in an Apartment? In the context of apartment living, a den is a smaller, more flexible space that serves as an extra room but doesn't necessarily meet the legal requirements of a bedroom. Unlike bedrooms, dens in apartments don't always have closets or windows that can serve as emergency exits.

What is the definition of a den?

a room, often secluded, in a house or apartment, designed to provide a quiet, comfortable, and informal atmosphere for conversation, reading, writing, etc. a cave used as a place of shelter or concealment. a squalid or vile abode or place: dens of misery.

Does a den add value to your home?

Dens can help to boost the value of a home, since they act as additional functional living spaces.

What makes a room a room in real estate?

Per the International Residential Code (IRC) – as well as ANSI, another measuring standard most appraisers follow, habitable rooms must have a floor area (square footage) of no less than 70 square feet. These rooms also must not be less than 7 feet in any horizontal direction.

What qualifies for room and board?

Room and board in college include housing accommodations and meal plans. Housing typically comes with essential furniture and utilities, while meal plans cover meals at campus dining facilities.

How do appraisers count rooms?

The appraiser will count the total number of rooms, then the number of bedrooms and then the number of bathrooms. The room count will only include rooms which are above grade; bedrooms and bathrooms below grade will not be included in the room count.

What size is a den room?

While there is no set size, a traditional den would be approximately 8 feet by 6 feet, with some of the larger den rooms being 12 feet by 8 feet. The dimensions vary from house to house, but a den room is typically smaller than other rooms in the house.

Can you make a den a bedroom?

With the right planning, a few smart design choices, and some clever use of temporary walls and multipurpose furniture, you can turn that forgotten space into a practical and stylish bedroom without breaking a sweat—or the bank. Go ahead—reimagine your den and watch how it transforms your home!

Why is it called a den?

Old English denn "wild animal's lair, hollow place in the earth used by an animal for concealment, shelter, and security," from Proto-Germanic *danjan (source also of Middle Low German denne "lowland, wooded vale, den," Old English denu "valley," Old Frisian dene "down," Old High German tenni, German tenne "threshing ...

What classifies a den?

A space is designated as a den if it doesn't have windows or a closet; for this reason, some buildings also refer to dens as a 'flex space.

Can a den be called a bedroom?

There are regulation regarding what can be called a bedroom, but there are no regulations regarding dens, in this blog I explain what is a bedroom, everything else can be a den (even a tiny nook), in most cases when they say the den can be used as a bedroom it means that it's big enough to put in a bed, but it doesn't ...

Does a den need a window?

Dens typically do not have a window and do not meet the building codes to be considered a bedroom. If you choose to use it as an extra bedroom, you may need to get building code approval to add a window to the den.

What is the difference between a bedroom and a den?

The main difference between a bedroom and a den, office or bonus room is the lack of a closet. Bedrooms cannot be classified as a true bedroom without a built-in closet, and thus all bedrooms you see will have a closet in them.

What qualifies a bedroom in a house?

The main requirements to be considered a bedroom are minimum sizes (total square footage of 70 to 80 sf at least, height at least 7 feet, and 2 means of egress, usually door and one window). Past that, whatever is in the room or other parts of the room don't affect the designation.

What counts as a room?

Rooms above grade (not in the basement) are counted in room count. Kitchen, Living Room, dining room, bedrooms, dens, etc. so a house with a living room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and two baths are reported as 6/3/2.

Does a room have to have a window to be considered a room?

Since technically a room cannot be considered a bedroom without a window, a realtor may be hesitant to list it as one when reselling your home. The room may need to be classified as something else officially even if it does end up being used as a bedroom by the buyer.

What counts as a bedroom when selling a house?

Room codes and regulations may vary a little from state to state, but for the most part, bedrooms follow the guidelines found in the International Residential Code (IRC). For a room to count as a true bedroom, it must have at least 70 square feet of floor space with a minimum of 7 feet in one direction.

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