Is it legal to use a den as a bedroom?

Author: Mr. Haleigh Gaylord  |  Last update: Wednesday, July 23, 2025

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.

Can a den be considered 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 ...

Can a den be turned into 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!

Can I put a bed in a den?

Multipurpose Space

For example, your den could be used as another living space, an office, a library, a game room, a movie room, a playroom for kids, or a hobby room for adults. You could even add a bed, sleeper sofa, or Murphy bed to create another sleeping space for guests.

Is it safe to sleep in a den?

Yes, as long as there is enough space, you can sleep in a den and consider it to be a smaller bedroom.

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

Is it okay to have a bedroom without windows?

A bedroom must have two exits in case of emergency, such as a fire. Aside from a bedroom door, a window is the most common second emergency exit. It is absolutely essential to have proper carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in place. A window can provide a lifesaving purpose in case of emergency.

Can you sleep in the same room as your bird?

All of you with birds should follow these guidelines. 1) Have an area where you can get away from your birds or keep them in one room. DO NOT keep them in a bedroom with you sleeping with you. 2) Purchase a quality air cleaner.

Why is a den not a bedroom?

Unlike bedrooms, dens in apartments don't always have closets or windows that can serve as emergency exits. This makes them less suitable for use as a primary sleeping area but highly versatile for other purposes. Dens in apartments can serve a variety of functions.

Can I sleep on my bed in a box?

Often, new mattresses will come rolled or compressed for delivery so it will need to expand to it's full usable size before you sleep on it.

Can a living room be used as a bedroom?

A former living room or den is also often a good candidate for a bedroom, since it likely has methods of egress and meets other requirements already. If you're struggling to divide up space for a new bedroom, remember that you can utilize room dividers or other large sheet-like objects like pegboard, too.

Is there a difference between a den and a living room?

A den in a house is a room typically used as a secondary living space or office. It is often a smaller, cozier room than the primary living space and can function as a library, home movie theater, or any number of other recreation spaces.

Can any room be used as a bedroom?

All reasonably sized rooms that aren't the main living space can be classified as bedrooms. In all likelihood you can call most upstairs rooms that aren't bathrooms, bedrooms. If there's a room in your house with no external walls and no windows, you can't call it a bedroom.

Can a den have a window?

Den's Meaning

The size, layout, and functionality are what define it. Generally, this room is smaller than a bedroom and windowless but because there's no true definition of den when it comes to real estate, you could find rooms with windows be listed as dens.

Can a den be converted to 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!

What is a legal bedroom?

Although sizes can vary from state to state, 70 to 80 square feet/floor space in size is generally the acceptable minimum, with a minimum of 7 feet in one direction. If you're talking about a primary bedroom, or any space for multiple occupants, there should be a minimum of 50 square feet per person.

Is it illegal to have a basement bedroom without a window?

If the basement is a habitable space, and a room that can be used for sleeping, then it does need an egress window. You can't have a legal bedroom in your basement without an egress window installed. If you are renting your basement out to tenants, you must provide options for safe exits in the case of an emergency.

How long can you leave a bed-in-a-box?

We recommend keeping your mattress in the box for no longer than three weeks after it has arrived at your door. While your mattress is safe to keep rolled for up to 60 days, compression beyond this period does hold some risk for slowing the expansion of your mattress.

Where not to put a bed in a room?

Place your headboard or head of bed on a solid wall without windows for the best support. Do not place your bed against the bathroom wall. Keep space around both sides of your bed for air circulation. Avoid sleeping under beams, soffits, and sloped ceilings.

What are the disadvantages of bed-in-a-box?

Remember that bed-in-a-box mattresses might not be the best choice. They can sag, lose support, and have a shorter life.

Can you list a den as a bedroom?

If it doesn't have a closet, it is not considered a bedroom. Den, office, whatever. Now if there is a space for a closet that won't make the room too small, it may be worth the (small) expense to convert it.

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.

Does a den count as a room?

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.

Do birds need silence to sleep?

Much like people, their rest periods can be disturbed by noise and bright light. For this reason, many owners choose to cover their birds at night. If noise and light are not a problem, try leaving your bird uncovered for a few nights to gauge his reactions.

What are the symptoms of psittacosis?

In humans, the symptoms are fever, headache, chills, muscle pains, cough, and sometimes breathing difficulty or pneumonia. If left untreated, the disease can be severe, and even result in death, especially in older people. Some people may only experience mild flu-like illness, or have no illness at all.

Why do birds go to sleep when you cover their cage?

Covering the cage, or covered the part of the cage where he sleeps works well with some birds. They would choose a thick canopy in the wild, so having the cage covered at night offers them some sense of security. They are a prey animal so they don't like to feel exposed, especially at night.

Previous article
What happens if you leave a dead rat?
Next article
Why should you not stand on a cockroach?