Which layout upstairs?

[TremoloGreen]

This is a plan of my first floor. Currently have the master bedroom at the front, small family bathroom opposite, massive airing cupboard (1.73 x 1.22) adjacent, with a tiny shower room (1.73 x 1.40) next to it and another two bedrooms (one double, one single) at the back. Plan is not to scale!

We are moving all the plumbing to the loft so can make use of the cupboard space. Wondering if others think it is more useful to a) extend the shower room to give more space - current layout allows for a 1400 x 800 sliding door shower, 600 vanity unit and a towel rail but not loads of space for manouver. There's no loo in there but we have two others in the house. Or b) absorb it in to our bedroom. Its a good size room with built in storage on the long wall but due to its awkward shape (it comprises the stair bulkhead), no wall long enough for a large bed and two side tables to stand along. If we absorbed the cupboard, this room could have a long wall where the current bedroom door is, a good 4m of cupboards, plus we could restore the fireplace and room for a desk/dressing table. I prefer b, DH thinks a.

So a, b or c (something more clever that we haven't thought of)?

[lalalonglegs]

The airing cupboard is 122cm deep, a standard wardrobe is 60cm deep so I would split the airing cupboard so that I had 173cm wide wardrobe opening onto my bedroom and the other half of the airing cupboard could be used to put a loo in the shower room. Alternatively, you could make it one big shower room with loo opening onto your bedroom and put a row of fitted wardrobes down the short straight wall at the top of your drawing and your bed against the wall that backs onto the landing (but I probably wouldn't do that as I don't like en-suites).

[TremoloGreen]

No, I don't like en-suites either, at least not ones that open onto the main room and have no window. We want a shower room that guests can use without traipsing through our bedroom. There are already wardrobes along the 'top' edge of the bedroom, 70cm deep. They are fairly horrible doors thoughs and they stuck a bookcase in front of the chimney breast, so in any case, we would be looking to sort that out but keep that area as storage. If we do move the door from it's current location (I've put it in as a dashed line on the drawing, which isn't very good, sorry) then that is where I would put the bed, it then faces the windows and the whole room has better flow.

DH thinks we will make the whole room an even weirder shape if we go with my idea and he thinks we should have one 'luxurious' bathroom (get him) with plenty of space - I don't know what he does in the bathroom. Actually the main bathroom has plenty of space for one person, it is only hectic when all four of us are in there. We have a toddler and a newborn but won't forever, and I think we can make the bathroom feel luxurious with the quality of the fittings and underfloor heating etc.

[lalalonglegs]

Sorry, I didn't understand you already had a lot of wardrobe space. In that case I would be tempted to keep some vestige of the old airing cupboard as a linen store opening onto the landing and section off part of it to fit a loo into the shower room. I agree with you that nice fittings/tiling etc is more importantt Han lots of space to create a nice bathroom/shower room but I do think they're a bit pointless without a lavatory.

[TremoloGreen]

Ah, OK, because of the location of the soil pipe, I can't see a good way to squeeze a loo in and have a decent sized shower. I'm claustrophobic and don't like square shower cubicles. It doesn't really bother me not having a loo in there, I guess I see it purely as a place to shower and then quickly brush my teeth. I have a choice of two other loos so a third doesn't seem that necessary.

[TremoloGreen]

We could do it if we took the whole cupboard into the shower room though.

[lalalonglegs]

See, I do think a linen cupboard is a beautiful thing so if I could have both, I would (possibly have one opening into the shower room rather than onto the landing?) I'd still prefer to have a loo in my shower room though so would sacrifice the airing cupboard to achieve that. Purely personal choice - most other people would probably choose to have an en-suite, I'm sure others will be along to advise soon.

[TremoloGreen]

Great, thanks for all your input! I've done some plans in case anyone else has an opinion...

#1: DH/Lala's ideas. Gorgeous shower room with a mahoosive walk in shower and extra loo. Does add £££ to the renovation cost! Bedroom pretty much as is, not tons of storage and to have bedside tables, we would need an awkward outward opening door that you need to somehow walk past first to open. NB, no window in this shower room so def dont want linen closet opening into there.

#2 My idea. All bedroom problems solved, piles of storage. Tiny shower with no lavatory but an extra large (probably sliding door) shower. Not out of the question to have a walk in either, would just mean rejigging door/plumbing so possibly not worth it for no gain in size.

[lalalonglegs]

Oh God, me again. I'm sorry, someone else will be along soon. I think the entrance into your bedroom when the bed is backing onto the stairs looks very awkward - would it be better to move the door towards the stairs, and then have the bed on the wall backing onto the landing but further towards the chimney breast wall?

[TremoloGreen]

Hi - yes, of course, you'r right. I'm getting blindsided by it, thank you for being a fresh pair of eyes!

[TremoloGreen]

oh actually, no, then you would have no space to open the wardrobe/any internal drawers to the left of the chimney.

[lalalonglegs]

I was thinking sliding doors on wardrobe but, yes, would be a problem with drawers. OK, definitely stepping back now.

[Cressandra]

Would you consider sacrificing the new fireplace and putting your bed on the chimney breast with alcoves either side? a few examples here

It's not everyone's taste but the cupboards could then go on the staircase wall and I think the room would flow a lot better.

I am with you in that I don't really get the appeal of the large shower room, but I know a lot of people do. Other idea: cobble some of the showerroom for a built in cupboard for the single bedroom, which might increase its practicality as a useable room significantly. Move tiny showerroom to the right. I quite like the idea of retaining a linen cupboard too - I'm a big fan of our airing cupboard.

[SternlyVoice]

I would opt for #2 to get a roomier bedroom but would have the door opening the other way i.e. Hinges on left as you look at the door from the landing.

[Qwebec]

I think Cressendra's idea is spot on. The third bedroom is rather small esp. compared to the others and it seems to me thhe best way to use the space, with your DP's idea the space on the floor dedicated to washing get's bigger than the smallest room, and the option B makes more hallway type space, kind of a shame IMO

[TremoloGreen]

Cressandra, thank you for your idea. I had thought about a walk-in closet for Bedroom #3, but hadn't worked out how to arrange our bedroom in that scenario. I will go back and measure the chimney breast properly and see if it can give us enough storage like that.

Thanks SternlyVoice. It had occurred to me, but when I did these sketches, I hadn't worked out how to turn a door around on the program! I'll try it now I have.

Qwebec I totally agree, I thought option #1 gave a disproportionate amount of bathroom to bedroom.

I'll go back to the drawing board now with these ideas in mind :-)

[Cressandra]

Hm yes, the 3rd bedroom idea doesn't fulfil your DH's priority or yours! I think that's the problem really, he cares more about the shower room and you care more about the bedroom. Never the twain shall meet etc.

The flow of the bedroom in option 1 is off. You go to the expense of remodelling the upstairs, there HAS to be a better solution than having first the awkward door, and then the bed so much obscuring the pathway of the master bedroom. On reflection I think the flow in option 2 would work, once you get used to walking in to be faced with a row of cupboards. But however many people agree with you and prefer option 2, that means DH not getting his big shower room.

I don't think the 3rd bedroom cupboard would have to be a walk in. We have a built in in our smallest bedroom, with bifold doors - good combo of shelves and hanging space, and deep enough to hold suitcases/boxes of rotated out toys too. We even keep spare folding chairs in ours. You really don't need much extra furniture in the room then. But I appreciate it's solving a different problem to the ones you actually need to solve!!

Just have a think about whether your views on number of toilets will change as your children get bigger. First thing in the morning, especially once the children want privacy and are showering every morning, 2 loos might be useful. With 2 loos it might evolve to having one bathroom mainly for the children and one mainly for the adults, which would be much more streamlined than having people needing to go variously to another room or floor for different bits of their morning ablutions.

[TremoloGreen]

Oh well done, you clever lot, I think we've got a solution that gives us the best balance of storage and bathroom space.

We can have a slightly bigger shower room (walk-in shower that DH wants) and give the small bedroom a walk-in wardrobe. Sliding wardrobes for us, so no fireplace. Room for other storage though (chest of drawers, ottoman) and the all-important bedside tables. It's a mid-price option as less replumbing than massive bathroom, but more fiddling than keeping shower room exactly where it is.

So is 0.95 by 1.72m enough space for a walk-in for a teenage girl? Or should we sacrifice more showering space to her? She's currently taking a nap on me (8 weeks old!) but I'm sure she'd say thank you if she could.

[TremoloGreen]

Hmm, I think we cross-posted Cressandra. I have always worried a bit about that third bedroom so I do also see this as a good use of space if we can all have enough storage, It's just balancing one future headache off against another at the moment. I do see what you're saying about an extra loo. I did it evolving into us having our own bathroom, indeed. We can always play with the space division a bit more. I will need to ask our plumber how much putting in an extra loo will cost, that is what is really putting me off at the moment.

[TremoloGreen]

Hmm, wouls still struggle to get a decent sized shower and a loo in there. Happy to sacrifice a loo for a shower that doesn't give me the heebie jeebies.

[Cressandra]

Sorry, huge crosspost. Just ignore my last.

I like your new layout.

I'm not sure about a walk in wardrobe 95cm wide, I suppose it all depends how you use the space. I measured our cupboard described above (massively overinvested here ). It's usefully deep but not a walk in and it's 85cm deep. I'm not sure "walk in ness" is worth the extra space on top of that, and 95cm is on the tight side if she needs to actually go into it.

I think it would be a very decent sized cupboard for a teenager. The key is getting the right fittings. It's deep enough that you can stand a chest of drawers inside.

[Qwebec]

love your now plan, the twoothers seems off, but the third is fantastic and solves the stange room layout while giving you DP a bit of what he wants.

nothing to say about wardrobe depth, I don't know how much you need, would giving en extra 10 cm to the room make a difference as suggested by Cressendra?

[TremoloGreen]

No, I think I will go with 85 cm. Only potential issue I can see with that layout is that it will mean knocking down a load-bearing wall but perhaps the new wall can be built to compensate in some way? I have a builder coming round tomorrow to quote for some other work so will ask his opinion.

[Cressandra]

I agree with Qwebec, there's a satisfying "rightness" about your last plan. I really hope it works out for you Tremolo.

[Hiahia]

How exciting.

I would have bedroom 2's door open the other way also, so it opens into the bedroom rather than against it. Ideally for me, doors should open against a wall/built-in cupboard (with about 10cm of skirting/wall in between though, no architrave right at the angle).

I probably would just have a normal closet in bedroom 3 - 65cm deep - to make the shower room as reasonably big as possible!

[TremoloGreen]

Hum, well after talking to builder today, I don't think think we'll be knocking into that wall to have a built-in wardrobe for Bedroom 3. He did reassure me about the costs of moving bathroom fixtures about though.

So now I'm thinking - make a big shower room, or have extra storage, accessible from the landing, so I could give it to DD2 if she needs it or have it for general use. Could also steal the back of it for a walk-in shower (do they have to be glazed all the way along?)

The good news is that we can do our new bedroom layout any time now and decide about the shower room/ storage conundrum when we get to doing that.