Which type of house would you chose if you had 2 children?

[smurfgirl]

Would you prefer a 3 bed house with a living room/dining room, kitchen with room for a table and a conservatory.

Or a 4 bed house with a living room and then kitchen/diner.

So I suppose, more bedrooms and less living space, or less bedrooms and more living space.

Am planning for the future.

[EachPeachPearMum]

More living space- children don't take up as much space when they're in bed!
I always would have separate sitting room and dining room too- just so much more flexible, especially when they're older and one needs to do homework/music practice whilst the other is playing etc.

[Othersideofthechannel]

If family living nearby, the former.
If family or friends likely to stay overnight often, the latter.

[nickytwotimes]

I'd go for more living space too.

[Othersideofthechannel]

We have 2 children and 3 bedrooms. The children share to make room for guests.
Ideally would have another bedroom which could have a sofa bed and be a guest bedroom/den for the children to entertain in when they are older.

[ChasingSquirrels]

how usable is the conservatory?
Ours is open to kitchen and usuable all year round - though uncomfortably hot for about a week in the summer, and we didn't linger in it last week when it was so cold. But basically good all year.
Our old house had one which was south facing, you wouldn't have used it as a room from Apr - Sep.

So if conservatory not great as a room then they are basically the same - non?

Depends on your view of a kitchen/diner - to me a kitchen with room for a table IS a kitchen/diner.

[ChasingSquirrels]

what are the room sizes in the 2 houses
what are the bedroom sizes

[NorktasticNinja]

mmm, tough.

I like houses where the kitchen doubles as a proper living space, it's a way of living that appeals to me.

If there's room for a sofa and good size table (and maybe a TV or computer) in the kitchen of the 4 bedroomed place I'd be very tempted to go for that. Couldn't stand it being cramped though. I'd want the spare bedroom to be able double as a playroom too though.

In option one you do theoretically have more living space but do you think you'd use it effectively? I've seen a lot of unused and underused dining areas in living rooms TBH. With children eating in the kitchen is so much more practical on a day to day basis that you just end up doing it.

Oh, and IME conservatories are almost universally abandoned for most of the year

[mazzystartled]

are the children same sex or one of each? how lvng can they share?
i would definitely prefer to always have a guest room - unless - actually even if one of living rooms could have spare cupboard and sofa bed.

[psychomum5]

more bedrooms and then add to the living space later.

[LIZS]

It's easier to add living space than a bedroom .