First world problem, new house, too many bedrooms but I think iabu

[Bodear]

Dh and I are moving to a new house. It has 4 double bedrooms (the master has a small walk through wardrobe to the en-suite) and a single. There’s also an office downstairs. There are just two of us, no children.
We can’t agree on how to use the bedrooms and it’s causing issues.
Ideally I’d like a double room as a dressing room/ wardrobe and we both need an office plus I’d like to have 2 spare rooms and dh would like a gym.
Any ideas on how to structure it?

Could you spare two rooms for my kids as they're both cramped in one small room at the moment

Surely if its five beds you have room to put the gym downstairs?

I have converted a three bed detached into a 5 bed. That's a existing living room, conservatory and kitchen, added a dining room, utility and second living room. So in theory i have three options for a downstairs gym. In reality i have four kids so no room for a gym. But i have a garage, workshop and summer house.

That was already there in just in a pretty bog standard three bed detached.

How small is your footprint?

DH and I live in a 5 bedroom house, just us now the DC have grown up. We obviously have the master bedroom, the second biggest is a double spare room but also doubles as dressing room for DH’s work clothes and I sort laundry, leave the ironing board up etc (unless we have guests).

Room 3 has a nice view over the garden and a small balcony so that’s now a sitting room with a really big screen on the wall. Love it.

Room 4 is a single room but is currently looking a bit more like a cupboard though I am planning to sort it out soon. Still a good size.

Room 5 is an office though we don’t use it much.

Yes, we have too much space but we do use nearly all our rooms. I’m not a keen host so have avoided having beds everywhere. I’m secretly working towards only having a bed in our room .

It sounds completely unsuitable to me, I'll swap houses with you

2 bed mid terrace with a shed for your gym, 2nd bedroom can be a double office.

Done!

In all seriousness
Use the small room as your walk in wardrobe/dressing room.
Downstairs office as the gym space.
One of the double rooms as an office for you both, I cannot imagine a world where 2 offices would be necessary.
The double with en suite as your bedroom.
That leaves you with 2 spare rooms.

How small is your footprint?

About a size 4. Size 5 in running trainers, though.

@Misandra I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I purposely labelled the thread as i did so it could be avoided.

@Disfordarkchocolate is your garage integral? Just wondering if no heating in a garage would make that unworkable...

@SunOnAll ha ha great idea!!

I think I’m being unreasonable in trying to keep more space for visitors when realistically people don’t stay that often. Is it bad to put grown ups on blow up beds if you have lots of people to stay on occasion?

We have 3 doubles and 2 singles for just the two of us. 2 singles are offices then 1 double as a gym, 1 as our bedroom and 1 for guests.

Doesn't sound like a "problem" of any sort, but something nice to sort out / decide. Sounds like you're in a very fortunate financial position, many are not in your position.

No, it's not integral @Bodear. Even in the winter, he gets proper hot and sweaty in there as he works very hard. Suggest to your husband if it's not warm enough in there he's not putting the effort in. (My suggestions are slightly tongue in cheek but I'd honestly not want the noise).

Is it bad to put grown ups on blow up beds if you have lots of people to stay on occasion?

For overnight stays I think that'd be fine, as if you say, you don't have guests often. And as long as guests are comfortable - I know for example my MIL couldn't sleep on an airbed due to arthritis.

@MatildaTheCat that’s interesting, thank you for posting. I think it’s the “guest space” I’m struggling with; trying to come up with a configuration that means we can accommodate 2 families (Or more) at the same time when realistically that will happen twice a year - if that.

😂

I love this thread and Oh No Not The Maldives both in one evening!

Why can't your dressing room also be a spare room? You seem to be discounting that option

Blow up beds are only suitable for people under the age of 30.

You should have bought a bigger house 🤷🏻‍♀️

Surely there's some potential for dual-use rooms? Gym/office; office/spare bedroom, etc. Could you have a bed that folds into the wall in one of the rooms?

But OP I would definitely have gym downstairs for all the reasons others have said, then arrange upstairs by size. Two smallest are offices. Two next smallest are spare guest rooms. Largest if yours.

I do wonder how people so apparently incapable of solving this type of “problem” ever earned enough money to buy such a big house. Surely the kinds of jobs that pay that kind of money require some kind of independent thought and decision making ability?

Sofa beds in the offices are the answer. Invest well and you can get ones that are pretty decent doubles (even kings) although really nice ones that are comfortable as both as £££. Job done. So one spare room for the most part - quickly turns into 3 at Xmas. Plus somewhere nice to sit in your office....

I get you. We are in 3 bed and I say we wouldn't
have space for a child. All rooms are properly used and never really "empty". I wish I had one more

Keep one as a proper spare and just ensure that some others can be moved around a bit to fit blown up beds. Which are fully acceptable for healthy-ish adult.

Wardrobe closest to your bedroom obviously so you don't flash visitors or have the PIL listen to you have sex.

Gym slash office for dh if he is the only one using it and not having loads off equipment

Haha yes I completely agree Strugglingtoquit. This is the sort of issue that DH and I would talk about for approx 2.5 mins then come up with a decision.

Pick the best room for your and dh bedroom. As you both need an office, you both then each choose your next favourite room for that.

Gym equipment into the next one. The guest room in whatever's left (I fucking hate overnight guests).

I could have a sofa bed/ single day bed type thing in the dressing room; that might be a nice idea.
The downstairs office isn’t big enough to be a gym plus anything - although I take your point About noise @Disfordarkchocolate. We need to check that when we get the keys.
Most people seem to be suggesting that it’s not necessary to have guest room(s) purely as guest rooms and it’s fine to mix them with other uses. I think maybe that’s where I was going off track.

You'll suprise yourself by how quickly you'll fill the space. Last year we (DH, me and our two children) moved into a large 6 bed end of terraced. It's rammed 😊. We have our master, baby currently in the smallest (which we'll eventually turn into an ensuite as part of master suite), daughter's room, office, play room and drum room/guest room. I'd love a library room and a laundry room too so could do with another two. There is at so much you could do: music room, reading room, craft room etc. Enjoy OP x