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?

Not thereby imposing hardship on others!!
Fgs

@Crunchymum I’ve just seen your comment about me on the other thread. How do you know what tales of woe I have or haven’t got? I didn’t choose to post any details of my life on here because it’s not relevant to this thread. I’m not complaining about the house we’re buying; I love it. I’m just asking for advice which I thought was the point of Mumsnet. We don’t have to be complaining to be here do we?

You haven't allowed for a junk room. The room where you gradually put all his airfix models and LPs and other detritus that's been bugging you for years. Also you need 2 rooms for when you have guests. One for them to sleep in and the other to dump all last minute stuff, the ironing, wrapping paper, vacuum, dying plants etc. I would reconsider and plump for a 6 bed minimum.

I now live in a post-divorce house so tiny that rooms are doubling up as other rooms - but in my married life, OP, we had it this way: double bedroom for me. Double bedroom for XH. Double bedroom for DS. Double for DD. Double study for me. Double study for XH. Double junk spare room.

I thoroughly recommend separate bedrooms for married couples, even if they like one another.

@Moomin12345 now that’s what I should do!!!

As hilarious as the jealous comments are, it's also very sad if you think about it. In which world do we live that people consider a 4 or 5 bedroom house a "luxury" for someone too rich for their own good.

We are so used to overcrowded cramped accommodation in this country, we haven't got a clue what is "normal". It's really sad.

I think I would go with:

Gym downstairs.
Master
Dressing room with built in wardrobes and a dressing table combined with a spare room, preferably with a proper bed. (Bedroom 2)

Full spare room. (Bedroom 3)

DH's study, possibly with a day bed. These ikea ones shift to being a double, but I understand it's better to buy their nicer mattresses: www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/brimnes-day-bed-w-2-drawers-2-mattresses-white-malfors-medium-firm-s49129935/

(Last double because he works from home more?)

Your study, no need for any more beds because you've now fitted enough space for 6 in. Instead, some kind of storage set up for all the things that make a house messy so you can put them there when you have guests?

I think I would be tempted to get a wall bed for the dressing room if I couldn't get a double, or maybe one of those magic desk beds so you could use the desk as a dressing table and it would fold into a bed for guests.

I could easily fill a 4 bedroom house just living on my own: I would have an art and craft room with a huge table, a study with bookcases, and a nice big deal and an armchair to sit in, a room for me and a spare room.

Where will the servants sleep?

Just bought a five bed and had a similar debate. I've got an office, we share a dressing room and we've two spare rooms. Works for us.

Rather than having a spare room, your DH could have an office/gym?

we had this years ago - 2 of us, 4 bedrooms and 2 living rooms. We have kids now, so its all worked out. do you plan on having children?

@JosefKeller

We are so used to overcrowded cramped accommodation in this country, we haven't got a clue what is "normal". It's really sad.

What a bizarre and utterly out-of-touch comment! “Normal” for the vast majority people in the world isn’t a five bedroom house, or anything remotely close one. (By the way, I’m not writing out of jealousy as I have a five bed house myself, albeit it with a family of 5 in it.)

tbf I've been in plenty of 4 beds where once you have the double bed & the wardrobe in there's not much space.

Just moved from a two bed cottage to a five bed Victorian townhouse over three storeys so I'm having the same thoughts OP! I'm thinking these things will work themselves out the longer I live here

We have a futon in our study for guests. It works well for us.

Ignore the stupid comments op.
You are not allowed to have a big house on here, didn’t you know.

You need the gym to be downstairs especially if there is a treadmill so if the office downstairs is not big enough look at another option. The upstairs bedrooms can be used as offices and combined guest/dressing room. Our spare rooms both have dual purposes as I see no point in keeping rooms unused most of the year. Just have a bed in there or a futon or even fold up sofa bed.

Don't get the hate on here. Just because a room is described as a bedroom on selling, doesn't mean it has to be a bedroom. OP and her partner aren't over occupying the house if they use rooms for offices and gyms rather than having rooms full of empty beds.

There was a thread yesterday or this morning about a lady who wanted to know how best to spend £1000 at Bicester Village. She got nothing but nice comments about which designers were best and whether to buy clothes, jewellery or hand bags. Never in a million years would it cross my mind to spend even £100 on one or two fashion items, never mind £1000 so I didn't post. But not everyone is the same. And luckily we're all free to spend our own money as we personally see fit.

Just being nosy....what area is the house in?

Sending thoughts and prayers at this difficult time🙄

Is one of the bedrooms next to the master suitable that you could knock through to make that the dressing room with direct access from the bedroom?

wasn’t it Tim Burton and Helena Bonham-Carter who had adjoining houses?

Yup. They have now split up.

We've just bought a 7 bedroom house and it'll be just the two of us (+DDog).
I've been trying to weigh up how many guest rooms we need - sounds like we could do more hosting than you're planning too - our house is in Dubai, so any visitors will be coming for longer stays.

Think hard about what you need; is it absolutely essential you have seperate offices? What do you need except a desk each in that room?
Then expand out to what will get the most use; will he actually use the gym if he's anything like me it may get dusty. Will you actually use a dressing room, or will it just be glorified storage?

Two of our bedrooms are downstairs so we're converting one into a games room (keeps DP happy and good for entertaining) and the other will be an extension of the laundry room.

Upstairs I'll have an office (essential - I work from home), an art studio (absolutely not essential so technically could be sacrificed) and 2 guest rooms.

You don’t need to resolve anything before you move in . If you love the house , buy it and the rooms will sort themselves out when you move .

OP Very sorry if you have recently lost your child.

OP just saw your question from last night

@caranx that’s an interesting solution. Does it ever feel odd that guests are in your room?

Its only two-three times a year for 4 days that we need the second guest room so I don't mnd too much. I think having to tidy my study up for a guest would cause me more stress! My study does have an ensuite as well so its a good replacement. Also often guests are in their 70s so would struggle getting on and off an airbed.

Don't worry I stick my top bedside draw contents in my weekend bag :)

I take all my bedding/duvet /pillows off for me to use on the airbed, air room well, then put all fresh guest bedding on.

PP not OP I'd hate to give up my bedroom. The thought of someone sleeping in the bed I have sex in makes me shudder. Especially parents.

I don't think its any worse than having sex in a hotel bed thats lots of other people have had sex in. As long as the sheets are clean...I try not to think about my parents having sex full stop.