To not think an ensuite is better than a walk in wardrobe

[WestendVBroadway]

Posted in Aibu for most traffic🤔 Advice needed please. Just moved to larger house. Main bedroom has what is listed as a large storage/wardrobe. A few similar houses in the cul de sac have converted it to an ensuite. We are tied between this conversion or a walk in wardrobe/ dressing room. It is not huge, approximately 2m x 1.8m. I have googled minimum space needed for ensuite shower room, and it is apparently 1.8m x 0.8m , so space is adequate. I have seen lots of posts on here about not liking a bathroom so close to bedroomWho needs partner's poo smells and loo flusing while trying to kip?
I would love a walk in wardrobe, although due to size of bedroom there is more than enough room for storage within. So wise forum folk what would you suggest. I think a dressing room is a good idea, so I don't disturb DH when I get up early for work and he is trying to lie in.

I never understand en-suite to the master bedroom. Usually it's a smaller bathroom. I think the 2nd bedroom should get the en-suite and the master the family bathroom. As long as there's re 2 toilets in the house, I'd much rather have a walk in wardrobe

I don't think that space is big enough for a walk in wardrobe tbh.

I have an en suite and find it more useful than i would bedroom storage space, which it seems that you arent short of.

Although I have teens and one other bathroom, I am single so my bathroom is my bathroom. No one else uses it and my bedroom and my bathroom are my solace.

Don't know the layout, but the ideal would be a 2nd bathroom that opens on to the landing rather than into the bedroom for me.

There still seems to be an even spilt re ensuite or wardrobe 😕. I forgot to mention that 2nd bedroom (DDs) has a wash basin in it.We thought it was a bit random and were going to remove it, but DD wanted to keep it, and it would be ideal for guests when DD moves out.

If you could add a shower to the downstairs loo maybe no reason for the en-suite..? Having a second shower or bath etc is really useful. Not all that common when I was growing up but the majority of people seem to expect two bathrooms now (even if second is en-suite / downstairs etc).

It depends how many bathrooms you already have. We have an en suite but we don't use it at night unless we have guests (children are grown up and don't live with us). It is VERY nice to have somewhere private to do noisy/smelly things when we have visitors. And it means that we each have a bathroom to use in the mornings. We also have a downstairs shower/utility room. We have a four bedroom house - our feeling was that we needed a downstairs loo anyway and if we sold the house to a family with 3 children then every additional bathroom was a bonus! Hence adding the shower downstairs when putting in the downstairs loo.... future-proofing.

En suite

I’ve just moved out a house that has an en suite. It really is just like taking a shit in your bedroom - I barely used it in the end except for the sink and mirror. Wouldn’t bother with one again.

I think it’s quite personal. I loathe en suites and wouldn’t dream of buying a house with one, but reading real estate descriptions tend it seems they’re a feature that many people actually seek.

You're in a not totally dissimilar situation to us; 2 adults 3 bed house. We keep a spare bedroom for guests. Our master bedroom has both an ensuit and a dressing room, but i loathe ensuits so we took the other large bedroom for ours and the bedroom off the ensuite is an office. It's fabulous to only have the bed in here and to not have to listen to anyone fumbling about un/dressing or toileting when trying to sleep. It means that we have two bathrooms available when we have guests, though the one that's not the ensuite is mainly for guests (it's my own when we don't - i never ever dreamed of such luxury!).

We are three, 2 adults and twin boy teens. One of my greatest anxieties is norovirus and not enough toilets so I'd rather have three loos. If there's rarely a full house though, then go for the wardrobe.

Just bear in mind that if you sell, many would prefer the extra loo.

I really don't like downstairs showers.

I'd say you need another shower somewhere in the house if more than 1 DC. But I wouldn't have a tiny cramped en suite as my bathroom to use every day. En suites can be lovely if there is enough space to make them luxurious. My DD has a small shower room (on top floor) next to her bedroom and that is essential for flow of all getting out on time . We share big main bathroom with DS just across the landing, it's not a hardship.
So in short fit in a shower somewhere in house but get the kids to have the pokey shower
Make yourself a nice dressing room

I love our ensuite, and not having to share a bathroom with the kids/ guests. I like not having to traipse around the house in my towel from shower to bedroom, and to have the privacy of the loo. We have a walk through wardrobe in between bedroom and ensuite so I don't hear it when dh is in there.

I have both an ensuite and a dressing room/walk in wardrobe and see the value in both.
You mention adding a dormer to the storage room (so hopefully the option to add a window too) and that the bedroom area has room for wardrobe storage.
In your case I'd go for an ensuite and have built in wardrobes installed into the bedroom.
I now wouldn't move unless there was an option for an ensuite but would be happy to compromise on built in wardrobes instead of a dressing room.