Would be it be stupid to reduce the number of bedrooms?

[Fandangoes]

We currently live in a 4 bed bungalow. My children are older and the youngest will be leaving for Uni in a couple of years. Currently the smallest bedroom is just a guest room / dumping ground. It is next door to the main bedroom. I am thinking about knocking through to make a bigger master room, possibly with walk in dressing room as well as the ensuite that's already there. Its a modern house (about 20 years old) so the rooms really aren't big and I've always longed for a bigger bedroom.
DH thinks it makes sense for us to make the house work better for us rather than worry about re-sale value, which I do agree with but also worry it might be a silly ove so interested in opinions.

Are you intending in staying in the house long term? If so of course you should knock through if that'd make the house work better for you! If you're planning on selling within the next couple of years then probably not.

You have hit the nail on the head! I don't think I have fully made up my mind. I swing between deciding I'm not moving, we can settle into old age here and we can downsize in 5 years to a smaller property somewhere> I guess I need to make my mind up on that one!! But what if I change my mind?? How much difference would it make? I guess if new buyer wanted 4 beds it wouldn't be that difficult to change it back?

I mean, I completely relate on wanting a dressing room, it's definitely high on my list of things I'd like.

To save yourself money now on renovation costs and in future in terms of losing value on selling, would it not make more sense to just turn it into a dressing room as it is?

Put in some freestanding wardrobes and the like, clear the junk out of the room (Marie Kondo to the rescue?), and give yourself some space in your master by taking clothes and clothes storage out of the room.

It seems the cheapest option and a good way of trialling this new setup without taking a sledgehammer to the wall and regretting it later.

I suggested that Nighshade but DH seems to think that would just be a waste of the spare room?! I think he thinks it would also take away the benefit on an ensuite if he then had to leave the bedroom to go and get dressed in another room

My ex-inlaws brought an offplan newbuild 4 bed while their only child was at uni. 2 en-suite doubles, 1 double, 1 box room.

They had the master and other double combined (as part of the build) so actually got a massive master with en-suite, reasonable double with en-suite and box room.
I always thought it was weird, and when ex visited with our kids, his parents and her child the three kids all had to share the box room.

But most of the time it is only them there so they have the house the presumably want to live in.

They did buy it as a "this is us for a long time" house, and have now been there over 25 years.

...our kids, his partner and her child...

@Fandangoes oh dear! Lol!

Could you suggest instead putting a door in from your room to that room rather than knocking it through entirely? At least that way you have direct bedroom access, and a potential future buyer may see that as a plus should they turn it into a nursery that adjoins the bedroom.

Thanks Chasing Squirrels - yes, at least mine is only the box room I'm losing. We would be left with 2 other doubles as 'spare' rooms

That might be an option Nightshade, although I don't know if it will give me the luxury bedroom feel I was wanting. But actually maybe it would? And DH works shifts and can leave really early in the morning so it would mean he could get dressed in there without disturbing me (although to be fair I sleep like the dead so dont usually bother)

@Fandangoes you can get some really lovely feature doors. You could even do a double door situation so it feels like you're being welcomed into a boutique when you step into the dressing room, making a grand entrance from le boudoir!

Bungalows always command a premium and it may be worth the same with a really good master and ensuite than 3 doubles and a box room. It would probably be easier to sell. I'm with dh I think.

Just as an added bonus RE luxury;

cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RmH4Uew2keLUdNfuLmAu5m-768-80.jpg - double doors

i.pinimg.com/originals/d2/83/10/d28310ca2946c3a199c0d16db2beca43.jpg - pocket doors

cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Cm9DXPhozLGaDr3qMT8pX5-1200-80.jpg - full glass doors

st.hzcdn.com/simgs/pictures/closets/double-bypass-closet-door-landmark-designs-and-construction-img~1761c0d405020ae9_14-7839-1-70c5a76.jpg - sliding doors

We bought a terrace where they'd made the box room into a dressing room. It was a lovely feature - but we needed the bedroom so just put the wall back. It was easy to do.

Then when we didn't need that bedroom anymore we opened it back up and put an ensuite in there. Closed off the door into the hall.

Putting a wall back isn't hard for someone to do.

I'd do it - you see estate agents particulars with - 4 bed with potential to make 5th bedroom all the time.

oooh you are very good Nightshade!! they look uber glam! Although practically speaking I think double doors would just create unusable wall space in both rooms. I.e less space for storage in the dressing room in particular. I think I need a pinterest trawl

I think the bottom line here is; It's your house today. If you want a dressing room then have a dressing room. If the next buyers want to make it back into a bedroom, then that's their problem. You're the person living in it right now. What do you want?

@Fandangoes

oooh you are very good Nightshade!! they look uber glam! Although practically speaking I think double doors would just create unusable wall space in both rooms. I.e less space for storage in the dressing room in particular. I think I need a pinterest trawl

Hah! There's nothing more fun then pinterest scrolling when you're luxuriating your space! A single pocket door might be the way to go if you're looking to reduce the consumed wall space. Good luck!

We’re planning on doing this to our house. We built an extension 8 years ago so dd2 had a bigger room and we used her original room as a place for the clothes horse and to store Christmas decks etc. Both the rooms are large single/small double.
We’re about to add a utility room to the house and have decided to take out the dividing wall upstairs to make her room and the spare room one large room and have a big walk in hall cupboard.
So we’ve changed a 2 double, 2 large single roomed house into a 3 double bed house. (We have a bathroom and a shower room upstairs)
We’re not planning on moving until we retire but it will be easy enough to reinstate the wall if needed.

If you live in a bungalow then you are already avoiding the biggest problem in homes for most older people as you have no stairs so I'd stay and make the house work for you, you can always put back a stud wall if you are selling in future.

We've made a tiny box room into a dressing room but it still has the same walls and door that it had previously. That side of the house is like a master bedroom suite with bedroom in the middle and bathroom and dressing room either side.

Thanks everyone, I am really warming to this idea!

We've just moved and have taken out a (downstairs) bedroom and used the space to add a dining area to the open-plan living room/kitchen and a walk-in wardrobe to the other downstairs bedroom. We asked to estate agents to value it without the fourth bedroom and both said it wouldn't affect value, as previously our house wouldn't have appealed to a family needing four bedrooms anyway, as there wasn't enough living space (it also has a big mezzanine which we use as an office). So hopefully, it will be fine. But we're planning to stay and even if we lost out a bit it'll be worth it to have the space as we need it.

Another vote to go for it! We have recently been viewing houses and l don’t get the point of lots of small bedrooms. Plus l would love a dressing room!

ok so next question!! Open or closed closets in the dressing room

I am turning the small room next to my bedroom into a dressing room.

By removing the wardrobes and drawers from the bedroom I have created room for a sitting area. There is so much more space which I think gives it a more luxurious look. I also have an en-suite shower room.

We did think about knocking through and blocking up the door from the small room to the hall, taking us from a 4 to a 3 bed. This house is massive downstairs so I didn’t really want to make it bottom heavy by permanently making it a 3 bed. We will sell one day as we want to retire to the coast.

We also considered having double pocket doors between the two rooms but you definitely lose too much wall space for this to work.

We are having a mix of fitted and free standing furniture. That way when we do decide to sell some of the furniture can be placed in the bedroom and a bed could go into the dressing room.

I like the open closet look but will go for a mixture I think.

Having to go into another room isn't really an issue. It’s just opening one door and then the other is right there. We are having the same flooring, paint, wallpaper, curtains etc in both rooms so hopefully it should look ok.

It's really not difficult to fill a door in a return it to bedroom at later date. Definitely make the house work for you. Plus bungalows are in high demand for people in later stages of life and as such are likely to view it similarly to you with not having young kids at home etc.

@fandangoes I have cats so I always opt for closed closets in the dressing room. It stops them from climbing clothing (the younger cat thinks that she's spiderman), keeps things from getting dusty, and from picking up odours.

HOWEVER I will add that if you get modular wardrobes (i.e. Ikea wardrobes where you can choose the doors) then you can get lovely glass doors. That way, you protect the clothes but you can still see what's there and show off some of your show-pieces. I've also seen people use glass fronted billy bookcases to show off handbags and shoes.