If you're good with floorplans and imagination, please help!

[Happyplacestolive]

We're buying a cottage which doesn't have the layout we need upstairs (ideally need 3 double bedrooms). It looks like it was originally 2 doubles and the end single (it can fit a double bed). The only option I can see is to take out the partition wall between the middle two bedrooms, but that'll give two huge bedrooms and one single - can anyone see any other option? I think the chimney stops anything being done with that wall.

I think the pic is cutting out the end bedroom and bathroom - you may need to click on it to view it properly.

Is the chimney in use?

Could you make the end bedroom into an L shape by moving the portion between the middle two bedrooms over a few feet? You would just need to block in the door into the second bedroom next to the door to the end bedroom. You could then put a double bed into the L part opposite the window.

How old is the cottage? You will need to see what walls can be moved and what can't due to structural reasons. Was ir originally 2 cottages that were joined up by any chance? The most straightforward thing would be to convert the 3 smaller rooms into 2 but I personally wouldn't bother. And having fewer bedrooms would probably devalue the house.

Yes, the sitting room is below.

Leave as is but use the long narrow bedroom as walk in wardrobe or office for the people who have the middle bedrooms. The middle bedrooms are a touch small but if there's no wardrobes or desks they should be ok?

Built in 1870 I think. I believe it was two cottages. Yes, the devaluing does worry me - I feel I'm paying for 4 bedrooms that are really 3, but there is a 5th bedroom in an annex.

Yes, I did suggest to the girls they share the small bedroom as a dressing room with their wardrobes - I think that might actually work best.

Could you move the bathroom to the narrow room on the left, make the bathroom into a bedroom and then take down the wall between the two smaller bedrooms?

I don't know how feasible it is with plumbing etc but could you convert the single bed into the bathroom and then knock the toilet and bathroom together into the 3rd double. Obviously knock the bedroom partition down.

Would this be any good?
I'm not sure if I just deleted the chimney. Sorry if I missed that bit.

Ooh, I hadn't thought of that! The bathroom is far bigger than we need, but it is above the kitchen - not sure how easy it is to move plumbing to the opposite end. Will definitely look into this though!

I feel that it would've been better even if the partition was put up as one straight wall - I can't understand the reasoning for the weird entrance to the 3rd bedroom from left - it's a waste of space.

It's a shame the staircase goes downstairs the way it does as you would have more options if it was the other way round.

I'm going to paste the floorplan as I'm not sure it's showing properly - it's cutting off room 2 for me.

That's so true - I hadn't thought of that.

Yes, that would've been ideal if we didn't need the chimney.

Is there any scope for moving the bathroom to the other end? This really depends on where the drains are and whether you can run a soil pipe to the drains from the other end of the house.

If you can do this, then one option is to move the bathroom into the skinny single bedroom, make the current bathroom (& the separate loo maybe) into a bedroom, and knock together the other two bedrooms.

I would just use the bedrooms as they are if they both still fit double beds. Just have them as just beds with small drawers, desk, Then use smaller bedroom as dressing room for both girls to share.

It doesn’t seem worth the time and money if you can use other space elsewhere. Bedroom 5 in annexe can also be used as extra desk area space if needed

There's definitely plenty of room in both rooms for double beds and bedside tables etc. I think this may well be the best/certainly cheapest solution.

End bedroom (long one), fine as it is if it can already fit a double bed. Whoever goes in there has narrower space but longer and with benefit of two windows (I'd love that!).

Middle two bedrooms:
Block the existing doorway of the fireplace bedroom.
Move the dividing wall over slightly to remove the indent caused by the door placement - keep this doorway to access fireplace bedroom.
Create new doorway to access new smaller room.

That creates a larger square room with window and fireplace, which should now be around the same total floor size as the first bedroom, and leaves a smaller room with window that can be an office/study/small guest room.

If you can’t move the bathroom, as a PP suggested, I would use the 2 bedrooms as sleeping rooms and maximise the storage eg ottoman beds or underbed drawers, built in wardrobes up to the ceiling. If the wall between them and the wall onto the corridor aren’t structural, you could even them up and move both doors to make the space more useable. I would make the long thin room into a sitting room for your DDs for having friends over with some extra storage or a playroom, if they are little.

Yes I mean you could then use the savings of not moving the walls to use elsewhere in house or garden.

We actually have similar in our house. The three main bedrooms are all equal size. All fit super king bed. But ours has a super king in so not a huge amount of extra space. The office is the same size though and doesn’t need to be so that has our wardrobes (and guest sofa bed) . And we just have drawers in our bedroom for day to day basics.

Clever! The long bedroom is actually a beautiful room; low, deep cottage windows and gorgeous lighting. Will def consider this.

There’s an office below the long bedroom, so don’t need to worry about that.