Design Crew
Sat, 10 Dec 2011
Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don't know what to do? You're not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you .... that's you lot ... the readers! Sonia (who shared the amazing rowhouse renovation earlier this week) has a question ...
We are venturing into our 3rd renovation, another rowhouse. As is typical in our area space is adequate but not abundant. In an effort to be better designers we'd like to know how most respond to this: Given the choice of some extra space on your 2nd floor, which do you choose....an extra bedroom or an extra bath?? Suppose there is space enough for 3 bedrooms & 1 bath or 2 bedroom & 2 bath but no way to combine 3 bedrooms with 2 baths. Size of family is not a constraint -- 2 bedrooms is enough for you and your nuclear family. The 3 bedroom scenario gives you a good size master, a nice size bath and 2 smaller rooms with closets. The 2 bedroom gives you slightly larger bedrooms, more closet space (but not a ton more), en suite bathroom and a washer dryer upstairs (vs downstairs in the 3 bedroom scenario). In case it matters there is a powder room on the first floor of a 2 level structure in either scenario. In either case, finishes will be high quality so that's not a factor either.
Something to keep in mind is that this house is being renovated to sell. Why is she asking you? Because she knows that thousands of design savvy readers with very set opinions come here every day. What a great resource to tap. And what does this next house look like now? Look away now if you are squeamish.
Phew! That wasn't too bad but knowing what the other houses have looked like inside I shudder to imagine what this one is like. So what do you suggest? Scheme 1 or Scheme 2?
Reader Comments (27)
Scheme 2, with two bathrooms. More versatile for any but young families, and even then two kids can share.
I think buyers always want to imagine they can have a bath or shower in peace!
Scheme 2! I love the ensuite bathrooms. ;-D
I say scheme 1...a 2 bedroom house with 2 and a half baths is just silly.
Look at what got better prices and sold faster in recently sold houses in your neighbourhood.
I really like scheme 2 it's interesting and spacious.. on the other hand.. do you need the other bedroom ? I suppose most people prefer 3 bedrooms even though the design due the space gets a bit boring.. not much help really.. God Luck..
My immediate thought was Scheme 1: additional bedroom but I agree with others to investigate the local market first. Local real estate agents would be happy to answer this question and more accurately as they understand the area's demographic.
x KL
I would chouse scheme 1
hands down scheme 1! a third bedroom is so much more versatile-office, lounge, spare bedroom, playroom, tv room. What does a second bath give you? A quiet bathtime? there are other ways to work that out. we live in a sheme 1 kind of house (with 2 kids). works fine for us. and I grew up in one too (4 kids). we survived!
Scheme 2 for the spacious rooms and ensuite; a buyer favourite! Since you're putting good finishes in, I'd make sure the rooms had the space to showcase that feeling/investment. Scheme 1 has rooms that are too small; the tiny bedroom would end up being storage or a closet. If just flipping the house, go with #1 and basic upgrades. As others said, your realtor can offer the best advice for the area/market.
Scheme 1. An extra bedroom is such a plus when you will try to sell your house somewhere in the future. A second bathroom is pure luxury.
Scheme 1, but add more space to the closet in the master bedroom (take some away from the linen in the bathroom since you already have a hall closet).
But only if 3 bedrooms sell faster and command more value than 2 bedrooms in the neighborhood. Otherwise, go with scheme 2. It has more modern day creature comforts. A w/d on the bedroom level! That's my favorite feature.
Scheme 1. It looks like one of those cases where clever built-ins/cabinets instead of closets could help by giving better access to storage space and saving previous inches. I like how storage areas isolate rooms from one another.
In such a scheme, pocket doors almost everywhere could do wonders too.
What about carving space out of the master bedroom in the longer 15' direction? The closet could be the bath/shower, rotate the entrance so you go directly into the washroom from the foot end of the bed, even a king only requires 7 feet, so there is a 3' circulation path between the bed and the wall. The door to the washroom could be a pocket door so you don't lose space in either room, the vanity is 20-22" and the wall thickness only 4" so you still have 2 1/2 feet - 3 feet between the vanity and wall. Closet on the end facing the window. High end finishes and a couple of built-ins would compensate for the loss of floor space in the master. If this isn't possible, I agree with Laurel and kl, look at comparables in the area. Good luck, it sounds exciting! (and the facade isn't scary, it is promising!)
I would say for resale value, 3 bedroom 1.5 bath would be better. But I would work the heck out of the configuration for the bathroom so that say, if one person is in the shower, another could be using the toilet/sink And put a large, 2 sink vanity in the space. I would even considering taking the closet space from the master, and then building a new built in wall of closets in there.
The house I bought is a spacious 2/2 with lots of closets which we love. If/when I go to sell I will very likely split the large downstairs suite into 2 bedrooms for a total of 3 because the majority of buyers are going to be looking for 3 bedrooms. I know when we bought, the price was less because it was 2 bedrooms, even though one of the "bedrooms" is 600 sq. ft. I use it for my studio/home office/guest room.
I think I'm leaning towards Scheme 1, but I like the idea of having the W/D upstairs. Scheme 2 has more doors in the hallway, which I think would make the space look smaller. If you were to go with Scheme 2, I would suggest moving the opening of the closet on the left into the bathroom. You could add cabinets or open shelves, etc. and eliminate a set of doors.
Other thoughts - Have you thought about designing the space with a "jack and jill" bathroom (two sinks on either side with a shared tub and toilet in the middle)?
Good luck! Can't wait to see what you end up doing.
I'd go with option 2, the space you get is a lot more useble. I work in architecture and the minimum dimension for a bedroom according to our standards is 8'6" anything smaller than that is too small for a bedroom.
I know they say more bedrooms are better for resale value, but when a potential buyer walks through your house & see such a tiny bedroom they'll think everything in you house is small & cramped. That 3rd bedroom only has space for a twinsize bed along the back wall & nothing else (unless you what it to be a nursery or office of course).
I live in Scheme 2, and I have to say, I would have preferred Scheme 1. It feels silly having two bathrooms next door to each other, especially since there's a half bath elsewhere. The third bedroom is likely to become an office/guest room, which is great. I like Christa's idea about separating the bathroom so that someone can brush teeth while someone else showers, and I agree with Simon about pocket doors. Since I often put my laundry in the drier just before bedtime, I'd much prefer to have my W/D downstairs.
A close race. Check your demographic and go from there. Young urban professionals? Scheme 2 Families? Scheme 1. IMHO 3 bedrooms is always preferable. Good luck!
Okay, can I say GENIUS idea?! Then I def vote for scheme 1...I hate wasting space on places to pee!
Scheme 2! We went from a 2bed 1.5 bath to a 2bec 1 bath. It sounds small but one less toilet is a HUGE difference! It is especially important to have more bathrooms if you have kids. Love the closets on the way into the master bedroom!
An extra bedroom/study is always much appreciated. I would therefore go for 1. I suggest you make the left closet in the master bedroom deeper as well as the closet in the bathroom. The bathroomcloset could then be turned into a showerroom. You cold even consider a door to the shower from the masterbedroom!
this extra room being up the stairs, the less living-floor one, could make it become a dumping closet, instead of a designed walk-in closet, that could help the little storage
this w.i.c. replacing the ensuit area on sheme 2, would than make it sheme 3, sorry
From the outside it looks like a Baltimore row house....so I'd say the 3 bedrooms, that's what everyone else has that is renovating.
my vote is definitely for the 2 bedroom/2 bath. i would never want to share a bathroom with my son. i'd even love to have a separate bath from my husband! [at least we have 2 sinks.] we all grew up with a whole family sharing one bathtub, one toilet, etc & even the guests had to use the same place. but given the choice, the kids should have their own space & i think guests prefer a fresh and clean powder room. wish i had one.
Scheme 1, without a question. A 2-bedroom with 2 1/2 baths is just ridiculous.