SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
musings_gw

Master Bedroom Upstairs?

musings
13 years ago

I know the general preference is master bedroom on the first floor. For those of you who would "only" consider a house with the master bedroom down, would you reconsider if a house had an elevator or was elevator ready?

Comments (35)

  • cookie08
    13 years ago

    Yes

  • LuAnn_in_PA
    13 years ago

    "I know the general preference is master bedroom on the first floor."

    I think it is a preference for many on this board, but it is not a preference across the country is it?

    Most of the house in my area are still built with the master up... and almost all of the older homes are master up too.

  • Related Discussions

    Master on Main vs. Upstairs

    Q

    Comments (35)
    Congratulations on your new home! I live in Atlanta, and we built our home here when our girls were 2 and 5. It's also fairly large--600- sq feet. We moved from a house with all the bedrooms up, and designed the current house with the master on the main level and the remaining bedrooms upstairs. When we first moved in, the girls did seem far away, but technology makes it easy to see/hear what's going on when you aren't right next door. We have always loved having the master on the main level. In Atlanta, it's a desirable feature to have the master on the main level. Now that one of our daughters is in college, and the other one is a senior in high school, we will basically live on the main floor. I'd build for the long-term--how you want to live. Kids do grow up fast. Personally, I don't want to live next to a teenager! Do you know how loud they play their iPhones when getting ready? I call them on their phones instead of shouting up to them. 1) Keeps me from shouting, and 2) temporarily interrupts the tinny sound of whatever music is blasting. Have fun!
    ...See More

    Lots of determination II with pics

    Q

    Comments (6)
    Hi Ilmbg, I know of the controvercy about what is a small house that we all get into. Trust me this is still a small house by todays standards. It's not a cottage with 3 bedrooms but it's not a large house either. I told the story about it in the first posting Lot of determination. My neighborhood is full of capes post wwII. Almost everyone has put on a addition due to how small the houses are. The difference is WHERE I put mine. The lay out of rooms in a home makes the mental determination of big or small. By putting my small 10 x by 32 ft addition onto my house I only added ten feet of width to the house. Not a lot really. BUT by adding it to exsisting space with out walls it LOOKs big. I still have 3 bedrooms and 2 baths just like before but now I have what I call a great room with livingroom, dinningroom and kitchen open to eachother. That gives the illusion of big. Do I get to stay on the small house forum???? Teri
    ...See More

    Tiny House Discouragement :(

    Q

    Comments (40)
    Still thinking on a plan. My thoughts not stringing together so will just make a list. Concerns for erosion so would not want to break down your hill side. Concerns for the difficulty in mowing on the slope. I am assuming it is a push type mower and not riding. Will DH be upset with having to dodge trees? Wondering what is under the large rocks over the french drain? More rocks? A grate of sorts. Some sort of landscape cloth. Can not tell what is there but I think I can see something. I know you said the rocks do not need to be there. Some sort of zig zag path up towards the back fence but nothing that would come down directly at your house. Back to the erosion thing again. I am picturing planting pockets of trees and shrubs along a path going side to side across the yard. Just can not quite put it together. I know the experts always say to have a plan and follow it. I have never been able to do that other then an over all vision for basic and then embellish on that. I would love to see something like what Buddy rose did in her yard only across your yard and not up and down. How much work do you really want to spend in your yard on a weekly basis. That is a big consideration too. I totally love cottage gardens with no lawns. I have had them at several of our houses. Now I do not want to have to do that much work with all the weeding and dividing of the perennials replanting all the time. I even decided today to remove one flower bed I tried to do because it is too much work to take care of. Round up to the rescue. Then mulch and call it good. It too is up a hill and too steep to stand on easily and too hard to pull the weeds on my hands and back. Still thinking on this. Come on ML I am sure you have something good in mind. Chris
    ...See More

    2nd floor addition

    Q

    Comments (12)
    3 bedrooms PLUS a master is way too ambitious for the 1100 s.f. home you have. If you went straight up all around, which may lead you to the box on box look you're trying to avoid, you would have space for a master of around 500 s.f. plus two more bedrooms. If you can pull the mass back from front wall, at least on the right side with the gable, it would help the look. Also, you may want to add a bit at the front or rear to help with the massing, and maybe give you a front entry hall with room for the stairway. Good luck!
    ...See More
  • musings
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks cookie08.

    Thanks for responding luann in pa. It's a preference in my neighborhood, so I'm trying to determine whether an elevator (or an elevator-ready house) would make a difference to someone with that general preference.

  • melaska
    13 years ago

    As I sit here with the bursitis acting up in my hip, I am one of those that 'need' a main floor master bedroom. As linked below, all I can remember is a movie I saw when I was 13 years old that forever changed my view of elevators. Hers was more of a 'cage-like' apparatus, but still. ;) I'm sure having an elevator or at least an elevator-ready option would greatly expand your pool of buyers.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lady in a Cage, 1964 starring Olivia de Havilland & James Caan

  • beaglesdoitbetter1
    13 years ago

    We needed a master downstairs not for the aging thing, but b/c we want to be able to let dogs in and out easily. Some people like them b/c they want separation between master and other bedrooms. So, there are other reasons that people may prefer a master that an elevator wouldn't correct.

    Now, those may be reasons specific to us but we would not have ever considered a 2nd floor master.

  • bethohio3
    13 years ago

    We would have bought a house with a master up, but we *built* with a master down. At whatever point we downsize, we will definitely go with a ranch--and an elevator, or an elevator-ready house would not change that.

    I wanted a house with a downstairs master that opened to the backyard so we could get to our hot tub without traipsing through the house--I thought we'd use it more that way. I was right :-)

  • dekeoboe
    13 years ago

    No, and one of the reasons is because dogs can't operate elevators. When they age and have difficulty walking, I can't be carrying them up and down stairs. Elevators don't solve all problems associated with stairs.

  • musings
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    This is really great feedback.

    Dekeoboe, I am confused by your comment. Are you just talking about the master up vs down, or two story houses?

  • sue36
    13 years ago

    "I know the general preference is master bedroom on the first floor."

    Preference by who? Not the preference by me, or the preference around here (geographic here, not website here). First floor masters are great when kids are grown or gone, but horrible when they are small. I feel much safer with my second floor master, I can actually sleep with my windows open at night (not in January obviously!).

    There seem to be two primary reasons for first floor masters - privacy and infirmity (now or later). Privacy can be addressed with good design. If I required a master that could be reached without stairs I would prefer a second floor master with an elevator over a first floor master.

  • jhs2010
    13 years ago

    I live in Chicago (suburbs) and 2-story homes here traditionally have masters on the second floor. My grandparents, who built their own home many years ago, might have been the only people I know with a 2-story house, master bedroom downstairs. If the need ever arises for elevator access to the second floor it can be done easier than you imagine. Last year, my parents had to build an elevator to access the second floor master in their home, as my dad has ALS and they preferred to stay in their home. No, it wasn't inexpensive, but not anywhere near as difficult to do as I imagined, they don't have a very large home.

    I am sure there are strong preferences to have it on first floor, but for me I love all bedroom upstairs - it's all I've ever known, lol. We are in the process of building our own home right now and we never considered building our master on the first floor, even knowing what my parents just had to do. Home lots are pretty small here, so likely that has something to do with it, too (more space for bedroom upstairs).

    Good luck with your build!

  • david_cary
    13 years ago

    Very regional obviously although the comment from jhs really surprises me.

    We had planned on 1st floor master as that is what our last house had. In the end, the sacrifices and tradeoffs made us build 2nd floor master. We were pregnant at the time and it has been nice to be on the same floor.

    Unless your house is in a retirement area, I think you will still find buyers who prefer the upstairs bedrooms. We have a family neighborhood and it is probably 1/2 master up and 1/2 master down.

    I sometimes miss our master down but there are enough pros and cons that it doesn't really matter.

  • Adella Bedella
    13 years ago

    I prefer it down. I also prefered that my childrens bedrooms be near the master so our bedrooms are all on one side of the house in one area. We have a one story. We may be forced back to a two story if we move again. I would still prefer that the majority of bedrooms be downstairs.

    As far as the upper story being more secure, I'm not sure. We were talking to our security guard last month. He said a lot of break-ins were being made through the upper floor because people alarm the bottom floor and not the top.

  • musings
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I wasn't trying to start a debate on preference. There is definitely a first floor preference where I am building.

    I do not live in a downsizing/retirement area, nor will privacy be an issue. Who knew dogs could be an issue. lol

    This feedback is interesting, and very appreciated. Although I would address the two most oft mentioned reasons, it sounds like maybe those aren't really the reasons for the pref.

  • pps7
    13 years ago

    Hmmm, I prefer 1st floor master, but it's not b/c I can't go up the stairs. I'm 36 and in good health. I will say that we had a ranch when our son was born and it was fantastic for a young child. We build last year and by then he was 7. We choose to have 2 bedroom on the main level and 2 on the 2nd floor. It's an unusual set up but works for our lifestyle.

    I will say the idea of an elevator in a home does not appeal to me. Maybe if I lived in an area where land was a premium and the only only way to build was up. If I loved a house and it had a 2nd floor master-it would not be a deal breaker for me. Although at least one bedroom/full bath on the main level is a good idea for various reasons. Especially if you have aging parents.

    The question is why are you considering a 2nd floor bedroom? If that is your preference and it works for your lifestyle, then I say go ahead and do it. If it's a compromise, or for budget reasons, I would reconsider.

  • booboo60
    13 years ago

    I will throw a "kink" into this whole discussion and say, I think I would be "creeped out" by an elevator in my house! I don't believe I have ever in my fifty some years been in a house with an elevator. I can see where it would be advantageous for health related issues but if I were looking for a house I would not buy one with an elevator in it! I'm just weird I guess :)

  • krycek1984
    13 years ago

    I don't think an elevator in a home is necessary by any means unless it is a high-end custom home. I had never even heard of putting in elevators in until this forum.

    If you don't want an elevator you can always put a chair lift on the stair case.

    The issue for us is with the dogs and when they get old they don't want to go up stairs.

    I prefer second level though and many, many houses in Ohio still have second-level masters.

  • onlygirlsmom
    13 years ago

    I must agree that having an elevator in a home seems a bit odd to me-especially if you have small children. However, I was in a home a few years ago that had an elevator -there were 2 1/2 floors (plus the basement) -the owner had it built that way b/c his wife had some degenerative disease so he knew at some point she would become wheelchair bound and didn't want to limit her to one floor. The house was very cool and the elevator was quite inconspicuous actually.

  • dekeoboe
    13 years ago

    musings - The dogs sleep in the master bedroom, but they don't always go to bed or get up when we do. Since they can't operate an elevator, we would have to be their maid/butler anytime they wanted to go to/from the bedroom.

  • bigkahuna
    13 years ago

    I would venture to say that an elevator open the market for your home if you were to sell. Many elderly people will not go for homes with second floor master bedrooms.

    There are several reasons for second floor masters in my experience.

    1. Smaller /narrower lots often times make the planning of a home require second floor master. It offers more flexiblity for the layout and often times offers more variety of views of the property on the first floor.

    2. Security of being away from prying eyes on ground level.

    3. Closer proximity to younger children.

    4. Second floor master bedrooms often times allow for a smaller first floor footprint and therefore may reduce cost of building.

    5. First floor master suites allow for a bit of separation from kids, and allow pets out. Also may keep you closer to kitchen and laundry roometc.

    6.First floor masters open the market to wider variety of buyers.

    Opinions on both are wide. However as you suggest I tend to agree a first floor master offeres the most advatages in general.

  • lonestarstate
    13 years ago

    We designed with master (and all bedrooms) upstairs primarily for the reasons bigkahuna stated.

    That being said, we also put in stacked closets for a future elevator and the downstairs Gameroom has a full bath and is sized for use as a master if needed.

    The laundry room is on the second floor but we have space and hook up for a stacked washer dryer on the first. I think a home can be designed with a great deal of flexibility.

  • musings
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Bigkahuna summed it up with #1. Our lot is considered relatively big for the location (15 minutes from downtown). The problem is it's not really big. ;)

    Lonestarstate, We are doing all the things you did IF we end up going with this plan. We would like a gameroom down and more yard for indoor/outdoor living and entertaining. We will also do the same to make it a flex space and have laundry rooms up and down. Any regrets or other words of wisdom?

    Also, our population is less than 15% over 65, so that's not our target market. The median age here is closer to 40.

  • chrisk327
    13 years ago

    I'm sure its definately a location thing, but in my area, second floor masters are the standard in a colonial.

    However, I'm on long island in ny. Space is at a premium on lots and basically to build something with a decent sized downstairs, you end up in some areas not really having room for a master suite.

    I would say I prefer the 2nd floor master. I do understand the concerns of some on mobility. however the vast majority of those looking to purchase a 2000+sqft colonial are families with kids, with people who are mobile.

    when looking at homes, the idea of all bedrooms on the same level was important.

    I guess it really comes down to local conditions.

  • lonestarstate
    13 years ago

    Our lot is large enough for a master down but having it up allowed the game room to be on the first floor and us to keep as much backyard as possible as well as allow better indoor to outdoor living.

    This was done purposefully as in our current home our daughter often pays upstairs while we are in the kitchen, study or family room. As she'll only live with us for 18 or so years, we prefer her proximity as much as possible. We can still all get away from each other if needed.

    Another reason we did it was that I want to be forced to climb stairs several times daily. For health reasons as well as one reason I've found in my current house that has the master down: I never go upstairs. There's just no reason to. In my new home I use the whole house which helps me justify the expense of it in my mind a little better.

    Maybe I'm weird.

  • tinycastles
    13 years ago

    I think it is largely dependent on the age of the home owners and their family's needs. And location, of course. Location, location, location. I think a young family would think an elevator was an unnecessary luxury. Possibly even dangerous for meddling children. Retirees, empty nesters, etc. would probably appreciate the elevator, which could mean the difference between a sale or no sale...

    But even in the Midwest, where space is not at a premium like the coasts, we chose to design and build with the Master upstairs. And we have 10 acres, so it's not like we were restricted by our lot size. We are a young couple with a toddler and hope to have more in the near future. In our last home the Master was on a separate floor from the secondary bedrooms. After our daughter moved to a crib in her own room, we ended up sleeping in the bedroom next to hers in order to be closer to her. We hardly utilized our fabulous Master. That really sucked. I have a large family (6 siblings) and all have children (my sister and her husband have 8). One generalization is this: people with children want to be close to them, and if building will often build for their needs and not for resale, i.e. the needs of the aging baby boomers.

    I also agree with bigkahuna and lonestarstate on why the Master Upstairs has its advantages. We didn't want a huge foundation. Better views from our Master Balcony. Security. I also like having the bedrooms up in order to keep the personal space separate from the public. In my opinion, it works well for entertaining and keeping people from wandering down hallways and into messy bedrooms:) Only the really bold will traipse upstairs "looking for the bathroom".

  • athensmomof3
    13 years ago

    I think this is very much a regional thing, and a personal preference. It is often more expensive to have a master on main because it is a less efficient use of the square footage. However, I would not have considered a master up house when we bought this one (I was 6 months pregnant with our first of 3 children). Yes, it is a little more up and down the stairs for a while. Our boys slept in a bassinet in our room til they were 3 months old, and two of three were close to sleeping through the night at that point.

    I have spent some time running up and down the stairs, but when they got to a certain age (usually around 4), they came down to get me if they needed me. I was willing to trade a few extra steps with the fantastic benefit of having the run of the downstairs when the kiddos are asleep at 8. It is also beneficial if the boys are loud and rowdy (we don't have a playroom in this house so everyone plays in the den) . . . If I need to get away for a second, I can go to my bedroom with a small sitting area - and still hear if there are real issues that need to be addressed.

    I wouldn't buy a house with a 2nd floor master. We are building and we have a first floor master with 4 bedrooms upstairs . . . I wouldn't even want a guest bedroom down I don't think :).

    Many of the houses we looked at before we bought this one had a master up and they were all ruled out. I would think there are a few who want a master up, but that is such a temporary situation with little kids that a master down would appear to a wider audience. However, I am biased :)

  • arkansasfarmchick
    13 years ago

    Our kids were 2 and 5 when we built, and we built a first floor master with the kids upstairs. The staircase is straight across the hall from our bedroom door, so other than climbing stairs is not any different than our split bedroom setup in our old 1500 sq ft house. It hasn't been a big deal.

  • chicagoans
    13 years ago

    Hardly any of the new homes around here (in-fill /tear down building in an old neighborhood) have masters on the first floor. Maybe because it's an area that attracts families (good schools) although we have our older folks too. Although they almost all have some kind of guest room / office on the first floor.

    I prefer all the bedrooms on the 2nd floor. It separates the private areas from the more public areas. I may feel differently when I'm older, but I like it this way for now.

  • bigkahuna
    13 years ago

    Chicagoans, I would guess that has a bit to do with the nature of older neighborhoods also being smaller lots, more formal designs and house styles.

  • chicagoans
    13 years ago

    bigkahuna I agree: our lots here average about 65-70' wide but some are 50'. (Some are much larger too; we have curvy streets so lots are all different sizes. And some people tear down 2 houses to build one big one, so those lots are big too.) Anyway, when you have sidewalks and neighbors nearby, a 2nd floor BR gives you more privacy. (And you're right about the more traditional homes too. We get the occassional contemporary home, but it kind of stands out among the Tudors, Georgians, Capes, etc.)

  • tracey_b
    13 years ago

    We've had 3 new houses in 20 yrs, and all had the master down. Our first house was a spec house in a neighborhood we wanted to live in, and the bedroom placement wasn't a consideration---we just wanted the house. However, when we left that house to move and decided to build, we realized we DID like the master down. Same in this last move. We only looked at houses that had the master down. Not finding the house AND lot we liked, we built again. I can't speak to the children issue because we don't have any. I just like that we can be contained in all one level if we need to (when older age comes), but mostly that I can shut off the upstairs when not in use (we have his and hers computer rooms upstairs) to save on heating/cooling. We obviously don't need all those upstairs rooms, but for resale, we do, so we had to include them in our plans.

  • sillybilly5
    13 years ago

    In my area, the overwhelming majority of two storey houses have masters upstairs. Personally, I prefer the masters up for the reasons many have already posted -- private vs public separation, closer to my kids... But more and more custom homes are building with in-law/guest suites on the main floor. When we started planning our build we were torn about what to do. Anyway, we're in the process of building and we're at the "finishes" stage and so far I'm happy with what we decided. We decided to design our home-based business office on the main floor so that it could easily be converted to a master bedroom if the need arises. The office has a complete bathroom and a large closet. For an office, it's convenient to have a washroom in close proximity and the closet will act as storage space for our office supplies and files. It also has french doors that lead directly to our deck.
    Our architectural designer suggested an elevator as more custom homes are adding them. He said we could build a large closet space stacked on both floors so that it could be converted into an elevator shaft if we ever changed our minds. But it seemed like an over-the-top luxury to me. I have been to two houses with an elevator installed and it's discreet. It just looks like a closet door. But you should have a back-up generator in the event that there is a power outage. To me, that adds up to more unnecessary expense.
    Musings -- I don't think you mentioned your personal prefernce here -- master up or down -- but if you prefer your master upstairs, have you considered adding a main floor office that could be converted to a master bedroom complete with closet and ensuite?

  • flgargoyle
    13 years ago

    I'm having a change of heart about the whole thing! I prefer the look of a two story house, and it is a bit cheaper, and a smaller footprint on the land. That being said, the house I will build soon will likely be our last, with retirement only 10 years away. I always figured it would be one level, period. But the higher off the ground on our land, the better view of the mountains. We'd really like a second floor balcony to enjoy the view. Well, if I'm going to go 2 story, might as well put the master suite up there.

    I think climbing stairs is probably better than sitting on the couch, so we'll start out upstairs. The house is very small, so I added a 1st story wing to be used as a den until such time as the stairs are no longer an option. We'll start out with the laundry upstairs, too, but there is a spot for it on the first floor as well. Problem solved- 2nd story master, with a Plan B should life take an unexpected turn!

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago

    All this discussion about upper and lower masters confirms our decision to build a home with an upper and lower master bedrooms.

    I prefer an upper master. I had a British housemate at one point and she said, "upstairs is for family, downstairs is for guests." I guess that stuck with me. Plus, we have a young child, and it's definitely nice to be on the same floor as him at night.

    On the other hand, our family and friends live around the world, and when they visit, they usually stay for several weeks. A main level master gives them privacy. My mom may live with us as some point, so it'll be nice for her (we're doing universal design throughout the mainfloor). I have a health issue, and at some point, I'll probably need a first floor bedroom. If our son wants to live with us when he's in college, he can move to a bigger room (and pay rent!).

    The two masters should give us lots of flexibility for whatever life throws at us.

    Here is a link that might be useful: de Jong Dream House

  • musings
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    A master on each floor is very flexible (and love that you are universal on first story). I agree with your post and that's why I was so conflicted. I saw pros and cons to each. We ended up with similar flexibility taking a different route. Master up with elevator access, plus an apartment with separate access for privacy. And, laundry rooms on both floors. We aren't 100% universal on the first floor, but close!

    Is that your blog? So you're also doing green design?

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago

    Yes, that's our blog. We say we are doing as much green and universal design as we can afford! We thought about the elevator (even with the dual master), but opted against it for now. However, if we needed it, our laundry room and pantry are stacked so we could put on it.