Unless that third bedroom is already tiny, I'm always hopeful that its designation as a bedroom with a tiny closet can be kept. Some codes have that there must be so many square feet to become a bedroom, but I've never had to deal with that before. Even sacrificing some space in your current bath, making it a tiny bit smaller, and taking in half of the closet of your sacrificial bedroom and maybe a couple of square feet of floor area, would that leave you the bedroom? In our little 2/1 cottage, discovering mold in the plaster behind a vanity, launched me into a real whirl of bath remodeling. It lead to the smallest 3/4 bath in a house (smaller ones in a boat), and the relocation of the fixtures in the existing bath due to wood rot and NO floor under the ugly tub. Also, I had to tear out the existing closet for bedroom #2 so the new master suite could be created using that bath and a new walkin closet. This requires a bumpout to the bath and wall of the bedroom, which is where our project is now halted because the old contractor failed to return, and the new contractor has to finish his current prohject for British Petroleum. :/ But the message is, I lost 3 closets counting the linen closet in the hall, but we will have a lot more space to use with the 18 to 20 foot long bumpout along one wall with only a small extension of the roofline. Don't give up on having your cake and eating it too. With two bedrooms and two baths here, this house now would be a good rental for two roommates. But with THREE bedrooms and two baths, you would be in the single family home market. Everybody seems to want/need at least two toilets and sinks. It does not have to take up an entire bedroom.

weedyacres- LOL! That was actually something we were talking about when I wrote the post. I originally intended to install chrome wire corner shelves, but we never got around to it becuase we knew we were going to have to rip the whole thing out, so we just lived with them on the floor. Looking back, I think that I would prefer a niche to the corner shelves, and I plan to incorporate one or two in the new design.

I like the kitchen! This is OT and perhaps you've thought of this already (I didn't see your previous thread) but I was wondering if you couldn't do a bit more with the breakfast nook. Since you've chosen not to have a formal dining room, could you enhance the breakfast nook to do double duty for special occasions/entertaining? This wouldn't necessarily involve adding square footage, but instead use the architectural details and furniture to add a touch of drama/formality to the space. For example -- if the house design allows -- you could: 1) install a bay window in the breakfast area in place of the windows 2) replace the single door from the BA to the covered patio with french doors 3) Add a skylight above the dining table 4) Use an oblong dining table that can expand towards the kitchen for entertaining 5) Add built-ins (open shelves or cabinetry) in the BA wall (opposite the patio) which would provide a place to showcase decorative items and could be used as a server 6) Installing a "transitional" chandelier over the table that will work equally well for breakfast and more formal dining. 7) Installing good insulated doors (or solid doors) between the BA and drop zone and the drop zone and utility room to minimize noise from laundry etc... We had a very similar layout in a previous home and considered all of the above in order to have more dining versatility. Unfortunately, the home's design didn't allow us to do much.

mary-you have really niced sized closets, you will be amazed at what they can do. After we did ours in the new house it made me wonder why we hadn't gutted our old closet as there was so much wasted space and it was busting at the seams. Anyhow, sky is the limit as far as design just make sure you keep an account of what you have and they can offer suggestions on design to accommodate your closets needs. We live in MI so much colder than MA and our kitchen and bathroom sink plumbing was always on an outside wall with never an issue. I am not sure if showers are different? Our garage spigot did freeze on occasion but never anything inside the house. I think it's doable. Like #1 yet, this one the water closet door is in the way and I don't think it's as private there as it's original position on the right. When you walk into your bathroom your eye will be drawn to that awesome tub and your windows, pan to the left and you'd have your shower which can be glass and tile like the pic that LL posted. I like the window lavendar put in by the sink run also. You will have 2 points of natural light and I think it will be a very nice airy space - spa-like for sure.