Potty parity, and, not what I expected about baths

9 years ago

I saw the linked commentary in a recent issue of Fine Homebuilding and thought some folks might enjoy it.

One of the features I was most looking forward to in our new house was the luxury of a bath just for DH and me. Still, I thought that our original design had too many baths. Architect and DH talked me into keeping them.

Fast forward and I am glad there is no more need to line up for toilets, but strangely enough the kids come downstairs to use our bathroom whenever they can, because it is "nicer." (Their bathrooms are plenty nice, good-sized windows, etc.) And the funny thing is, I don't mind. I am a bit relieved that being in a much bigger house hasn't meant we are no longer as close. But more important, I realized that what I really wanted was not my own bathroom so much as a CLEAN bathroom. So as the price of admission the older two kids (now 8 and 9) are learning to clean toilets. I figure it is a win-win for all.

Happy building, everyone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Potty parity

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Comments (11)

User
9 years ago
" So as the price of admission the older two kids (now 8 and 9) are learning to clean toilets. I figure it is a win-win for all. "

Definitely ... you use it, you take care of it.

I think that more "powder rooms" and fewer full baths makes a lot of sense. No one thunders into the house after a long drive because they want to take a shower. They really just need a toilet.

One of the best house designs I've seen had a "jack and jill" bath where each child had a toilet/sink and they only shared a shower.
worthy
9 years ago
Duplicate

This post was edited by worthy on Sat, Nov 22, 14 at 9:20
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worthy
9 years ago
A big drawback in marketing our last domicile was that there were five bedrooms, but only three baths on that floor. That there were two four-piece baths in the basement and a pow der room on the main wasn't good enough. It was eventually sold to a couple with one child and none on the way.

The interesting article misses the trend in luxe homes of having twin master baths.

They really just need a toilet.

In the early days of indoor plumbing here, as I can attest to having been a downtown realtor, there were rooms just like that. Simply a toilet.

This post was edited by worthy on Sat, Nov 22, 14 at 9:26
bbstx
9 years ago
I have a friend who built a house 20 years ago. They were empty nesters by that time. She hated sharing a bathroom with her husband in their old house.

In the master bedroom, on her side of the bed, is a door to her huge bathroom - all done in pink marble and other luxury finishes. On his side of the bed, is a door to his bathroom. It is a tad smaller, quite a bit more masculine, and includes an undercounter fridge so he doesn't have to trek to the kitchen for his middle-of-the-night snack.

It is perfect!
bbstx
9 years ago
I have a friend who built a house 20 years ago. They were empty nesters by that time. She hated sharing a bathroom with her husband in their old house.

In the master bedroom, on her side of the bed, is a door to her huge bathroom - all done in pink marble and other luxury finishes. On his side of the bed, is a door to his bathroom. It is a tad smaller, quite a bit more masculine, and includes an undercounter fridge so he doesn't have to trek to the kitchen for his middle-of-the-night snack.

It is perfect!
mtnrdredux_gw
9 years ago
Our MBR has a bathroom for my DH on one side and one for me on the other side. We gut renovated these bathrooms and made significant layout changes to the MBR area of the house, but they were preexisting. I don't think i would have done it de novo, but I love it.

Upstairs, there were 2br with a jack and jill. We put in 2 more BR, and added another jack and jill with the sinks separate from the shower and toilet room.

We also have a full bath for our pool that we added, and two powder rooms (pre-existing, though one was moved).

I think jack and jill is perfect for kids. I have come to prefer it over a hall bath because it keeps bathrooms more private. I prefer that the only public bathrooms are powder rooms.
worthy
9 years ago
She hated sharing a bathroom with her husband

The other way around here. A hundred bottles of dustcatching cosmetics, wigs on the vents, toothbrushes everywhere. Clutter galore. Horder lite is the look. BTW, separate bedrooms too, which is another trend in high-end homes, where the initial amatory fizz has long since evaporated.

This post was edited by worthy on Sat, Nov 22, 14 at 9:55
oldfixer
9 years ago
3 baths, 2 baths, and a powder room, only good enough for a couple with one child. Sheesh.
mrspete
9 years ago
I think many of the houses on this site are over-bathed. The article referenced above comments that often it's about status rather than real need, and I agree.

Amatory fizz is supposed to fizzle out? I didn't know, and I'm approaching my 25th anniversary.
lookintomyeyes83
9 years ago
Personally, we went with 1 bathroom (even jsut a half) on each floor, plus an extra on the 2nd as we wanted the master to have its own ensuite.
So we ended up with 3.5 baths. Im OK with it.
Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago
Haha! Love the term potty parity! I thought this was going to be about how men's rooms always accommodate more men then women, when women always take longer in the restroom, mainly because they have to get half undressed to accomplish the deed vs. men who just zip zip!

Potty parity, and, not what I expected about baths

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