Are these bedrooms too small?

11 years ago

Hi everyone,

I posted two versions of our floor plan a while back and got some helpful feedback. Here is the link to that thread:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0812182218742.html

We have decided (I think!) to go with the first plan, with the kitchen in the great room rather than to the side. We have selected this plan for two reasons: 1) because we entertain a lot and like the set-up with the kitchen/dining/living all together and adjoining the porch leading to the pool and what will be a bbq area; and 2) because we had to give up a large playroom that was originally below the children's bedrooms (which will be built on a half-story) to keep costs down. We have increased the size of the media room slightly.

So...our architect has been tinkering and this is the new floor plan for the kids' rooms -- both boys. Because of the shape of the house (which we really like) there is limited space in this wing so they will have to share a bath. That is okay with them though I am not sure about resale in our area -- most people prefer small ensuites for kids' rooms where we live. I am not wild about the placement of the window seat and he has made the room at the end of the wing smaller than it was (I assume so they are equal in size) -- we didn't ask for that. He has also built in the study nooks, which I guess makes sense with the WICs there. But...there is not much room to play here. No playroom plus small bedrooms makes me worry! There is the "media room" in the plan which will be a place for them to play, and the space below these rooms will be open patio space with fans etc. so they can play there too. What do you think, gardenwebbers? Are these bedrooms too small?

At one point we considered moving the kids' rooms upstairs and using this wing for the master, which we saw in a Southern Living plan -- link below.

The architect talked us out of it and anyway we were unsure how to fit in an entry to the master if it was on the half story with the stair tower at the front.

Sigh...I am getting tired of looking at this plan! Any and all advice/hints/tips/guidance/criticism welcome...please help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern Living Palm Garden Retreat

Comments (5)

mtnrdredux_gw
11 years ago
I think to answer that question you have to think about how and where they spend their day now, and map it to the new plan. If they do homework at the kitchen table, then the needs for their rooms are different.

The style of house you show looks like it would be in a warm area of the country --is it? Do they play outside?

All that said you also have to consider that, as they get older, they may want to do their homework in their rooms (and whatever else). On one hand, I get that, on the other, these aren't supposed to be Jr Suites at the Four Seasons. And for now at least, with 2 in elementary and one in middle school, I like a layout that discourages them from staying in their rooms, other than to read or sleep. No TVs no Macs in there.

One point our architect mentioned is all the boomerang kids who go away to college and cannot afford to live on their own when they first graduate. She suggested making bedrooms large enough to accommodate young adults, and with more bathroom privacy and removed from the master suite.

IDK if I want to faciliate boomeranging!
LuAnn_in_PA
11 years ago
And the kids may NOT come back after college!

My kids graduated college in 2006 and 2009. They did not return home; neither did their friends.

Unless you can also use the 'boomerang rooms' for ailing parents, I would not bother.
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When I had the master suite created in my DH's home up north, it was crowded for bedside tables too. So I got two wooden tall plant stands, with 12x12" tops. They fit perfectly fine. Then swing arm wall mounted lamps for each side of the bed. Enough room for a book on the shelf below and a glass of water or whatever. I never just use an end table when there is an option to have a small chest beside the table. That works even in a small room with limited storage space. Every item has to WORK to make the cut when space is scarce. And, in the bedroom in Alabama, I am going to be sorry to leave it for the BACK bedroom, which will become an ensuite master, because it is beginning to look SO comfortable. It is a west-facing bedroom, on the street. It has two PAIRS of windows, and the closet and entry to the bedroom are on a third wall. That leaves one wall which has no windows and no doors or other obstructions. However, I did not want the bed to be sideways in front of the entry door, so had to put the bed first diagonally in the corner between the two pairs of windows. This worked fine for a while, with the wicker chests I use for bedside tables centered between the windows. However, it was hard to make up the bed. So I decided to center the bed in front of the windows on the street wall. I closed the blinds to block the high heat coming through those windows anyway. And then I found some floor/ceiling grommet drapes at Tuesday Mornings! That is when I got DH to install crown molding wide enough to mount the double drapery rods, and I started planning 3 layers of curtains...grommet drapes wall to wall on both window walls, sheers on the second drapery rod, and finally the top-down roman shades using 90% shade cloth and Thermasuede fabric as a liner. I am almost done with the curtain project, but even with the shade cloth pinned in place on the west wall, the difference in heat gain is significant. This room is 12 x 12 give or take an inch. We changed out sliding closet doors for 2 pair of Jeldwen bifold shutter doors which I painted to match the crown molding and base boards and other wood work. The wicker chests are on either side of a full sized bed, with lots of breathing room. There is a rocking chair near the closet. There is a third chest between the closet and the door to the hall, and a wall mount TV is above the chest. So now I've ordered the Hudson queen size storage bed from Room and Board in cherry. It should arrive this month. I can hardly wait. It is a platform bed with no footboard, and no box springs, and it measures 60 x 80. A full bed is 54 x 75, so only a few significant inches of comfort which I look forward to having. But when the contractor finally comes, and bumps out the master bath for a tub and a long walk in closet, we'll be moving this new jewel to the back bedroom. This current bedroom will convert to a nice study/guest room. Only we seldom have over night guests, and may just put desks and bookcases in there until we move the contents of the up-north house. It seems to me that we have plenty of space in the 12 x 12 bedroom. Since we've repainted and made the room so peaceful, I will now take a horizontal break to meditate or read or chat on the phone. It looks good in natural or ambient light all times of day since northern exposures give true light, and the shade cloth gives a sense of separation from the street. Keeping active pursuits out of the bedroom is conducive to rest and separation from the cares of life.
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I like the exterior. The house isn't overly large, and the only room that is really generous in terms of space is the master bedroom. However, it'll work for a family of five, if it matches your expectations of "cozy". Downstairs: I agree that I don't like the dining room being so far from the kitchen. Could you flip the great room and the kitchen? This would mean you'd come in from the garage and enter the family room. Not typical, but also not horrible. I'd definitely skip a breakfast table. You don't need a dining room AND a breakfast room AND island seating -- and in this space, you can't afford all those seating options. Skipping the breakfast table will allow you to enlarge the family room. I'd consider moving the fireplace to the back wall -- it'll then be on the "wider wall" of the family room and will allow you to orient the sofa towards it. It'll also mean you enter the house from the "back" of the family room instead of the "side". I agree that I hate the downstairs bathroom -- awful location, awful layout -- but I don't see anything to do about it within this space. Upstairs: Your plan of putting the two girls into the bonus-room-turned-bedroom is good. It'll work really well if you have the two gables someone else mentioned; you'd have windows on three walls, and each girl could have her bed in an "alcove". And, yes, you'll need to be sure you have egress windows and closets -- don't skimp on the closets for two girls; I'd think you could have two closets flanking the doorway. That leaves one bedroom as an "away room" -- which is good. An upstairs office isn't a great idea -- the paperwork won't really make it upstairs. No, the kids won't use it as a playroom; kids never really do use playrooms. But it could be a quiet den type room where kids or adults could go for quiet time. And it'd be a good video game room when the kids are teens. You have plenty of space in the master for a seating area, or that could be an adult office space. Overall, I don't love the house -- I don't see that it has anything special enough to make it worth the effort and cost of building -- but it does look functional on a cozy scale.
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The house doesn't exist yet. well i wanted south facing because of the wind. There is a lot of wind and also south facing means I could have a look on the entrance door. I wanted that layout because I don't want to go through the dressing to get to the bathroom or vice versa like the previous picture I posted. You can have ALL those things -- they're all good choices -- AND you can still have a better layout for the kids' rooms. Your architect is just plain wrong to say this is the only layout that'll work.
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drewem
11 years ago
What are the dimmensions for the boys rooms?

Also, I noticed that you plan on having them on the 1st floor, while your bedroom is on the second. I also see you will have a pool. Please make sure your pool area is very secure, and they cannot access it (day time or night)without your knowledge.
mrspete
11 years ago
I know what my college daughter would say: "First world problem."

Is it okay for two people to "have to" share a good-sized private bath? I'm fine with kids sharing a bedroom.
With living room, media room, back yard, pool, and BBQ area, will they have enough space to play, given that they have no space particularly portioned out as an official playroom?

I wouldn't build with the idea that the kids might need to come home after college. Our kids are welcome to return home anytime as long as I am alive, but -- to borrow someone else's phrase -- I don't feel the need to provide them with a mini-suite.

I would continue to fiddle with the idea of flipping the kids to the upstairs and the master suite downstairs. Especially if you plan to stay in this house 'til you're elderly, it just makes sense.
lmwright
Original Author
11 years ago
Ugh...just typed a long response and lost it!

Thank you all for your feedback. Mrs. Pete, yes, definitely a first world problem! On the other hand, it costs a small fortune to build here (Caribbean) and takes forever and a day to sell at the best of times, so I need to make sure I appeal to as many future buyers as possible, just in case. When in Rome, you build the bathrooms the Romans expect! ;0)

DrewEm, the bedrooms are currently 12 x 11 not including the closets and study nooks. I could do reach-ins instead and lose the nooks to gain a couple of extra feet. Our kids are 8 and 18 months, so we do need play space for a good while yet. However, there is a rough patio below their rooms with fans, and we had thought of using that for a ping pong table, soccer goals etc., so they would have that at least.

Also, yes, this is a canal lot, so the pool is not the only danger. The whole thing will be fenced, locked and alarmed. The kids rooms are up a half story, so not a full story away. Our youngest will be in the room closet to the stair tower so really just a few steps away from the master...not far at all.

Funny you should all mention boomerang space -- I want it desperately! Our kids will likely go off island for university if not high school, so I want (need!) to encourage them to come home often, with friends, girlfriends, families later on...whatever. That is another big worry for me with these bedrooms. Maybe I could build in window beds or bunks in the hall like you see in Florida vacation homes...???

I am still tinkering with master down. Not very good at drawing, but I could do three slightly bigger bedrooms upstairs, one ensuite and two with a shared hall bath...or two ginormous suites! ;0) Just not sure how to design a master with WIC and bath in that long skinny space with the stair tower entering from the front.

Any other feedback welcome! Thanks so much, everyone.

Are these bedrooms too small?

Comments (5)

mtnrdredux_gw

LuAnn_in_PA

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Are these bedrooms too small?

Comments (5)

mtnrdredux_gw

LuAnn_in_PA

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drewem

mrspete

lmwrightOriginal Author

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