Larger kitchen or additional full bath
I have a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath house with a study that can be used or converted into a 3rd bedroom. My kitchen is small and needs a major remodel (1950s nevamar laminate cabinets with crumbling edge band).
My goals are a more functional kitchen with an opening to the DR like this, 2.5 baths, a better location for the laundry (now directly across from the side door), 3 sleeping areas, and a drop zone/mudroom by back door. It's an older home and I am not trying to make it fully open concept.
I can't live with the kitchen as is but I need to decide on location for the second bathroom before I can do anything to the kitchen as one of the location options for the bathroom is in the breakfast nook.
If this were your house, what would you do? Am I missing another option for the guest bath?
Option 1- Use breakfast nook as part of kitchen, add new full bathroom in master closet, use existing hall bath as guest bath, add built in closets to master
Option 2 - use breakfast nook as part of kitchen, carve 2 full bathrooms out of hall bath closet area
Option 3 - keep kitchen size as is (could close entrance to hall and open new entrance to hall from DR above basement stairs). use breakfast nook as guest bath with or without hall entrance, current hall bath as master. could expand to include powder room
Option 4 - add guest bath and bedrooms upstairs (costliest option as it is an attic and would need to do stairs to code as well as HVAC, windows, etc)
Option 5 - enlarge kitchen and do nothing for guest/hall bath now. In this option I would need to keep a powder room
Comments (10)
User
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agomocxr
7 years agoRelated Discussions
convert 2nd full bath to half bath?
Comments (7)I agree with Palimpsest's suggestion of making it a 3/4 bath (i.e. a full bath with a shower instead of a tub). That would let you shrink it so it doesn't eat into the LR, and create more separation, but it will still list as a 2BR/2ba on any real estate listing. (I've never seen "1.75 bath" in a listing--a full bath is a place where you can wash yourself, and whether that's a shower or a tub it's still a full bath; AFAIK people just call it a 3/4 bath to be more precise, but a realtor's still going to call it 2 bath). I think the 3/4 bath idea will accomplish both of the things you want to accomplish here. It will let you shrink the space and give it more separation and privacy, but it will still keep your house technically as a 2BR/2ba, so when you're trying to sell it, potential buyers won't automatically cross you off the list as soon as they read "1.5 bath" in your listing. Also, maybe this is a stupid question, but not seeing your layout I can't be sure. So here goes: Is there any way things can be reoriented in that bathroom so that it doesn't open directly into the living room? What are the other walls adjacent to, and what's nearby, and where is it at least theoretically possible to move the door to? Could it possibly open into a hallway?...See MoreWhich would you do, back door or 2nd full bath?
Comments (32)So I am terribly trigger shy and definitely sorry for being such a bother. I spoke with realtors and as I imagined and you all suggested, we will lose value and buyers with a 2 bedroom house. I have been thinking of some alternatives. 1. Use 1/3 of the office space to the edge of the window as a large closet for the master bedroom. Turn the window in that office to a door to the backyard and make the kitchen space and the remaining 2/3 of the office an open kitchen and dining area. Steal 2 feet of kitchen space or add to the current half bath, to make it a full bath and make the dining room bedroom #3 with full bath. We will probably end up using that space as the office. 2. Move the kitchen into the dining room and use the window in the current dining area as a door to the backyard. Remove the half bath and include that space in the kitchen to make a kitchen/dining area. Wall off what was the kitchen,to create a bathroom and walk in closet for the office, which will now function as a small master bedroom (11x9). 3. Use 2/3 of the office to make a closet and bath for the master bedroom. Make the dining room a bedroom, and expand the kitchen to include the other 1/3 of the bedroom, and the current half bath for a kitchen/dining area. Use the kitchen window as backyard access. The only trouble I have with that idea is the fact that you will have to walk to the other end of the house to use the bathroom if you are in that 3rd bedroom. The layout of this house has been kicking my butt for 4 years now. I will not let it win! Do any of these options make sense? Any thoughts or suggestions. I think the one thing we decided is that we are not moving unless we have to move outside of this area altogether because of work. Let me know if you have questions....See MoreKitchen Addition estimates, "micro additions", surviving Sticker Shock
Comments (12)Thanks so much!!! @Sophie Wheeler, no wonder it did not make sense to me...I did not realize cost estimators were always assuming NEW construction. Having a figure of $450/sf as a start for our guesstimating is immensely helpful. I think we need to move out of the northeast, or downsize to a yurt. :)...See MoreMoving laundry to basement to gain larger master bath?
Comments (17)No, no one's suggesting reconfiguring the stairs -- if you launch into that project, it really is time to just choose another plan. Moving stairs means massive re-engineering, which would not be worthwhile when other small plans are available. What we're suggesting is using the space ABOVE the stairs. This would remove the open, airy feeling of the staircase ... but it would give you more liveable space in an otherwise too-small upstairs. Here's a website with step-by-step pictures of a couple guys "taking in" that space. Obviously you wouldn't do it later; you'd have it included with the original build, but this gives you an idea of what type of space we're discussing: http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn-an-Empty-Stairwell-into-a-Storage-Loft/ Consider the poorly-drawn layout I've sketched below. The bedrooms are untouched. This makes the current kid's bathroom into a larger closet for you ... takes in the space over the stairs to allow you a slightly-larger-but-still-simple bath; you could probably have a small linen closet next to the vanity ... and relocates the kids' bathroom. I think the proportions in the kids' bathroom may be problematic -- it's just a rough sketch. Of course, this does nothing to address your initial concerns about the laundry. Perhaps you could go with a small stack-up machine INSIDE the kids' bath? Perhaps a stack-up machine where I placed the toilet, move the toilet over to the other side of the room. I'm thinking this room would be about 7' wide -- it took in a basic bath PLUS your closet -- so that might be enough to have a small machine in that room. Then you could build a larger, nicer laundry in the basement eventually ... but still have the small, stack-up machine handy for small, quick loads. Perhaps this could be the best of both worlds -- or as close as can be in a small space? Off topic: Is a wet room 'specially expensive? Why?...See Moreroarah
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoscrappy25
7 years agoIf you converted your laundry room into a smaller laundry closet, you would have space for either enlarging your mudroom, enlarging the bath, or a breakfast nook. The old breakfast area is the obvious (and better) place for a new bath with entry from the second bedroom. You could also use your hall closet across from the stairs for an additional toilet and sink. That would actually be much more useful half bath for guests than the current location which is very out-of-the-way. Also, if you left a door into the master bath from this new toilet and sink area, the study could be turned into a bedroom sharing the master bath.
These are minimalist changes but could achieve what you desire.
As to the kitchen, it is amazing how much additional counter top and cabinet space you can create by doing a thoughtful remodel in the current footprint. There are lots of people that will help you out on the kitchen for him for that.
mocxr thanked scrappy25mocxr
7 years agoscrappy25
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agomocxr
7 years agoroarah
7 years agomocxr
7 years ago
roarah