I agree that the closet spoils the hallway, but can you include something inside your bath room?

Having storage in the bathroom would be great, but I think that there is only a small spot in front of the toilet. I thought the laundry has room, but wife wants it to be accessible by guests, so venturing into the laundry room is not preferred.

Adding a better photo for clarity

What about a console height cupboard facing the top of stairs? This would leave wall open for art etc. . Don’t know how long that wall is so guessing 4’ + & also seeing width of area at top of stairs is 3’10”. The cupboard doesn’t need to be as deep as tall cupboard looks to be. Measure folded linens & towels for depth needed. Is it possible to insert into wall of whatever that room to right of top of stairs is?

It’s a laundry room! Didn’t see that before my comment. So, why not inset box into laundry corner on wall with entry door but with linen cabinet doors outside laundry room in that upper landing. Doors would be flush to wall & you’d have to work out how to do trim etc. So, accessible to guests for your wife but in the laundry room for you! And, no hallway or floor space in landing taken up.

Could you lose a couple of feet of the laundry to have a shallow bi-fold closed on the longer wall that opens in the hallway? Sorry this is crude, but it only has to be the depth of one bath towel to work for you.

@293summer That is what I was initially thinking of doing. Just running it down that hall and making it a storage wall and a display wall.

@KW PNW Z8 and @decoenthusiaste I really like those ideas, and that definitely is a very functional solution. My concern (and this could be just nit picky) is that I don't want to see closet doors at the top of the stairs when I walk into the house (the stairs are right at the entrance). I'd prefer to have art there or something else decorative. What do you think?

I love 293summer's idea of storage all along the wall!

Deep linen closets tend to become a mess anyway.

The shallow linen closet will stay neater and more organized.

If you have big quilts or blankets they can be stored in those vacuum bags so they take up less space.

I bet using that hallway with shallow storage you will actually get more storage than a smaller, deep closet.

You can also use that long length of closet for other things like soap, kleenex, toilet tissue, etc. which these days, we all need extras of.

@loobab Thats a good point about deep closets being a mess all the time. I completely agree.

What are you storing in that linen closet, and why would guests be going into it? Whatever depth you make it, Be sure it accommodates whatever you plan to store in it.

Alex, not nit picky at all! the appearance of what’s at top of stairs is important if it can be seen from entrance. I think though if you want to keep the hallway width to family room, the solution is for linen storage to be outside of laundry room. A nice marriage would be a merge of 293Summer’s idea & mine. That is a lower wall cabinet or drawers & inset into laundry room so not taking up hall space. This leaves the top half of wall open for art. If the lower built in cabinet/ drawers do protrude a bit forming a shelf, that’s another opportunity for display. The key thing is to have this storage piece look like nice cabinetry on hallway side. The protrusion into laundry side could be made functional as well - shelf, counter etc. That laundry wall looks long enough to make this workable.

@KW PNW Z8 I think that is a wonderful idea. Make it half the height, and I can still have a visual focal point above it (like @decoenthusiaste suggested). I would still need to figure out how to dress up that wide 5' hallway, but loving these options now. Thanks so much!

2 things.

My guests would never go in a closet. They would be given sheets (and have the bed made) and given towels. How the heck are guests supposed to know which sheets and towels to use in your linen closet? All these built in linen closets look very expensive for what is completely unnecessary.

How do you get in your shower and where is your storage in the bathroom? A 72 inch vanity with 2 sinks offers little nice storage - I mean lots of undersink room but that isn't "nice" storage.

I understand linen closets in hallways are pretty typical.. In our current house, secondary bedrooms are upstairs and we have a linen closet. We use it for my son's sheets (and a bunch of nothing). The guest sheets and towels are in the guest room. You could take that closet away from me in a second - but it just fit in a nook.

I think the livability of your master bath would be greatly improved without that tub in there but maybe you use a tub regularly? If not, it is a waste of valuable space.

Sometimes people need more towels than you give them and more linens too, and they shouldn't be embarrassed by having to ask for them.

Grown-ups have accidents, too.

Some people choose to store their towels and linens in each bedroom.

Others like a linen closet.

It is really not a big deal to label a shelf or container or however you organize your things with labels that say single bed, double bed, queen bed, etc.

Just put the linen IN the laundry (nothing could be easier on laundry day, and it need not be more than 18" depth ) ) , and add a long low stylish console in the hall for TP, AND OTHER SUPPLIES.that suit your baths Add lamps, art! above! . Most linen closets are junk yards of neglect, That's a fact. : )

Your hallway without the linen is over five feet wide! A 20 inches deep console will cost you nothing in looks, it will add a ton of style and function.

PS................ THIS ABOVE IS JUST ONE of issues, Go the op's other thread. Alex,,,,,,,use that one instead, as below.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6021313/kitchen-sizing-and-position-in-new-build#n=1

@loobab and @david I'd prefer the linens be out of sight (like inside the laundry room but wife insists they are accessible from main hall). I agree about the tub taking up valuable room... it's something my wife really wants to have, so the options in there are limited

If you don't post your plan in its entirety, you will go in circles. That's always a choice, of course.The linen can be "accessible" from the hall. You just step into the laundry, and hang a left.

Design is always a give and a get. No matter the size of the home.

So, those other bedrooms are for guests, not children. Got it. (Reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend. Guests going into your linen closet or refrigerator, and how we felt about it. She does it, and has friends who do. I noted that she never went in MY refrigerator. "Well, no, bpath, I don't think you'd like me to." So, different strokes!)

In your bathroom, where are you keeping your towels at hand? Like for the shower, where is the towel before you turn on the water, and where is it when you step out?

Will you keep any cleaning supplies or tools in the linen closet, or in the laundry room?

My choice would be a long series of 18" to 20" cabinets along the wall going into the family room. Then a set of full size base cabinets with countertops and wall cabinets in the laundry room. You need a spot to be able to fold your laundry. Why not both? The opportunity is there, I'd take it.

Get both floors on one visual. What is the purpose of the "family room" on floor two, if you have a great room on one? And we still can not FULLY see both floors.

Who will the guests be? Peers or grown children and their children? Where is the master bed closet? As to the second floor, it seems you can ill afford TWO guest bedrooms and a "family or bonus space, when you seem to a bit crammed for master bath and bed. .......and no visible master closet to boot unless you are hiding a reach in.on the plan

You could add a hanging storage organizer in each guest bedroom closet for a set of bedsheets, towels, a warm blanket and extra pillow or could add permanent shelving. I’m sure guests would feel more comfortable with this than going into the family’s closet.

I think the best location for the linen is in the laundry room for efficiency and solving your hallway issue. Friends of ours have a cottage with 7 bedrooms and have non stop guests. I’ve helped with laundry and it is a dream - linen storage, a folding table, and hanging area can make life much easier. If room is configured well, I’m sure you’ll be happy with linen stored here.

Consider a pocket or sliding door to get more accessibility for wall usage

A long 18” deep closet would give you tons of flexible storage. Games, kids craft materials, linens, blankets. And 18” would be a perfect depth for all those things.

@bpath I think I misrepresented the purpose here since everyone thinks we just have guests over. We have a toddler, aiming to eventually have two kids. All family is out of town, so we wanted to have things accessible when they come over. Towel spot was meant for that shower wall. Cleaning supplies will be in laundry room.

@homechef59 I agree, that would be ideal

@Maureen thank you, I think I might do a hybrid of a closet in the laundry room and shallow storage along the hallway.

@mainenell I agree. The main purpose of the upstairs family room is that is where the toys will be along with entertainment unit. So storage along that wall will be key =)

Just out of curiosity, but I'm assuming the builder or architect was ok with the laundry room there? I was told you have to be careful that a second floor laundry room is on a load bearing wall or exterior wall because of the weight, vibrations, and venting.

Also, just random idea, but regarding your master bath tub/shower space issue, our master bath is a little bigger but we have a big wide garden tub that is then surrounded with tile and glass shower doors, with two shower heads including one that detaches to be handheld. That way you have a really big functional shower and also a big nice tub, and it looks nice. Sometimes people pick separate tub and shower because they think that's what a nice master has, but in practice the shower gets all the use but is pretty well short changed for space, and the tub takes up the space but then there's no storage around the tub to actually facilitate its usage. There's also frequently no way to rinse bubbles out of your hair without a sprayer so you often have to get out of the bath into the shower to finish, assuming you use your tub, unless you have a good plan for adding a sprayer and controlling where the water goes. I know it sounds like a cheap compromise to have a tub/shower, but it's really not, it is lovely and large and allows room then for good storage across from your toilet for your own towels, medicine cabinet stuff, etc. You won't want to go into the hall for every towel, and you won't have enough room in your vanity for every hair dryer, shaver, plus TP, place to put washcloths, medicine, robe maybe etc. No one ever had too much storage.

If Mrs wants a bathtub, she deserves one!

@Emily L We went off premade plan with it there, and had our builder and his architect verify the plan so we should be cleared.

Tub/shower combo is more economical, but never having had a walk in shower, it's definitely a must for us. Maybe we can push back the wall by the toilet to make room for storage?

Sorry, dirty shower doors

Alex, I can’t tell what the amount of floor space is from front of toilet to shower side wall but it looks “not tight”. My master bath toilet room is 6’ deep, 44” wide & I have a 12” deep counter height cabinet facing my toilet. Cabinet holds a set of towels, TP, & lotion bottles etc on top of it. I do have space for a deeper cabinet. My point is, looks like you have space for a freestanding cabinet, tall or short, & facing it towards bathroom or towards toilet. Lots of space for extra towels & bath related supplies. No need to cut space out of shower!

I know this is off topic, but someone needs to save you. Your house is another fine example of no windows on a side elevation EXCEPT at the master bathtub. And how is this suppose to work??

A follow up question after looking at master shower layout - I’m assuming entry to shower is between edges of bathtub & shower wall on left - that seems really, really narrow. Am I not understanding floor plan? What is space for door? I think standard shower entry @ 30”.

@Mark Bischak, Architect We need windows in the kitchen there, but I think the rest of the house is sufficient, no? We are in subdivisions, so we have other two storey homes beside us. Each room as a big window on one side. How would you change the master bathroom? I am thinking of putting in an angled entrance into that shower instead of the wall there.

@KW PNW Z8 That will need to be changed. That is a mockup from builder, but haven't discussed with the shower and bath people where things will go.

Ok so that might affect spacing around toilet but free standing storage an idea to keep in mind. Another couple suggestions for your master bath- pocket door instead of swing door. Since there’s no electric or plumbing in wall between tub & bedroom, you can install there. The space it frees up is amazing - I have one in same entry from master set up & also in toilet room doorway. Costs a bit more but so worth it. Shower enclosure - get frameless glass. Door will then swing both into & out of shower & the look is so much nicer. We just changed ours after 8 years in house since our build. At the time we were overwhelmed with decisions & every change we made was $$. But, so sorry we didn’t do it at build. See attached for difference

@KW PNW Z8 Thanks so much for the pictures. Frameless is fantastic. We would really like that I think. Have you had issues with sliding doors? I had one in a rental before and it was always getting stuck

Zero problems. We have 3. 2 in master bath & 1 in laundry room at end of a hallway. the door style matches the other doors in our home. they are such a space saver & everyone gets excited about them!

Pondering your master bath again. Maybe the answer to shower entry is to have a free standing bath tub. It sure frees up floor space in both width & length directions over the typical “tub in a box” that the bigger tubs with tiled surrounds to support them take up. If you look at my pics, you’ll see one end of our slipper tub. it is a 6’ porcelain pedestal tub & not inexpensive - it was our splurge. But free standing tubs are popular & so many sizes, shapes & materials so all kinds of prices. just looking at your floor plan, imagining the space freed up with a free standing. A nice touch of luxury in a master bath too. We tiled our walls around the tub up to window height & the plumbing is in the narrow bump out under the window which I use as a shelf. You can see that in pic too.

@KW PNW Z8 Great to hear about the sliding doors! Our tub is going to be freestanding, not sure if they are supposed to draw them differently in the plan.

Well that, I think, changes everything about the presumed shower entry issue! I can’t read architectural plans so maybe Mark Bishack might speak to that bc I think he was seeing what I thought I saw. So, with tub centered in space or, closer to entry wall, door to shower isn’t an issue I think.. You might go with a sliding door since you have 3 walls on shower. They do make frameless sliding doors too which look terrific.

@KW PNW Z8 I just asked builder to take out that wall between shower and toilet and pull back the wall between toilet and family room. That should take care of any issues and provide some extra storage space =)

So a 2 glass walled shower & more floor space between end of vanity & toilet? Not sure where extra storage space will come in unless you plan to add or place a cabinet in new space between vanity end & toilet. That doesn’t address space between shower & tub so I’d really still want to have that crystal clear about size & placement of tub. I don’t think entry to shower can be on end by toilet - the handles & spray for shower will be at the other end.

@KW PNW Z8 I'm sorry, I don't understand why entrance cant be on toilet side. I was thinking of having either a shallow vanity in the new spot by toilet or just some hooks.

mark up a copy of your bath layout with wall adjustment, show where toilet will be & also include where the shower head & handles will be inside the shower & draw your thought of position of shower door. It’d be helpful if measurements of shower & length of bathroom noted on layout. We see width of room is 10’7”. Seeing this layout will help illustrate the problem or show that it works. Your builder contact - construction manager needs to walk through your proposed changes with you too. Could be that I’m wrong & / or not understanding the changes you are making but I cannot see an entry at the short end of a shower working. I’m thinking the shower head & handles are on the exterior wall.

Children play near Mom in a kitchen. Unclear whether the "toy's" are for your kids, or your kids, kids. Either way..........you need to reduce length of upstairs family room, Improve master bath, show where you have a master closet as well.

You have a long deep house, probably limited in lot size, and with very near neighbors as well. Adding windows, to get view of near siding is often not worth it.

The house will be dim, it's long and narrow, and IF it's for a young family.......with children.....? Seems lacking in function. You may say that's "abrasive", it's just an opinion based on how most young families actually live. Forgive me, but I see plenty of that, and have for thirty years.

This house needs more closets, not less. Do you have a vacuum cleaner? Or two? Buckets, mops, brooms, luggage, paper goods, bulky toys, etc, etc?

Closets are economical storage space vs buying storage furniture, or custom cabinets.