I think it would be a bad idea. Even if someone else moved in and only used the office as a guest bedroom, the ability to bathe would be important for that bathroom. Also, should you end up with a temporary disability, you will also value that bath. I injured my back a couple years ago (at the ripe age of 29). I wasn't walking up the stairs to do anything, let alone bathe. Full disclosure: I also have a 1 1/2 story house. It will have 3 bedrooms up and 2 baths up when we finish our addition. We are keeping our full bath downstairs.

Hi Vesters. So many things you wrote struck a chord with me as we experienced the same issues with my SD, who is now 14. We've had custody of her since she was 5, after gaining emergency and then full custody though a very nasty battle. After DH and his ex divorced SM moved SD hours away. SD began sleeping in her bed, showering with her, being completely dependent on her mom. BM thrived on this - it made her feel needed and important. SD couldn't (or wouldn't) do or try anything on her own. SD became BM's 'bff' and confidant - all at the mature age of 3. This continued until BM found a boyfriend, and then SD was kicked into her own bed in her own room on a different floor and told to go to sleep. Once that relationship ended SD was needed again and back in BM's bed, all the while hearing about BM's relationship woes. Fast forward a few years. We have custody, SD sees her mom EOW. She's still trying to have SD sleep with her (between boyfriends) and be dependent on her. The 'bff' behavior is worsening and we're hearing all about BM's love life from SD. SD is getting stomach aches right before visitations and worrying about how to take care of her mom. All so appropriate for a mother/daughter relationship. And then there was. . . "BM also used to say things to SD (right after I came on the scene) like, "I'd never let a man come between us" and "You're the only one I need" which sounds innocent enough, but it was very much meant as a "look at your father, moving on with his life, I'll never let that happen to us." I could have written that. BM is always saying this. . . in between the men in her life. But what SD figured out about 2 years ago is that her mom is full of sh@t. She started to see all these behaviors factored around her mom and what her mom needed on her mom's schedule. She was blinded by the 'my mom needs me' and 'my mom loves me best' until then, but with the help of her counselor and a little maturity she started to figure it out. I won't say she doesn't fall back into buying her mom's crud every now and again, but for the main part she can she the behavior for who it is really about - mom, not SD. I tell you all this so you know you are not alone, and also to give you hope. Your SD needs help, and she needs her dad to help her receive it, but she can recover from this. I will tell you one thing SD's counselor shared with us that was helpful for SD and for our tongues as we weren't biting them so hard. When you say "I'm always a little uncomfortable when she talks so openly about her BM with me (because I know the "real deal"), yet I'm always very careful to make sure I speak loving and positively about her ." you need to stop. This doesn't mean speak negatively, but you don't have to put a good spin on bad actions. Don't try to make mom's bad action ok. Don't make excuses for her. Listen to SD, let her know you understand why she would be upset, help her with generalized, non leading questions discover why she's upset, but don't then tell her it's all ok and mommy knows best. Later, when she figures out mommy doesn't, you will be seen as a liar. It's ok to say sometimes mommy's get confused, or mommy's make mistakes. This is likely better pronounced by DH at first, but you need to know that you don't have to be positive. Just don't be negative, if you get what I mean. :-) Good luck. Keep us updated, and keep your chin up. You are doing the right thing.

Oh Robin, I just read your original post and your recent post. First I am sending a hug. You might need to send one right back to me as we just bought a fixer-upper ourselves out in Scotts Valley. As I read your original post I kept thinking, yep, that's us. Yep, that too. (Except your listing photos are gorgeous and ours, well, they are not.) I do think you make a great point that people need to think about how they will use a house. We will likely lose one bedroom with moving some walls around (not load bearing, thank goodness) and I have people telling me how horrible that is for resale but this is our forever home and we need to do what is right for us. I don't have much to offer in the way of ideas but will send a barrel of emotional support up the peninsula to you. Good luck!

My dad can actually take some steps into the bathroom with a quad cane so he can leave his wheelchair outside and I could position a chair near the sink and shower bench And that will make all the difference -- and he's certainly not alone in using a wheelchair, yet not needing it 100% of the time. I've had a couple students who used wheelchairs to reach the classroom, but then could transfer themselves to a student desk. The question is, will he continue to be able to do this as he ages? Some conditions are progressive, others are not. Be sure to include ample grab bars in the right places. Consider where the wheelchair would be left -- in a hallway? Consider the door swing -- after he's exited the chair, he must maneuver around the doors, which seem to be taking up all the hallway. Then, once he's in the room, he must be able to reach and close the two large doors. Realistically, he'd probably need some help entering the room. but I don't know that moving is something that people take so lightly. No, moving for the sake of one bathroom makes no sense. It would be easier to renovate, even if it meant leaving this bathroom "as is" and adding a bump-out somewhere. I would do a white subway on the walls with a decorative white profile pattern tile for interest 1/3 of the way up. I assume I would need a pedestal sink or a console sink. White is definitely your best option in such a small space. You're fortunate to have a window too; a good, big mirror will reflect that natural light and make this a nice space. I agree with a pedestal sink; it'll visually open things up. Since you have no storage in this bathroom, I'd add an extra-deep medicine cabinet (they can be 6" deep) and a glass shelf above the sink. I'd also go with one of these towel shelves at the end of the shower: Someone actually suggested maybe a stationary glass panel shielding the toilet so the seat and toilet paper don't get wet. Stationary glass makes perfect sense in this situation. I'm not sure where you could place a toilet paper holder in this design ... you'll probably have to have one of those freestanding things. Picture of tiles and sink I had in mind Nice tile.