How many other full and half baths do you have?

I have a friend who has an impossibly tiny kitchen in an otherwise good-sized center hall colonial. In my head, I've thought about how taking the shower and the washer and dryer from the ajoining bathroom could allow her to easily expand the kitchen. The reason I think about it is that the kitchen is small enough that, in an otherwise great house, it would be a dealbreaker for most people. And I agree that if there are no bedrooms on the first floor, that shower is not going to be used by the current or future owners.

Depends on what else is on the ground floor. Is there another bathroom? A bedroom? A den that could be a bedroom if someone falls and breaks a leg?

I’d think long and hard before turning a full bath into a half.

Have to judge how important a full bath is vs the feasibility and practically for a family member or guests to use another bathroom to shower.

Regarding value, I think a larger kitchen with an island is an bigger asset (as there is still a powder room).

Lifestyle is the last consideration and which would provide more value to your family’s needs, not worrying about resale.

My son did this in his older house to expand the kitchen and moved the powder room off the kitchen into a hallway. The previous owners used it because the owner had a job that necessitated his showering when he walked in the door. They’re currently adding an en-suite bath that will keep the number of full baths to two.

I agree with Maureen a bigger better kitchen trumps a shower if you have other bathrooms . If your guest room is on the main level then maybe this change will affecrt resale but IMO you do a home for you not some imaginary buyer down the road.

Thanks everyone. I have another powder room down the hall, and two full bathrooms upstairs (one master, one guest). Originally, the office was used as a bedroom (on main floor) since it connects to the other side of the bathroom (with the shower). I don’t ever see anyone showing in this bathroom.

Unless you have a bedroom on the main level, I think the value you add by expanding your kitchen would greatly outweigh the loss of a bathing room.

Having witnessed two friends with parents who could not navigate stairs over the last years, I wouldn't even consider a house without a full bath on the main floor. In one household, Mom was going up and down those stairs (and it was a gorgeous grand staircase) on her bottom. Later on, they took the sink from a charming period marble powder room and put in a functional but ugly fiberglass shower that probably didn't even meet space code. And the other? They rented a small house nearby that could accommodate a failing senior and the sisters took turns living there with her.

I realize kitchen islands are much sought after these days, but I've seen more than one kitchen with an island squished in that would have been better functioning with a simple peninsula.

Agree with MsRosie’s point that the removal of a full bath on the ground level of a home negatively affects the universal value of the home.

You have to determine which is more important: universal value (full bath) or personal value (half bath + kitchen island).

One more point - it seems strange that the space taken up by a shower, 3’ x 3’ perhaps, gains enough space for an island. Maybe it does; I can’t tell without a floor plan.

What if you don't have a bedroom on the same level? do you have your elderly parent sleep on the sofa? At some point, you have to accept that not every house is set up to be a "forever" home.

There are stairlifts if needed down the road, when age/health become an issue. I also can’t think of one friend or relative ever having a full bath on the main floor, so not sure if there is negative universal value of not having. Just wanted to mention, as you mentioned you have an older home, so most buyers may not even be expecting.

Was the office considered a bedroom when you bought the house? If the room you use as an office could be considered a bedroom, it needs a full bath on the same floor.

Nope, it was an office. The bedrooms are upstairs.

So many variables. Agree with, be sure that your idea of kitchen value is not island- focused but is overall function- focused, including natural light. Many many older homes in my area had remodeling done, maybe flips maybe homeowner choices, that tore out a wall, crammed in an island and barstools, and look terrible except for being new and shiny. Bad work triangles/ zones, cramped aisles, bad view upon entry. Maybe the old kitchen was worse but it is often obvious that “ an island!” was the goal.
So sacrificing the full bath to me would be fine if you are getting a darn nice kitchen that YOU live, and especially if your existing kitchen is really cramped and somehow out of sync with rest of home. I agree that many 2- story homes have powder room on main and 2 full up. However these would be sorta average homes, not competing with 2 story homes with primary or guest suite on main + half bath.

Another thought is, is the other powder room located such that IT could later be converted to full bath ? Not saying it’s key, just a question. Because though you say “ just an office”, that can be more of a selling issue than how the room might be used in practice , except of course needing egress window.

Can you post your layout. maybe there are options to have both?

Hi, thanks for the comments and feedback. The island fits, we used a designer. There’s also a column between the kitchen and dining room which will come down so it opens up both the kitchen and the hallway between kitchen and dining room.

Your living experience comes first, house value second.

A great kitchen trumps a full bath on the main floor as long as you still have a powder room. Not sure of how functional your kitchen is currently or why you are considering a remodel. But if your kitchen is small, or closed off, a good improvement to it could really change how the whole house functions, and vastly improve your quality of life. Make your decision based on how YOU will use the house, not some unknown buyer at some unknown point in the future.

You say you'd be able to add an island to the kitchen. How big would the kitchen become that you'd be able to add an island?

Where's the new plan from the designer? The actual flat on paper ( 2 dimensions) plan with all the feet and inches/appliance locations. island, walls windows the bath / or new powder room etc? for both spaces? Not the pretty little elevated thing. Feet inches....flat.