Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Nov 16, 2015 9:00 pm Hi guys, We are in the process of finding a design/builder for our new home and are trying to decide how many bedrooms we actually need. We'll be building a long, narrow two storey house and were originally thinking we would have 4 bed + 1 living (retreat) + 1 study nook upstairs, and an open plan living/dining downstairs, as well as another downstairs living that isn't part of the open plan area (like a formal lounge/theatre room/etc). Aside from the living areas, we want to have a home that allows for at least three bedrooms for us + children (that we don't have yet), a permanent office/study space, and a spare room for guests. When talking through our budget with a potential builder, obviously having more rooms can mean more $$$. This designer is suggesting that we might make the downstairs "formal" lounge an alternative downstairs bedroom, and add a shower to the downstairs powder room to make it really useable as a bedroom, whether for our guests or on a permanent basis for someone else. This would mean no need to add a fourth bedroom as the house could either be 3 bed/3 living, or 4 bed/2 living. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Is it worth dropping the fourth upstairs bedroom? Have you built a flexible bedroom/living like this yourself? If you have any design tips or suggestions or just general advice... I'm all ears! Sorry I don't have a visual example to show you - no design as yet. Have tried to explain it as best I can above! Thanks! 5.5m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) Moved in!! - 22 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=53455 Re: Downstairs lounge/bed, do we need a fourth bedroom? 2Nov 17, 2015 5:57 am in the plan we are thinking of we are having a quilting room that can be changed to a bedroom. so in the plans it is a three bedroom plus multi purpose room Re: Downstairs lounge/bed, do we need a fourth bedroom? 3Nov 17, 2015 6:54 am It's generally good practice to have the house fully liveable on just the ground floor. This is handy for people who down-size to just the ground floor when they are older, and also useful if someone ends up with a medical condition restricting mobility. So having a space downstairs that can be adapted as a bedroom is a good thing. The idea of a flexible 4 bed / 2 living or 3 bed / 3 living sounds good. An extra room might be better, but that more comes down do how big you expect your family might get, and how many spaces you want to use. Sometimes, if you have more storage, you don't need as much living space either, so it can be more efficient to design in good storage areas rather than growing living space. Re: Downstairs lounge/bed, do we need a fourth bedroom? 4Nov 19, 2015 5:48 pm I'd go for the flexible room downstairs with the shower to the powder room. Think about what would happen if you injured yourself & couldn't walk up the stairs! Happened to me in our old two storey... KDR Under the Flight Path - Dennis Family Homes (Hawkesdale) First time building 2 storey home in NSW. Below Current plan have separate balcony. But thinking to do a multipurpose lounge with balcony (kind of sunroom) in first floor… 0 4780 Hi all, My first post, we are building a house and can’t decide the layout of the lounge room. We have a large N/W facing window and are wanting to have a wood slow… 0 13721 Personally, considering your layout (study/work desks in bedrooms), I don't think you have any other option but to leave NW windows and make them as big as possible e.g.… 7 10465 |