Jay we had a house too small and to keep from having to get rid of a desk I wanted to keep I took the guest room door off. I used a double curtain instead. It worked really well.
I know it might seem tacky but it really solved the problem. There was never an issue when guests came. both guests we used to have were fine with the curtains.

I also took the closet door off our master closet and put up lace curtains instead. I used four panels so you can not see through them but air can get through them. The clothes do not get that stuffy closet smell to them now. And again it solved the no where for the door to swing problem.

I know it is an adjustment getting used to curtains in a door way. Kind of back to the old beaded curtain hippy days.LOL At least I used fabric and did not even use the old tapestry bedspreads I so loved. Hehehehe

Here is a link that might be useful: Last house with lace on closet. I have four panels now and this was only two.

You could also put French doors in that spot, opening into the kitchen. One door would be against the side of your pantry and the other against the side of the fridge.

With the washer and dryer that close to the bedroom, I don't think doors will make that much difference with the sound. You'll just figure out your timing so they aren't on when either of you are trying to sleep.

I think a regular in swing door for the bedroom and a pocket door to separate the kitchen from the laundry and closet area would be best. I once had bi-fold doors on a laundry closet and did not like them at all (made the area feel too constricted and the doors always came off the tracks). In the home we are currently renting while we build (thought we would be here 6-9 months and it is now almost three years later :( !), we have a set-up similar to what you are thinking about doing except the entrance to the walk-in closet is across from the washer and dryer. The W and D are in a framed closet without doors. I like the feel of this so much better!

That's true- I've always hated bi-fold doors. Our current house is full of them, and they're always in the way, or falling off.

French doors are an idea. They would be open virtually 99% of the time, but I would like something solid to shut so we don't have to listen to the laundry during dinner, say. The curtains are nice, and certainly easy, but wouldn't block sound.

I was reading about doors opening out of a room versus in, and the excuse given was that virtually all residential doors open in, so if there were a fire, and the fire department was going room to room, precious time would be lost while they fiddled with an 'opposite' door. I used to be a fireman, and visibility is zero in a burning house. That being said, if a rescue is underway, and a door won't open easily, it only takes seconds to break in. It's interesting, because in public buildings, doors always open OUT, because people could bunch up at a door trying to get out, and make it impossible to pull the door open against the crush of people. In a panic situation, I think I'd prefer doors that open out. A pocket door makes me a little nervous in an emergency.

I like pocket doors because they leave the doorway completely open, but I hate it when I can't grip the little thing to pull them open.

I vote for the French doors! They'll look great open and not block access, into any other areas. You can get frosted glass (or even stained/leaded glass) to go with your Arts and Crafts look :)

I went back to the sketch, and found I could have the french doors swing either way, or even both ways! I wonder what the building code has to say about saloon doors?

I used a different approach with my bifold doors. I took them down and put regular hinges on them. They swing out like a regular door, but I can still fold them back.

Ahhh, Jay, you can do the bifold doors SEPARATELY MOUNTED, one hinged on left, other hinged on right, and let them turn INTO the closet space. I do not think in that case either one would be in the way, they would also frame the space.

Since you will have a wide opening anyway, so you can get the washer/dryer moved through the doorway, and also the MATTRESS, BOX SPRING, a wide chest and so on, into your MBR, I think the bifold separately mounted is a good approach.

If I have a picture of the way I set it up in MoccasinLanding, I'll post it for you.

I promised I'd be in bed by 8:30 tonight, so gotta go.
Tata. Good to see you back. Did I read somewhere a remark "down here in FLORIDA?" What are you doing down there, dude? :)

I've been in FL all winter- I thought I mentioned it? I came down for Thanksgiving through Christmas, and ended up getting my old job back! It occurred to me that I had no way to keep the barn above freezing so that the pipes wouldn't freeze (not to mention ME!) so discretion won out over valor. The extra money from work sure helps, too! This is my last week of work, followed by a week of packing and getting ready to head back to SC. My contractor tells me that the clearing is done and the hole is dug, so it's time to get cracking.

Jay- Are you having an architect look over your final plan? While Summerfield is amazing...and your software is nice, too...I plan to have an architect go over my final plan, to make sure roof lines work, everything is to code and other construction details.

When I speak of bifold doors, I NEVER USE THE SUPPLIED HARDWARE. Yeah, I think that is awful. I always mount hinges along each side. If it is two pair of bifold doors, I get the fixed louvered kind, and just have each pair swing on the door frame, no metal bar top nor bottom. I do have the magnets on a wooden stop across the top, so the closet doors do not push inward. But that is the only STOP that is required for a closet. I can open each pair back out of the way quite nicely. That is also the way I mounted the bifold wooden french doors on the master walk in closet. DH mounted the master bath french doors as bifold with them opening both to one side, and I don't like that, so we'll be hinging each of the pair separately before it is done with.

I like the way french doors open off to either side, regardless of how narrow the doorway, because it sort of "dresses" the door, makes it look so very romantic or tropical. Gives it importance. This is especially true where you have some flat wall space on either side where the doors can lie flat against the wall.

I had an architect looking over my early plans, and wasn't impressed. I got tired of fighting him on so many things, only to have him ignore my changes in the next set of drawings. He simply had different ideas on what a house should be. It's my house, and I'm spending a lot of time working out the plan. As far as structure is concerned, I've nearly memorized the pertinent building codes! I'm also working with a contractor who designs all of the custom homes he builds. His local knowledge of what the inspectors 'look for' is invaluable. The roof will be trusses, and the truss builder designs and engineers the roof per the footprint provided. I have to use their engineering for inspection anyway.

Rest assured, every inch of the house will exceed code for structure, energy efficiency, and utilities. For example, when I order roof trusses, I always bump up the load to the next level past code. I'm sure there will be some minor 'surprises', as there are on every build. I intend to be very fluid, so as I frame and finish the interior, if something just doesn't work, I'll change it on the fly.

My only concern is that the house might suffer in re-sale value because of my very specific wants and needs. A house this size 'should' have 3 bedrooms stuffed into it! It's supposed to be a very roomy, comfortable empty nest. If we had to sell it in an emergency- oh well. I'm not going to spend my hard-earned pennies building for the next owner. With any luck, I'll leave this house toes first, after which it's definitely NOT my problem!

Jay- Aren't you still putting the house, on a daylight basement? Finish that area, so it could easily be converted into two bedrooms, a bath and maybe a family room. You can plumb the downstairs bath, without doing anything about it, now.

Just remember, if you leave toes first, it might be your wife's problem...so you don't want her to have any trouble, if she decides to sell it. Of course, we hope that won't be a problem, for many decades to come!

Years ago we lived in a 1200 SQ FT house with 2 spacious bedrooms and a one and half bath.Living room and kitchen were large and there was a small pantry and added on laundry room. Was just the two of us. I loved the open space we had. We sold it to the first person that looked at it. I had forgotten all about that house and how nice it was.I do not think I have a single inside picture. :^(

Plans are already in place for the basement. I'll have plumbing stubs put in when the slab is poured, and the slab will have foam insulation under it, and radiant heat tubing embedded for future use. I'm going to put a lot of attention into waterproofing, and that, coupled with the insulation of the ICF will make for a very cozy space.