Hi Holly - I don't believe there is any real equation to figure out the optimal space per room. It really depends on the size of bed and other furniture in the room. Most of the masters I see on here tend to be a little too large in my opinion.

You really do need to get furniture drawn in to scale on any plans you're looking at to make sure the furniture fits and you have proper clearances for walkways.

How many plans are you looking at ?

What is optimal to you, might not be optimal to me. For example, my master is what most would consider on the smaller size at 13' x 16'. Enough for a king bed, two bedside tables, a dresser and maybe a chair. You may want seating in your bedroom, or need two dressers.

Same for all the other spaces. I have an office/studio that is larger than most at 15' x 19' since I'm a full time artist. DH's office is 12' x 13'6". Plenty big for him since he works mostly on his computer. We have one guest room since we're retirees, that also doubles as our exercise room. My point being there are no standards, just what will work for you.

Your best bet is to engage the services of an architect or person of design talent, tell them your wants and wishes, and how you live, and let them work with you to create something special for you and your family.

Optimal sq.ft can be subjective, although there will be a minimum size for furniture to fit comfortably. For a master bedroom, it will make a big difference if the room has a good sized walk-in closet.

I suggest you go to as many open houses as possible, looking at houses in the size that you want to build. Count the number of rooms and notice their size. Take a tape measure, pen and paper. Let the realtor know what you are doing and most will be happy to let you measure a few rooms. Ask the realtor if you can take photos with your phone to go along with your notes and measurements.

If you Google your question you will find your answer. However, just as stated your optimal and your neighbors optimal are going to vary.

There are these people that are trained to help you figure out what size rooms work good for you. In fact they will also help you determine how those rooms should be arranged and make the envelope enclosing them look good. Those people are architects.

Optimal room sizes are dependant upon many things and are based upon the individual(s) using them now and in the future.

A good master bedroom is the size that fits your needs and your budget. You can get some very good ideas from touring homes, new build models and existing houses but nothing beats knowing yourself. While it isn't wise to completely ignore area norms, you are building for yourself, not some future buyer.

Do you prefer to store your clothes in a walk in closet, built in wardrobes, or freestanding furniture? Do you want a dresser in your bedroom or in the closet? A big overstuffed chair, a bench at the end of the bed, a small side chair for putting on shoes? All those influence the size of the room.

Everyone has an opinion on where to go luxurious and where to skimp in a building project. Be careful to choose people with houses you like to give you opinions on your plans.

Yes, there are many websites of plan factories which produce a wide range of floor plans. Good luck on your project!

It's really variable because everyone uses their spaces a little differently, and includes different things in different locations in the house. Also, how big is your furniture? King sized beds and a sitting area with a full master closet are going to take more space than a queen sized bed and single dresser. I like a smaller master bedroom overall, with a big closet and built in storage around the night stands/headboard. But I'm not you. Start with the sizes of your furniture or prospective furniture and what all you want to get into the space, and begin planning from there.

Most likely NO, but I have hope.

A lot depends on traffic patterns, what seem like a large greatroom may end up small if you have traffic patters on two or three sides. 29x29 actually ends up at 12' wide if there are aisle on two sides. Our living are is about 16'x17' but doesn't include any throughway traffic patterns, because the walkway is between the dining and living. The dining are, on the other hand has the walkway between the living area and dining, plus a walkway at the other end so it is actually 22" long, leaving about 13-14 long feet for the actual dining area.

Same thing with kitchens, a small kitchen that irks well, may be perfect while a larger one with barrier, and again you need to look at traffic patterns.

A double island may look fab, but function poorly.

Don't forget adequate storage space which allows for smaller uncluttered rooms .

Just a rule of thumb I think a perfect master bedroom (again depending on traffic patterns). between13'x15' or 14' x 15' works great. If no sitting area. Spacious enough to without being overlay large. Ours house is approximately the same square footage (if you take out our long wide entrance hall, necessary for our particular situation is 14'8X 15'1" with a 10'' bump out window seat making it fellabout 15x16. Master bed and two nightstands on the 14'8" wall, a bench at the foot of the bed with a chest opposite. Seating will probably be one small chair and the window seat.

I have a huge MBR with a gas fireplace and seating area. It's about 21' x 22' and it suits me perfectly. No, I rarely use the seating area anymore - we used it a lot on weekends when DD had friends over and was in our downstairs library/TV room. I have a feeling I'll use it again someday when my family all comes to visit me in a hospital bed in that room during my final illness! It will be quite handy, yet again.

There is a 2nd bedroom on the 2nd flr (both are on the 2nd) that is 22'x 22' - it was DD's bedroom when she was growing up.

My house is not large - about 2800 sq ft, but I have nice sized rooms. It's the halls and staircase that are narrow and not as large as I would like - it they were, my house would probably be about 3500 sq ft.

I admit I like SPACE in a house and generous sized rooms! Probably due to spending 6 of my first 8 years in a very small 2 br apt, and then the next 11 years in a small house.

But everyone is correct - what is the right size for one person is not for another. Sort of like shoes! Now what you need is a good "shoe salesman", aka an architect, to help you figure out what is right for YOU, not some generic version of you found on the internet.