You have another post in which you want to do significant remodels of the ground floor.

Why are you buying a home that is so unsuitable to your wants and needs?

Unless there is some reason for purchasing this specific home, I would move on since your contemplated renovations - moving kitchens; putting bathrooms in new places; adding master bath are expensive.

Hi Helen, Good observations; however, we love the house and it's a highly desirable neighborhood. We're prepared to put the money into the house and got it for a very good price.

I would leave the MBR where it is, but close it off to the hallway. Then, instead of leaving the jack & jill bath where it is, swap the location with the adjacent closets with an entrance to the hallway. That way, all three remaining bedrooms on that floor can use the 2nd bath without having to go through another bedroom. By closing off the master bath to the hallway, you can reconfigure the space for a more spacious shower and probably a double vanity.

Understood - I live in Los Angeles where these kinds of remodels on what were originally fairly modest homes are standard but in most localities, it doesn't make sense which is why I asked whether there were exceptional circumstances.

Do you need a formal dining room? It seems as though combining the kitchen and what is now the formal dining room would enable you to expand your kitchen with the least disruption.

I’m thinking we would like to keep the jack and Jill bath as is and want to concentrate on the master vs. the guest room as our girls grew up with a jack and Jill and will like sharing that bath when home on occasion. Does anyone have any thoughts about the value of having a third bath built in to the closet area or just continuing to share the bath with the master?

What about something like this?

I shifted the closets upward in addition to changing their orientation so that the master would be the larger room. I shifted as far as I could given the windows, but if you're willing to change the window location in the upper left bedroom you could likely gain even more space for the master. I put the master bathroom in the location of the current closets. This is one possible arrangement, but I think there are others that would work, too, depending on your priorities (I went with larger shower and single vanity, but you could probably do double vanities, or a separate toilet room, or something else depending on what matters to you). I would keep the guest bathroom with access to both the bedroom and the hallway, as that gives you the most flexibility. For example if your adult daughters get married and come back with spouses they may not like sharing the jack and jill quite so much, in which case one could use the hall bath.

I forgot to show it, but I would also probably carve a linen closet out of the smaller bedroom closets. Those are really bigger than needed for guest bedrooms, and they both have areas that aren't easily accessible with the current doors. Move the doors and make a long linen closet out of the leftmost few feet of each. You could also think about putting a laundry closet there, as I imagine that the only laundry is in the basement, and I'd want something on the floor with the bedrooms.

And yes, to me it would be worth it to lose closet space but gain a bathroom, especially since it means gaining a private bathroom for the master.

This is great Kristin S and exactly what I was envisioning for the third bath if we go that route. Thank you so much for the sketch this is super helpful. And what a great idea about using the other closets for the linen closet - I was wondering how to solve that dilemma!

Can I ask if my comments show up on your side of the big pond?

This comment is the first of yours to show up on this post. Thank you.

rinq your comment just appeared when I double-checked - wonderful advice thank you loads!

Thanks for the feedback! I thought it got lost somewhere on the web.

Both plans have potential, barring structural complications. I like the idea of stacking laundry and linen in the hall side of the J&J suite. Rinq's idea looks to involve the least amount of tear-out and do-over, leaving every room a closet already in place. Add Kristen S's laundry/linen idea and you're set.

Yes I am all set. Thank you to everyone! I posted a facade picture and if anyone is interested to give me advice about the changes to the exterior and landscaping, I’d most welcome and appreciate it!