master bedroom, master closet, master bath, 1/2 bath and laundry

5 years ago

Hi! My husband and I are building a new home. We wanted a simple home around 2500 sq ft. We are having trouble configuring the master bedroom area of the home. Below is the area as it is drawn now. We are within budget and don't want to add more sq ft. The issue right now is we would really like windows on the east wall (the wall with the closets). The bedroom can be smaller to accommodate this. In our room we will have a king size bed, a tall dresser and a long dresser with a mirror. We could take or leave a walk-in closet so the reach in closets are fine. However, the room is narrow and so we feel like the only other option is the reach in along the west wall, but then we would not have an entry to our bedroom. We can shift the stairs 1ft to gain a ft more space and it would actually make the upstairs a bit better and would shrink the kitchen by a foot which would be ok. If anyone has any ideas on how to configure the master bedroom, closets, master bath, 1/2 bath and laundry it would be appreciated!!! I have included some pictures below.

Some other things to note is I know many people are not fond of the garage sticking out, but we live in Michigan in a snowy climate and this will work best for us with coming and going in the winter and allows us to have a walkout basement as our land slopes in the back. The little coat closet is going to go away and I am still debating on which side of the mudroom the bench should go? The best views are to the west and to the north. The East we will view a wooded area that is pretty. No other houses will be visible from the North, West, or East. The south will view the road and some other houses.

Featured Answer

PRO

Mark Bischak, Architect

5 years ago

Consider this concept meant to generate ideas. If you live here in Michigan, do not have your main entry directly into the living room. Create an air-lock where you would enter a small room with a closet, then enter the living room from there. Get rid of the barn doors. The less glass you have in a shower the less glass you have to clean every day.

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Comments (9)

Becky Whisler
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you so much! It really helps to see a new idea!
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emilyam819
5 years ago
What’s between the mudroom and the dining room? If the laundry or powder room can go there, it could make room for a new master closet.
Becky Whisler
Original Author
5 years ago
It is a pantry. We live in the country and buy many things in bulk so it necessary to keep a pantry room for bulk and overstock items.
emilyam819
5 years ago
If you divide the pantry so the powder room occupies the side by the window, it would still leave you a good size pantry facing the kitchen/stairs. Then the former pantry could become the closet.
chisue
5 years ago
Do you have another bathtub in the house...for bathing kids? Unless you or your spouse enjoy baths...maybe eliminate the tub in the MBA? I am glad I have a linen closet in my MBA.

I agree with eliminating the reach-in closets and adding windows. Also think about how you dress; a walk-in closet can hold all the things people used to store in dressers. (You really don't *need* a window in a closet, although Mark gave it one.) I agree with him about losing the (dated) double doors -- and creating an entry, rather than plopping right into the living room.

If you'll eat at the kitchen island a lot, consider seating that's not all-in-a-row. It makes conversation difficult.
Becky Whisler
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you for the comments! I agree the main entrance is a work in progress right now. I truly don’t know how often the island will be used? We don’t have one in our current home. The upstairs....I didn’t post has the kids bedrooms and a full bath with tub. We are very willing to Sacrifice closet space and room space to get the windows on the east wall. Thanks for your input:)
emilyam819
5 years ago
The reach-in closet would be great on the west wall, if you can shrink the powder room to make room for the bedroom door.
PRO
RappArchitecture
5 years ago
Mark's layout works well and solves your problems. Keep the closet as narrow as possible to maximize space for the bed.