I honestly have been turned off of these forums with comments like this. Please curb your elitist nature and simply provide helpful feedback based on the question asked if you have anything to contribute towards that specifically. If you don't, then there is no need to post.

Have a great day.

This is not remotely an elitist comment. When you break ground you should feel good about what you are building and not that it is just plunked in place.

That's exactly why I'm asking for ideas. This is the only thing I have an issue with. Wife is fine with it but I feel like something is missing or can be better utilized. I didn't think it required a month for me to sitdown and rework it.

Sure. A walk in closet of that size in a guest area is a huge waste of space. Guests dont stay long enough to need this. It also is getting great exterior wall space and your bathroom is like a pass through to the closet. The bathroom should be more of the star and you could also give more space to the bedroom.

Mark why post at all then? My question was ideas on the bathroom layout... what stage I am in the build is 100% irrelevant. 100%. Let's all pretend this is a bathroom remodel then and go with ideas which is the actual quesiton. Thanks!

Just curious. What is your idea of a ”wow factor”? Mine is thoughtful design with quality finishes. Hope you don’t take this question as ”elitist”, however you define it.

Well to bad you asked we answer the layout with the closet is bad design and a guest never needs awalkin closet but if resale is already in your mind the switch the bathroom and closet now. The WOW comes from decor and good choices of tile etc for the bathroom The best bed you can afford the best bedding ,a coffee maker ,pillows that are the best I have both down and not since some of our guests have feather allergies . Go to a good 5* hotel and check out the decor to give you ideas > A guest room is where you can go a bit crazy with decor since really one set of sheets and maybe one coverlet and a blanket all of which are only for the guest room

I think maybe wow factor is the wrong choice of words.. I thought about the tub in front of the shower like out main suite has and pictured below. I'm not sure it would fit though. Some designs have the tub in the shower. A tub isn't a requirement, just thought it would be nice. I think the toilet is just awkward in general. Tell me if I'm wrong.

No it's not an elitist comment. To me, and what's turned me off of these forums for a long time, are folks coming into the thread and offering advice like "rethink your life" that has absolutely nothing to do with the question I asked. For example, Mark rolled in and said " If you do not like WestCoast Hopeful's first comment, you definitely will not like what I have to say. " What's the point of that? It really highlights the mentality of a person and makes it easy to weed out folks that you absolutely do not want to hire to be honest.

The door into the bathroom has to stay where it is.

Did you intend bedroom instead of bathroom?

Do you expect long or short term (few days) guests?

What's outside the three bedroom windows?

How does this space fit into the overall plan?

Westcoast,

Thanks for the comment. I agree. However, as our parents get older this will most likely be where they live and why we put it on the 1st floor. I'd like to cut into the closet space but am not 100% sure about how other than cutting it in half IF we decided to do that.

Go with 36" doors. We used them throughout the house we built for retirement. Plan ahead for walkers and wheelchairs.

No door from bedroom to bathroom? Even couples who have been married for decades like some privacy when using the toilet!

There is a lot of wasted "hallway" space through areas that can't be used for anything else ...

The door into the bathroom has to stay where it is.

Did you intend bedroom instead of bathroom?

Yes I did.. misspoke. Outside the 3 bedroom windows is a view of the San Pedro Mountains. THe movie theater room is to the left side and the door out goes to a small hallway shared by the home theater room.

My wife's family used to visit us in FL all the time for months at a time. I expect the same here. Additionally, either my parents or hers will most likely end up here long term someday.

Well, if your parents might live there at some point ditch the idea of a tub ( dangerous) & get a curbless shower, Btw, 99,9% of our guests shower only. I agree with what Patricia said. Our guest “suite”, has a bath with large walk-in shower, has just run of the mill C & B furniture but we have a high quality mattress, linens & towels. Our guests compliment on the comfort , even writing down the brands of mattress, linens & towels.

If your parents are older and will be living here full time I would still rethink the whole bedroom? Bathroom, closet set up. You may want to provide larger aisles and more space in the bathroom to potentially turn around in a wheel chair or with a walker, obvious spots where grab bars can go and so on.

Have the people that will be living in the space contribute to the design of the space. You may not care if they have to walk through the bathroom to get to the closet but they might mind if they have to walk through the bathroom to get to the closet.

"Mark why post at all then? My question was ideas on the bathroom layout..."

That's odd, I thought the question was about "the guest suite layout". I comment because the limited information provided throws up a couple red flags. You have been posting since before you purchased the property, and now you post a small portion of the current design that makes me question the rest of the design. I, and others, want you to live the fairy book house build were you live happily ever after, but I sense there may be other problems in the design.

I think I get how Zach feels. I remember when we built it felt like there were things we couldn’t change that folks here seemed to think we could and despite me trying to explain it, it fell on deaf ears. So they gets draining over time and feels like a constant attack. That said, looking back at previous posts there was a ton of constructive feedback mixed in with some harsher comments that may or may not have been easy enough to include if one was willing. But I also recall the designer of the plan going awol so I wonder if they are now trying to take the plan and do what they can with it. Building a house was one of the most stressful things we’ve ever done and it was really hard. It is so exhausting and defeating at times.

You are building a 5600 sq ft house, and this space, while nice for a guest, seems a bit lacking as a space someone may someday call home.

Any guest, and surely a permanent resident will appreciate a bit more privacy (and quiet -- next to the theater), and a bit more space. Room for comfortable chairs, maybe a small table.

Not a pro but for a guest suite I’d ditch the WIC and rework the space for a nice reading corner, armchairs with an ottoman, small table between and good lighting - would want to capitalize on the windows and make sure it felt airy and bright

Mark’s layout is the first thing I thought of. It allows guests and inlaws the privacy they need in the bathroom, and an easier-to-get-a-jacket closet.

The layout allows for something like my current bathroom, which I like so much that if I ever design my own house, I will use my current layout. All plumbing lined up on the interior wall: double vanity, partial wall with mirrored medicine cabinet which partially blocks the toilet, then shower with a partial solid wall, where the controls are. Between those two partial walls, over the toilet and not visible from the room, a cabinet for all the necessities (and when you are older, some necessities need to be close by).

I usually disagree with Mark on the walkin through the bath. In my master suite, I love going directly to the closet from the master bath. But, for a guest suite, I like Mark’s version best.

I have a closet about that size in my guest suite and honestly it is too big. I wish I had partitioned off one end and made a separate storage space for me to use. Yes, a closet within a closet, but really practical for things like off season clothes or Christmas decoration or many other uses and it keeps your stuff out of sight from guests giving them an empty pristine closet of their own.

Sorry no idea why I said Zack. I think OP is Mike

I would like to see how the entry into this space relates to the hall and other spaces? Does it have privacy? I’m not crazy about the door into the bedroom in relation to the bed - can the door shift up so one is t walking into the head of the bed? I also like Marks layout.

I agree that the w.i.c. closet seem oversized for a quest room. Will suggest that you cut down the size and move it so that you don't have to walk thru the bathroom to get to it.

My thought is that it is more of an in-law suite and there is enough room in the huge closet for a kitchenette and a stack washer & dryer.

If you expect a mature relative(s) to live in this space someday, absolutely design the area NOW with that in mind. Mark the architect has some good beginning ideas.

A much smaller closet. A bathroom with handicap accessible features and NO tub. Consider a non-slick floor surface in the bathroom. A place for a couple of armchairs or lift chairs and a table NEAR A WINDOW. (Though in this clipped image we can’t tell which walls are exterior walls.) A mini-bar setup with a sink so a person can make a cup of coffee.

Perhaps flip the whole design so that the sleeping area is farthest away from the bedroom door, with the chairs/coffee area closest to the bedroom door.

The closet doesn't gain you much as you only have hanging on one wall. I'm not an expert at design for ageing in place but I feel like a reach in closet might be more accessible and wouldn't give you much less in hanging.

For that short run of counter you only need one sink - and for future live-in relatives storage is more important. Single sink only. Definitely no bath.

I was thinking the exact same thing as littlebug regarding flipping the design, but I would want to know what the adjacent rooms are. Without any information other than theater room to the left, I might consider something like this below.

It turns more of it into hallway but it provides a nice separation from the rest of the house and maybe gives some soundproofing to the theater room (I hope you are insulating that wall regardless, and considering adding acoustic paneling in the theater room). And you get a nice wall of windows.

Here's what I came up with last night based on Mark and other's suggestions. Someone mentioned 1 sink for the cabinet size and will go down to 1 sink. We had the closet entry from the bedroom but then the counter wasn't centered on the shower.. it was offset so my wife was worried it made it look a little strange.

I prefer the second plan of the two. But with aging parents and thinking about possibly needing accessible options a water closet/closed in toilet is not a good plan. No one would he able to maneuver Into that space with a walker or wheelchair

None of this addresses the fact that parents might live here in the future . I would guess that will be when they are older so some ADA compliant issues should be addressed now to save huge renovation costs down the road . A reach in closet just makes sense a bathroom wide enought to turn a wheelchair in it a wider access door to the bathroom a whe el in shower no tub . If that is not what you want then the Marks layout is the best as is now. Symmetry is not the driving force only function is .

Below is the link to the last thread with the whole floor plan. Not sure how much has changed, it would appear the guest room is top right in the plan. Looks like substantial changes possibly?

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6460791/floor-plan-thoughts-or-suggestions

I looked at your plan from a year ago and it appears there have been changes. If this is next to the front Media Room and stair, then that is important to see more than just this room. Design isn't just isolated within a box, even in a theoretical remodel you want us to envision just to avoid comments you don't like.

For instance, the bed placement is poor. The bed is visible when the door is open, and if that's the Media Room behind the headboard (assumed from old plan) then the parents will be in bed when you are watching movies. Or, the bedroom door is accessed from the Media Room which is worse. Don't know without a larger plan.

With the revised schemes you did, bed placement may be poor depending on what those flanking windows do to your elevation and they miss the view in bed.

The general room size of 14x13 could possibly offer a space for a chair in front of a window, depending on layout. That may be beneficial as you say parents stay long and will eventually be permanent, and then the room might be better at 14x16 or so.

So taking in all the above, maybe the ensuite should buffer noise against the Media Room. Maybe the ensuite entry is grouped near a seating area in front of a large window. Lots of ideas and opportunities, but for me, I would need more context of the larger plan and maybe elevations. And, whether you like how the internet works or not, you get more flies with honey than vinegar.

The floorplan has changed completely. We went through an entire redesign based on ACC building envelope requirements and the drainage and grading plan. We honestly we're getting ready to move back to FL. I post the newer plan a bit later. We're trying to accomodate older parents living with us as well as guests, but at the end of the day this is our home... so we're doing our best to balance.

Here's another idea based on suggestions. Some folks suggested a sitting room which I tried to incorporate.. but its about a 5x7 space with the reach in closet in the back of it. Doesn't seem large enoough for a sitting room. I also KNOW my in-laws/parents and they would never use the sitting room most likely. Just use the study or great room. The size of the doors in parts of the home have already been addressed..

CONCEPT - not to be taken literally

I would swap the study and guest room.

Since you seem to like the open entry, and not changing the footprint of the house. Allows ADA friendly spacing. Not to scale. Also, think about when you go to a hotel. You don't always want to sit on the bed, a chair is nice. A Master Suite should have an area for that, especially when it has a view.

Also you need windows in the Gameroom, even if transoms. And the classic car shouldn't be in the 3rd bay as you have to walk around it to get inside, especially if you have a 4 post lift.

You would not want windows in a theatre.

I tread lightly here, but you had great concerns about cost before. Do you have a roof plan? There are lots of ways to simplify this design, making it more efficient to build/cost yet at the same time possibly better overall design and optimal living.

You must have windows in a habitable room, unless you have constant full mechanical ventilation in the entire house (which is different from air conditioning/heat).So transoms if over a screen/tv, and blackout blinds/curtains.

I do not want windows in my home theater.. and I've read both things that a dedicated home theater is and isn't considered a habitable room in NM. Asking the builder..

3rd bay is really for a gym area and squat rack. Vette is still in FL.

You want theater/ game room or long term stays for either set of parents? You've a large home, large garage. We don't know your age, your kids, your parents, the wife's parents.

Parents can be mobile and thriving at ninety plus, or not in great shape at seventy five.

Permanent living conditions ( parents w/ their kids ) needs careful thought by allll the participants.

You consider lifestyle, the "Vette, " the theater, the game room, and the guest or the PARENTS because a guest for three days is not nearly the same as residents.

Parents don't usually need "wow", they need room to move, privacy, and adequate storage. Guests might want wow, and need very LITTLE storage. ...just a very decent nights sleep until on their merry way.

Mark gave you a better layout for the "guest" and I consider all the concept as is on the plan somewhat inadequate for long term parental stay, unless fate would dictate ONE parent.

Just going back to my awesome idea of swapping the study and guest room. 😂 if the goal is to make a space for parents long term it’s a good one.

Swapping the Guest Suite with the Study does make sense in this concept to get it away from the GameRoom and Kitchen, but it doesn't look like there is enough room if the footprint is static. It does bring up a larger issue, that this design on this site does not take advantage of the many opportunities it could give to allow a much better living experience, better ROI, easier to build, and better aesthetically. The site is unique and the budget appears to be a little larger.

It also appears this is DIY designed with a drafter and builder input. I would not expect from them an awareness of how concepts can be realized that meet the programming and then some. Or even technical or life safety issues, like New Mexico following IRC303.1 for natural light in habitable rooms or what even a habitable room is. You see it often when people want to design their own house, they fall back on "custom to me" and are hamstringed by a builder who has competing interests to make as much money as they can, and no one just doesn't know what they don't know.

I may be toeing the line of an elitist comment.

Why isn’t the study suitable? It looks totally fine in size and is off on its own and appears to be in a better location overall in the home?

I think your idea is good WestCoastHopeful! It moves the guest room to a quieter area, they could probably steal a tiny bit of space from the pantry if needed. Then they could use the old “guest area” for a study and a powder room so that people watching a movie don’t have to go all the way to the front of the house to use the bathroom.

The guest room as currently placed could be very noisy abutting the kitchen, the game room and the theater, I don’t think it would be very relaxing.
Bedrooms shoved behind kitchen areas in the back of the house remind me of the maid’s rooms of “olden days”.

I'll step on the landmine!

No one has addressed the open to above great room with loft area and bedrooms exposed to all the noise from downstairs.

Did we learn nothing from this "special" feature that builders loved in the 1990s?

If you owned one of those houses or your friends did, you quickly learned why it wasn't a great idea. Issues with hvac, sound transmission, lack of privacy and having to adjust your lifestyle because of all those issues.