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Dilemas de diseño
msommerlund

Separate den or bigger family room?

Merete
hace 6 años

In working on the design for our new-build, we have a dilemma that we are struggling to sort out.

Some background to explain the needs of our family: we have three young children, so we have four bedrooms on the second floor so they can have one each, especially as they get older (they are currently 2, 2, and 4). All of our family live far away, so they tend to come for longer periods of time (2 weeks to 2 months visits usually).

For this reason we have incorporated a den/office/spare bedroom on the main floor; however, it has resulted in a rather small family room. The kitchen/dining room/family room are all open, so maybe the size of the family room will feel ok, but I worry it will feel small. I'm contemplating getting rid of the den and just having one big family room instead, but then where do guests stay? For the next 8-10 years, two of the kids may be ok to share a room when we have family visiting, but I'm not sure given the length of visits we usually have. Another reason for the separate spaces was to have more than one common living area for us to use, especially as the kids get older and we may not all want to be in the same room all the time.

I would love some feedback on the size of the rooms and the separate rooms vs. one big room dilemma.

Comentarios (5)

  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    hace 6 años

    IMO this whole floor plan needs tweaking. The mud room makes no sense to mewhere it is. I think to have a bathroom for guests that is across the house is awkward at best. I only see a LR no family room.I think since you are thinking past the next 10 yrs why not put the 2 2yr olds in one bedroom and createa guest room upstairs then have a nice LR and aplace for the kids when you are entertaining., I do not see the need for a linen closet in that space at all.

    Merete agradeció a Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • schnable1
    hace 6 años
    Stay with the den. As your children get older you will want some seperation of "family space" plus it is really awkward to stay in a child's room for any more than one night
    Merete agradeció a schnable1
  • PRO
    Paint the Town Red - Color Consulting
    hace 6 años

    Merete for your family's needs it really makes more sense to keep the den as a separate room for visitors and your children in the future. I do like Patricia's comments as well. Her comments are valid. Have fun with the new home! Always remember to breath and go take a walk when overwhelmed with design decisions.

    Merete agradeció a Paint the Town Red - Color Consulting
  • J G
    hace 6 años

    What is your space like now? Do you like it? I really like having a separate space where toys can always migrate to, that the TV can be turned on and the door closed, etc. That way the toy room does not have to be cleaned for the house to feel picked up, but different people like to live in different ways.

    I live in an older house and I know that new houses divide up space in different ways, but it looks like 1/3 of your first floor space is taken up with bathroom/laundry/entry/mudroom which seems like a lot of your first floor space.

    With your large mudroom could you put a coat tree for visitors coats rather than a closet? That would at least open up your stairwell to the living room.

    And somehow getting the den/guest bedroom closer to the bathroom (ideally attached) would be great. Do your guests really want to walk back to their room from the bathroom through the kitchen (especially if you are up early or late cooking).



    Merete agradeció a J G
  • Merete
    Autor original
    hace 6 años

    Thanks for the feedback! These comments are making me think we should stick with the den.

    I can see your points, Patricia. That said, we have designed the house so that it's practical for day to day with kids first of all. This is why the bathroom is where it is - to allow easy access when kids a playing outside and need to use it or to clean off dirty dogs. The closet in the den is for guests to put their clothes, so we won't need a dresser in there. I have never been a fan of formal living rooms as we don't really "entertain" in a formal kind of way, so it wouldn't get much use. I do think you're right about having the two little ones share a room to start and then using the fourth bedroom upstairs for guests as long as they don't mind sharing (they share now). J

    G, I definitely see what you mean about a space for toys to go. I don't know how I forgot about that. We currently have toys everywhere and it drives me crazy! The den would definitely be good for that. The big mudroom and laundry room are other ways we are attempting to keep the kids' stuff organized. I never thought about a coat tree though, I might look at that option. I totally understand that it seems weird to have the guest bathroom so far away, and I agree that it's not ideal. In a perfect world (where money was plentiful), we would definitely have a bathroom dedicated to guests alone.

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