First Floor Bedroom Suites

I found it interesting that just last week: I met with a former client that put in a first floor master in 1999, I met with a couple that downsized to a beautiful home with a first floor master (post the children moving off to college) and I started construction of a first floor bedroom suite at my own house. This is probably more coincidental than it is proof of a big trend; however, it does point out the diverse reasons this type of space can be beneficial and how it can help the evolution of home.

In the case of my forward thinking couple that built theirs in 1999, they wanted to add on a master suite. At the time, their children were old enough to be upstairs without them… and they knew they would likely be staying in this neighborhood for a while. The first floor suite offered an easy lifestyle then… and now offers the option to stay comfortably for as long as makes sense. We are currently designing a bigger kitchen for them to provide better entertaining and family gathering areas when they have guests. They intend on staying for the next decade or more, as they are conveniently located near work. Their foresight then and now will provide them with a collective quarter century of a better lifestyle, and who knows, maybe they will retire right in Wellesley someday? 

The couple I met with to re-designing the public rooms of their home had a 1st floor master when they moved in. They really enjoyed having the layout this way even though it wasn’t on their list of must-haves when they moved in. Because their children are older, they too are looking to redesign the first floor for a more updated open floor plan, as well as make the master suite and bath more comfortable. This home is a 1950’s cape that is relatively untouched, and it has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths on the first floor as well as 2 bedrooms and a bath upstairs. I am curious in this established neighborhood who built the home this way about 60 years ago.

So why am I… the designer, adding a first floor bedroom suite to my Sherborn home? The first most relevant reason is that I am currently short a bedroom I have a 3 bedroom home with 2 girls and a boy still there. Luke is 13 years old, Rachel and Charlotte are 12 and 6 respectively. It will make life easier if they are not all sharing a bath when we need to get ready for school. In the evolution of family, here is a list of things I have or had in my life where a first floor bedroom suite like this will pay dividends:

1. The au pair (not a need for us anymore- but a life saver for working families)
2. The guests (Then, now, and in the future)
3. The teenage boy will get some space away from pink everything, and long gazes in the mirror.
4. A room for aging guests (short or long term) without a trip up the stairs.
5. A room for my wife and I to age in place if our children settle down close to us. (One can hope!)

Just another reason to give your renovation plan (whatever it is) some thought beyond the current need. Happy Renovating!