Master Suite Update

So......thanks so much for all the input from my previous post on the master suite plan.  It helped me understand that giant bathrooms are no longer a 'must have' and that closet space is near and dear to many of you!  Your input was invaluable as we wrestled through the design.  We've made a lot of progress on the design and I wanted to share an update.

So this is our starting point.  The master bedroom was an addition that was built in 1987 and is a big room.  To get there, you go through a space I'm calling the Passageway.  In 1930 it was originally a tiny, tiny bedroom (it's roughly 8 x 8 feet).  With the addition, it became a small room you pass through, to get to the master bedroom.  I'm not sure how the previous owners used it, but it's not a very practical space.  We want to change that!

Master Bedroom - Starting point

The Passageway - Before

The actual bedroom is a big space - 22' x 16'.  It has 3 windows and a wall of closets.  

Master Bedroom - Before

And it also has the exterior flue for the fireplace running through it.  Thankfully, it's nice looking brick!

Now that we've really dug into the project, we learned a couple of critical data points for our plan.  1)  The previous owner said we have water views from the front window.  Yippee!!!   I've never been in the house in the winter, but he says you can see Casco Bay and peeks of the Rams Head lighthouse, when the leaves are off the trees.  Hmmm, my 1st draft design had the bathroom utilizing that window.... do we really want to waste that view on the bathroom?  Wouldn't it be nice to lay in bed and see the water? And does it make sense to see the view from the toilet?  Which brings me to 2) the toilet can't go in the originally planned location.  Those pesky plumbing codes require it to be closer to the 'wet wall' - the wall that the plumbing will come from (it's the wall between the master bedroom and the next bedroom).  We are going to hide all the new plumbing in a closet in the room below, so there are some critical plumbing issues we need to manage.

So, here is the new plan.  The master bath changed shape a bit, but will have a large shower with glass doors and a double vanity.  The closet in this part of the room got larger and will be a walk-in with additional storage.  But we left the window open, for a view from the bed.  I'm thinking it's a great spot for a window seat!

The closet in the passageway will be 8 feet long, with lots of room for storage.  So with 2 closets, this old house will have far more closet space than you typically find!  

But the most exciting thing about the room?  The space!!!  We tore that old ceiling out and vaulted it, to match the roofline.  When I walked in the room as the guys were framing the new ceiling, I cheered!  Now the room feels enormous - bright and airy!  And yet the footprint hasn't changed a bit.

It's already a dramatic transformation.  What do you think?

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