With the plans being a little tricky to follow, am I right in thinking you enter each duplex in an entrance hallway then turn right to go down the stairs towards the main area....kitchen, dining and lounge. If so does it seem like a rabbit warren to have the laundry, study and shower room as the first things you’d pass on the way.
Is there a pool to warrant a downstairs shower? There isn’t a bedroom to service the downstairs shower room so I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea of why it’s there if you already have a lovely powder room. I don’t want to offend just trying to see your vision thru your eyes of what you want. Clearer plans would help. It’s a huge project and I’m sure you want to get it perfect.

And there are the plans

That’s so much clearer. I still think the extra shower room is over kill. Bathrooms are so expensive. You already have bathrooms downstairs for the rooms and a powder room for guests visiting.

Hi newbie, yes having the laundry in the new location works well on your plans.

However, I would change the door on the upstairs bathrooms to the hall. Then everyone can use bathrooms without going into someone's bedroom.

Dreamer the upstairs bathroom is an ensuite for that room. The two other bedrooms have to go down to the main bathroom on the other level where the other bedrooms are....well that’s how I read the plans.

Thanks guys. I think en-suite is much more important than having access to bathroom for occupants of room 2 and 3 on the same level. It’s only a 1.4m staircase to travel to get to the next bathroom.

Hi Newbie. If I reading it correctly you have a bedroom downstairs with en-suite as well as one upstairs.
My main criticism is how the entry works and bringing guests down the stairs around the narrow corner and past the study before the space opens up. I think that is poorly resolved. Long way from living room to answer the door. How far are you along with these plans?

Where will the door be positioned for the downstairs bedroom?

Kate, that’s exactly what I tried to point out. The rabbit warren to get to the lounge, kitchen area.
Having an upstairs and downstairs ensuite bedroom is a great idea...I have the same in my house. When I get too old for climbing stairs I can relocate downstairs. It’s currently a guest bedroom. Well that’s the plan...I love our location and house and don’t want to shift if I can avoid it.

Thanks for the comments

@kate @brenda
The plans are conceptual atm. It does seem to be convoluted in that back region of the lower split level. I had to put the stair case closer together, so that the void/headspace of staircase wasn’t going to encroach into the 3rd bedroom upstairs.

What do you guys think of a diagonal hallway from the stairs to the study as per the initially coloured diagram below. I was thinking if this was the case then the dining room and study/sitting area could potential open up to each other and create a larger space for parties, ping pong table etc. the study and dinning room would be separated by vertical wooden struts, like the second picture.

Large laundry is nice but that could be place where the study is now with a diagonal hallway

@dreamer

The door would be positioned just outside the built in wardrobe, so the bathroom/toilet combo on the left would be accessible to all occupants of the home.

Attached is a larger diagram of the diagonal/oblique hallway .

apologies for the confusing diagram

As you can see, the visual you get when walking down the hallway is the study and dinning area with large windows and an openness sensation, as oppose to the rabbit Warren

The more I look at your plans the more I see. I would make the downstairs shower room the laundry, access to outside. Where you have the angular laundry on the last large scale drawing I would have the open study...maybe with feature slats along the stairs for a more open look. On the laundry wall which is open to the dining area, the previous study....I would create a wet bar area...or extra small seating area....I do like the concept of the picture of the study with the slats...I’m just trying to open the entry area more. The other Duplex which has the additional bedroom downstairs is very tricky too. Your main entry to the house walks past the main bathroom. Not always a good look...but having that extra bedroom is restricting your space. I’m just chucking ideas around.

Thanks Newbie. The screen rather than wall on study will help. Will need a neat study.
I like the laundry/bath together. Could the fridge go into the pantry along the shared wall? Create access to storage under stair. This could be from pantry if needed.

Do you currently have 2 small cupboards, one facing the kitchen, the other the hall? if so I'd make it one large linen cupboard. I'm not sure about the 5 bedroom side, I feel like 5 bedrooms but only 1 living room is an odd choice. I would have thought swapping 1 of the bedrooms for a second small living space would appeal to more families.

I personally would not buy a house with a laundry closet with children at home. 4 beds suggests family home and for me a proper laundry is a high priority.

Thanks for the comments guys

I am thinking of putting a slim line powder room with shower where the closet study is in the first diagram.

Then put in a double sided walk through laundry at the corner of lower split level. And keep the study where it is next to the dining room with wooden struts departing it.

Question:
My living room is 5 x 4.2m
My kitchen is 4.5m long with 2.8 waterfall bench top.
Dining room is 4.5m x 2.3m

Would you guys consider smaller living room, dining room and kitchen to allow for a larger area for the pantry, study/sitting room? Not sure if my current living, dinner and kitchen are too big or just right?

Kate I have considered expanding the pantry to under the stairs or make the storage under the stair case.

Would the fridge being behind closed doors of the pantry be a good design? Just thinking it will make the symmetrical kitchen I’m after look more sleek but functional wise it’s a bit harder to get to.

Many thanks

i think the space under the stairs is too low for a powder room or walk in storage and 2300 too narrow for a dining area that's also a walk through to the living area ... major rooms need to be decided before attempting to enlarge the pantry and size determined by available space but the plans don't show length and width of all the rooms upstairs and down so it's difficult to reproduce your plan to attempt to offer any suggestions and what is the narrow gap between the upstairs master bedrooms and the chunks cut out of the other bedrooms, does the upstairs overhang downstairs and are there extra setbacks required for upstairs...do you have a site plan showing the entry paths to front door, car spaces, drying yards, garden areas, length and width of the block and direction of north, any special views or features of the site? would be a shame to sacrifice a comfortable living area for a bigger pantry but we need to know the limitations of the whole site to better understand the plans and is the property for personal use or immediate sale or rental?

I would definitely have a laundry room for a house of this size. A laundry in a 'closet' is great for apartments or small houses i.e. 2 bedrooms. A household with 4 or 5 bedrooms is going to generate a lot of laundry so you really need a room. If I required such a large house I would not consider one that did not have a full laundry room.

some ideas to consider with total floor area of 324sqm but no balconies, external laundry door or allowance for brick veneer wall thickness...windows need to be added to suit outlook and note the void over the stairwell but includes the separate laundry, bigger pantry, more storage and three bathrooms by reversing kitchen and dining rooms and avoiding extra hallways

I like ok Louise design better. Not sure if people buying these duplexes would like the two top bedrooms having to use either ensuites or go to the ground level bathroom. It’s a difficult layout... but I really like oklouise new entry to the kitchen lounge dining...more open.

I agree, I like Ok Louises plans, much more open, easier to understand the flow and less wasted space.

That’s awesome thanks okLouise!!

I wouldn't buy a place where someone upstairs has an ensuite and people sleeping in the other 2 bedrooms have to negotiate a set of stairs to use the toilet in the night.

General comments:
For anything bigger than a 2 bedroom house/flat catering to more than 2 people, go for a room for the laundry, not a cupboard. I would never buy a place with a laundry in a cupboard unless I was single.
Each bedroom needs access to a toilet on the same level without negotiating stairs. Especially if young kids or the elderly are living there.
Good luck with everything.

an extra bathroom upstairs and variations for the laundry powder room ...about 3sqm bigger than original suggestions

I think you may be trying to squeeze in way too much. four beds need bathroom right there and a full laundry. WIP might be too bit too better to have space in living areas. Have a "Study" or guest bedroom, down stairs with bathroom/ powder room near by, then have a full laundry and lot more room in living areas. But definitely big laundry! Cheers Margot

I agree with kitchen home.....functionally is important, and there is so much going on in these duplexes. I do think oklouise...fixed up the original plans as best as she could based on what was presented. But agree with others they will be difficult to sell with the bedroom to bathroom ratio....and floor access to each bathroom being an issue for families. 4/5 bedroom house needs at least 3 toilets. Preferably with 1 at least separate from the bathroom so there is privacy.

I am not a designer but...

We have a 4 bedroom, ensuite, walk in robe, large bathroom, separate toilet and large cupboard laundry. We have four adults living in our house and in reality this works really well. We have sacrificed laundry space (how much time do we really spend in our laundry!) for larger living areas and flow.

Our laundry is great. We have a tall cupboard for the iron-board and step ladder, a hamper built into the cabinetry, a front loader washer, a heat pump drier and a 2nd lower cupboard with a lovely long bench running across giving plenty of room to fold washing etc... The sink is inserted into the lower cupboard. We also have upper cabinetry which gives us plenty of storage. All hidden away behind a huge sliding door. The only thing we do not have is a room to walk around in and swing a cat, which we do not need to be doing anyway.

I would however not want children or any older guest going down any stairs at night, no matter how short to a bathroom. My friend has exactly this and her visiting mother broke her hip in a fall at night. Keep in mind that at night if you need to get up to go, you are sleepy and your concentration is not as good no matter your age.

laundry room for sure!!! Not a walk through either -I would also swap the laundry into the study as a seperate complete room and have an open study area.

thanks for the advice guys

hearing what the design experts have said i've made adjustments

I have included

- a laundry room

- a study closet

- wide hall way opening up from stairs to living area

- widened the understairs toilet to 1 meter by 1.6-1.8 m long

- have closet for the fridge and if enough space a closet pantry

- small common bathroom toilet measuring 1.1m wide x 2.5m long in the upstairs for bedroom 2 and 3

I fell that the kitchen should lie against the common wall and the dinning should be against the non common wall and have a reasonable large window, so that when someone is in the kitchen they can stare out a vertical garden against the fence and allow more light to come in to the kitchen and dining area.

Question:

I'm thinking of making the kitchen longer, so that I could include a 3.2m x 1.1m island bench top.

At the moment my living room is 5m long x 4.1m and kitchen 4.5m x 2.3m

I'm thinking of changing the kitchen to 5m long and the living room to 4.8m.

Let me know your thoughts

Longer larger lounge would be my preference. Ground floor entry: could laundry and study be on left side with entry directly into living space instead of the zig zag? Even if study or laundry was on lower level? Funny how ensuites are now larger than bathrooms that service more people!? Plan is better much better. Margot

My theory behind a larger on suite is that I want the parents of the home to fall in love with the place. Not sure if this is the right thinking to increase the value of the home.

Is it better to have the bathtub in the onsuite or common bathroom?

I think it is essential for a family home to have an ensuite and a bath for kiddies. I guess where the bath is doesn't matter so much. Ha!: here's another idea! in your plan: could the bath be between the ensuite and bathroom so usable from either room? then bathroom would have at least a smidge of access to fresh air and light from eternal window which is SO much nicer than internal rooms. Just a fun thing to play with!! Enjoy!

for a romantic retreat for a couple a bath in the ensuite might be a nice extra but for a family home with four or five bedrooms convenient arrangements for family living would take priority for parents who may never have time to use a bath or the bath is needed for small children..i have to ask again...who is the property being built for? is it for personal use, immediate sale or rental...the market will decide what's best and a local real estate agent should be able to advise what might be a better investment before you spend on features that aren't cost effective including a big island that is out of proportion to the small living area

That’s a good question,

I plan to keep both as investment properties possibly living in one for a short term period or having my sister rent if from me

No plan to sell atm.

as an investment we need to consider build costs, mortgage repayments and potential long term continuous rental payments.. if they're not for your own long term personal use i would concentrate on bigger rooms, less bathrooms and more flexible spaces to appeal to a broader range of potential tenants...eg the dining room is not big enough for a table for a family of seven and not enough space for the big island with stools....there will be a limit to how much rent will be paid for a 5 bedroom duplex when compared to a five bedroom home with extra living areas and spacious family bathroom ...the cost of an extra bathroom might be better spent on a multi purpose room rather than an extra small bedroom and bathroom

We are building our place with a larger en-suite, smaller family bathroom, but that’s not for everyone. Originally we were going to put a shower over a bath in our teens’ bathroom but they preferred a walk-in shower so that’s what we went with. No space for separate bath and shower. We have bath and walk in shower in the en-suite as I love a long soak with a good book. This may come back to bite us when we want to sell but it’s our forever home so it’ll be the problem of the kids who didn’t want a bath in their bathroom.

I think for that size of house it will be most likely for families so a full laundry is a must. Also I actually like the dynamics of the diagonal and how it opens up the rabbit-warren spaces a bit.

Better, but the main bath upstairs is way to small. You only have a half depth sink in there and no storage, or towel rail and ....
Downstairs, can the bathroom front right be access from the south end so you don’t need to move into the front hall to go to the loo. Helps to separate this zone if needed.

Kel it’s easy to start your own post.

Eh?

I think you need to rethink the bathroom situation upstairs, the "main bathroom" is too tight to service the additional two bedrooms upstairs. Could you reapportion the area for the ensuite and main bathroom - I agree the ensuite should feel special but what is essentially a shower room for the main bathroom is not big enough for a home with this many bedrooms. Good luck!

even as investments, it seems that 4-5 bedrooms would target large families, yet there's no adequate size family bathroom, not to mention there's only one living space!... it would make much more sense to eliminate 1 bedroom, in this case I believe less is more... have an additional living/rumpus room and proper family bathroom upstairs and the master w ensuite downstairs... then no need for another small bathroom and make better use of the space for an adequate laundry to service a family... anyway just my thoughts, and should also reduce build costs, the point of investment... good luck!

Can you make use of the space under the stairs and put the laundry, sideways under here with bifold doors.

Hi
I have a large bathroom with a closet for washer and dryer. I love it. Off my bedroom. But also have you thought about making study into bedroom with an en-suite and the laundry tucked in there behind doors. If your selling a bedroom downstairs for an older person its very attractive and nice to be separate from the others. Then the two bedrooms upstairs have there own bathroom. Also you are having toilet tucked under staircase for visitors.

If you had heaps of space then yes have a separate laundry but it’s a waste of space when you haven’t. I have my laundry essentials in a cupboard under my bathroom vanity which is 1800 cm long and still have two 1m drawers next to cupboard.

With 4 bedrooms you will have at least 5 people living there so at least 10 towels a weekand sheets and doonas and clothing all to be washed and where do you put it all on a wet day or week.Then there is the ironing of it all. Please dont make it cramped as you try to put everything in. Just think of those 3 kids plus all their friends all inside with no where to move

lilly1224

Hmmm we don't wash and dry all on the same day or would be at it the entire day. No problem at all! Also I would never ever shut myself in a room to do ironing... Out in the family room or lounge where I can socialist with the family while I work - works out great, they fold/hang and put away the items or even take a turn if there is alot.

Loving that diagonal, how much more interesting it is!