How important is a first-floor bathroom?

[Anonymous]

Assuming you have two full bathrooms elsewhere (2nd floor and basement playroom), would you still carve room out of a kitchen for a first floor powder room? I've been assuming we would. But it is SO tempting to have a large, open kitchen instead. It must be done, though, right? For resale?

[Anonymous]

A lot of people like them, but I personally hate them. I've yet to see a first-floor bath that was as private as it needed to be. Who wants to listen to someone pee during your dinner party?

[Anonymous]

I would prefer one. Who wants to run up/down to go every time. I'd do a very small one.

[Anonymous]

Who wants to have guests tromping upstairs to pee and poking through your medicine cabinet?

Put in a powder room.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but I would prefer it be further from the kitchen, if possible.

Right now, our 1st floor powder room is right next to the front door, which I also am not fond of. But I prefer that over the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

I have friends who live in small bungalows in dc as well as small colonials in silver spring who regret not having a small powder room on the first floor. Think about toilet training a toddler and having to dash upstairs. Think about having elderly grandparents over. Just put one in.

[Anonymous]

Alas, the only possible location is basically a corner of the kitchen. The door will be in the kitchen entry, so at least it won't be right off the dining room.

We are in a row house with three rooms, stacked front to back (living-dining-kitchen). Right now there is a large, useless (unelectrified, unlit!) pantry in one corner of the kitchen. We are planning to use half of it as the powder room. But if we could get rid of the whole thing, oh the kitchen we could have!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have friends who live in small bungalows in dc as well as small colonials in silver spring who regret not having a small powder room on the first floor. Think about toilet training a toddler and having to dash upstairs. Think about having elderly grandparents over. Just put one in.

Both kids are potty trained now. But yeah, our parents are getting older. That's a great reason to put one on the main floor. We're planning to be here a long time so resale, while important, isn't as important to us as usability for our own needs.

[Anonymous]

Very important. Deal killer if no powder on the main level.

[Anonymous]

I would never consider a house without at least a half bath on the first floor. In addition to all of the reasons above (children, seniors who have trouble with stairs, not wanting visitors upstairs), when I'm working in the yard or garage, I like to have the option of someplace not too far from either the front door or the garage where I can sneak in for a bathroom break or to wash my hands. And I already have to go up and down stairs a lot with kids, I don't need to add that for going to the bathroom, as well (why use a stairmaster? Just have a 2 story house with kids and you'll get more stairwork than you'd get at the gym!)

[Anonymous]

I probably wouldn't buy a house without a powder room. If it has to be carved out of the kitchen, do what you can to make it private and sanitary (exhaust fan, soundproofing). I've seen some disasters! You can make it a small, cute little powder room, and if it's small you can go high-quality/elegant without spending as much.

[Anonymous]

The ideal situation would be a mud room powder room and another guest powder room. At the very least the lack of a first floor bathroom will kill your buyer pool

[Anonymous]

Please put a powder room in. I love my row house, but damn, I hate not having a first floor powder room. One day we'll blow out the back of the house and add one. If I were to buy another house, that would be a deal breaker.

Definitely do not put it in the dining room.

[Anonymous]

We are currently renovating our kitchen and using the first floor bathroom to do dishes and such so it's not being used as a bathroom.

I don't miss having a kitchen that much but man I'm ready to start screaming every time I need to go and have to climb upstairs with toddler in tow.

[Anonymous]

It is pretty common around here not to have a first floor bathroom. That said, we have one and love it. It was put in where a closet would have been. I'll take the bathroom!!