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what you’re glad you have/wish you’d had in your family home?

8 years ago

We are extending our 3 bed, 1 bath detached into hopefully a 4 bed, 2 bath. We’ve lived in the house for nearly 4 years and during that time have learnt what we ‘need’ from a home. However, we don’t have children and assuming some (hopefully!) come along in the future, we want to extend our house and improve it in a way that would suit bringing up a family as well. Would be interested to hear what parents are glad they have in their home when it comes to the kids, and what they wish they had.

Is a small garden ok? Do teenagers need bigger rooms than little ‘uns? Should we make the children share rooms or is it a pain? What’s a suitable oilet to child ratio?

Grateful for any advice!

Featured Answer

J A

8 years ago

We don't have children, but when creating our new bathroom upstairs we had a large cupboard built which houses ironing board, iron, extra loo roll, shelves to hold multiple laundry baskets and our washer dryer.

It has transformed the ground floor of our house - all the laundry detritus stays upstairs. Things are put away faster, washed sooner and generally we feel more organised.

Never again will have laundry cupboard / room anywhere but near bedrooms.

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Comments (10)

tamp75
8 years ago
Decent sized bedrooms are good at any age - as younger children size is useful to accommodate toys and as teenagers they’re more likely to spend more time in their rooms so perhaps making them large enough for a small seating area as well would be good. Similarly, a separate ‘living’ space downstairs is also useful as a play room when they’re younger & somewhere for relaxing / games room when they’re older. We’re not keen on our children having the x box in their rooms do having an extra space downstairs for that is useful. A laundry room or utility is useful for all the extra washing children create to avoid having it all around the house on wet days.
Garden size possibly depends on amenities close to you (parks, etc) but personally feel that as large a garden as possible really helps with primary age children. We chose our current house partly because of the garden size & style - plenty of lawned area. Our last garden was tiered with decks & patios - great for adult socialising but nowhere big enough to kick a ball.
Bathrooms - a bath in at least one with shower over (or shower attachment) for hosing children down if necessary!
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kikiamack
8 years ago
I think having some dedicated shoe and coat storage makes a massive difference to how tidy the house is and looks as you walk in the hallway. We had pull out storage put in under the stairs.
Adding a laundry room (previously washing machine was in kitchen and tumbler was in garage) has also kept all the laundry in one area so much easier to manage and keep tidy. We also put that in upstairs which has worked really well for us. If you have room, I think that a separate playroom, which then becomes a “chill out room”,as my boys named it, is great. Our boys are not allowed the console in their rooms and you can keep an eye on things. One of the reasons we extended was so that both boys could have double rooms. Kids live longer at home nowadays and their generation is getting bigger/taller than ours. Our garden is not massive, but it worked for us. We live on a cul de sac though so they could play on bikes out the front, and there is also a little play park about 4 houses down which was brilliant when they were smaller. Ideally it’s good to have some lawn for a kick about, and room for a swing/climbing frame/trampoline/paddling pool. It evolves!
kikiamack
8 years ago
Meant to add that I was also very glad to have a downstairs loo when I was potty/toilet training the kids, and for the year or so after when things always seem to be urgent!
Heather
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks everyone for your replies. It had not occurred to me to put the laundry room upstairs - originally were thinking we would put a utility off the kitchen for washer/dryer and entering with muddy shoes etc. Now I might just make that a ‘muddy entrance hallway’ and put the washer and dryer upstairs. Makes so much more sense!
A B
8 years ago
I’d echo what everyone else has said. Also some kind of boot room (Also good for pets!) as the amount of mud, shoes, bags and coats that seems to drift into the house in winter is so depressing. Ideally it would be accessed from the front and back.

Plus wipe clean paint!!
minipie
8 years ago
In your shoes, ideally I would put the laundry machines downstairs in your boot room at first as you don't want to have to keep running upstairs to deal with laundry loads while you have babies and toddlers.. Then move them upstairs once the kids are 4 ish - by which time you will need the extra space in your boot room for all their school kit and shoes!

Downstairs loo is so useful.

A TV in a room with a door you can shut (if they are watching Frozen for the millionth time)

Storage, storage, storage. You can use ikea or built in but make sure there is loads. We have about 10x the stuff we had pre children. And none of it is the adults'...

Make sure you have somewhere to put a buggy downstairs, don't kid yourself you will fold it every day. After the buggy goes, there will be scooters or bikes...

Yes to scrubbable paint. And avoid light coloured or easily scratched flooring. Choose painted cabinetry and woodwork as at least it can be repainted, chipped veneer is chipped forever. Non slip tiles in the bathroom. Carpeted stairs. Removable washable sofa covers.
Emily
8 years ago
One thing I wish I’d done for the kids is making a spare bedroom twin bunk beds so sleep overs would have been easy peasy! It would have been fine for guests coming over at Christmas etc too since if a couple can’t go a night or two without sleeping in a double bed then they must be nymphamaniacs!
minipie
8 years ago
Oh another thing - cassette blinds in any child bedroom. These are basically roller blinds with a strip down each side of the window to provide a complete blackout.
minipie
8 years ago
Also a microwave and a small extra freezer somewhere utility room are really useful when you have small children. (never used them before kids!)

what you’re glad you have/wish you’d had in your family home?

J A

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tamp75

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what you’re glad you have/wish you’d had in your family home?

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