Bedroom Trends: Two masters, mother-in-law suites, and guest suites

How many bedrooms are normal in a new house?

Traditional new homes in the United States have three or four bedrooms, one of which is generally the owners’ suite or master bedroom. The other bedrooms are usually allocated to children and one may be reserved for guests. However, bedroom square footage allocation is changing. In 2008 most new homes had three bedrooms. Since 2010 that has changed with more new homes having four bedrooms.
 
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average new home allocates 28.0 percent of the finished floor space to bedrooms.

  Statistics from Spaces in New Homes, Special Studies March 14, 2019, By Paul Emrath, Ph.D. NAHB Economics and Housing Policy Group
 

NAHB notes, “The master bedroom accounts for a larger share of the space in small new homes than in large ones (13.1 vs. 9.2 percent).  Other bedrooms (those not part of a master suite), however, account for roughly 17 percent of the finished floor space irrespective of house size.”
 
With the increasing numbers of bedrooms in homes, how are they being used? Let’s look at a few of the trends driving buyers’ preferences when it comes to new home bedrooms.
 

Two master suites; an enduring trend

One of the most enduring shifts has been to two masters. As children grow, parents may find they are happier on the main floor, leaving the upstairs rooms to children and guests. Aging individuals primarily prefer single floor living. Not only do they prefer single floor living, aging adults have differing sleep habits and as a result, two master bedrooms. When one spouse snores or likes to watch TV before going off to sleep and one is an early to bed person, their sleep-styles are no longer compatible.
 
Once thought to herald broken marriages, dual master suites now signal two mature adults who know what they need. While common in the homes of the gentry through the ages, they have not been common in the United States. In the Victorian era, husbands often had small sleeping quarters adjacent to their wives’ suites.
 
Today, in custom home design, these suites may be personalized to provide each individual space for hobbies, or relaxing or clothing storage. Jack and Jill master bedrooms are even a thing, with a joined bath connecting the two master spaces. As you can imagine, there are not many standard volume builder homes with such setups (insert here if we have any plans for these in Charleston area.)

 

When parents move in with the kids

As they age, more Boomers are coming to live with their adult children. The trend was spoofed in the recent movie, “Book Club” when character Diane’s daughters urge her to move to Arizona to live in one of their basements which has been converted to a suite for her.
 
According to Bankrate.com, one out of four “55 to 64 lived in multigenerational housing in 2016, while 21 percent were 65 and older.” Whether due to a shortage of affordable housing, wage stagnation, or loss of income, older adults are moving in or taking on new roles in the homes of their grown kids. Sometimes seniors come to live with their children to help with their grandkids or to let their kids help them out because of their failing health.

 

What is an accessory dwelling unit?

When mom moves in, she needs a space of her own, and sometimes that means adding on or converting an underutilized bonus room. Where town ordinances allow it, families might build a granny cottage or tiny house or convert a free-standing garage into a living space. Called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), these separate casitas are limited to 850 square feet in Mount Pleasant. In the City of Charleston, “ADUs are another tool we can use to increase access to affordable housing. These small units, defined in the code as ‘an accessory use to a principal single-family dwelling unit, that is located in the same building as the principal use or in an accessory building on the same lot,’ are currently allowed in a variety of areas in the City of Charleston.” The Town of Summerville permits ADUs of 900 square feet or less.
 
In the Charleston area, Nexton and Summers Corner feature new homes with detached garages which have apartments above them.
 
Home builders are even creating plans with flex space with optional bathrooms allowing for the space’s reallocation as a bedroom suite when needed. Until they are needed, these spaces may be home offices, craft rooms, libraries, or even playrooms. Check out the space in The Hartwell by Centex at Sanctuary Cove at Cane Bay Plantation
 

Flex space in The Hartwell, modeled as a study

 

Should you have a guest room or spare room for visitors?

Starter homes for families with children do not frequently include an extra bedroom for guests, however, in medium to larger sized homes, additional bedrooms are more normal and may be allotted as guest rooms. Though it may seem a luxury, having space to host gramma or gramps when they come to visit is important to many. Though there is a trend where many are not reserving an entire bedroom solely for visitors, because to these owners, it seems wasteful to pay for space that sits unused for the majority of the year.
 
Buyers who want a guest room, generally want them located near the front of the house to allow guests to come and go without disturbing the family. Also important is an easy to access shared bath or even better, an en suite bath.
 
Home builders in the Lowcountry have many plans with bedrooms or flex spaces which can work as guest rooms.



 

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Categories: Trends