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barbcollins_gw

2 doors in bathroom; good or bad?

barbcollins
13 years ago

We are renovating a house that we are planning on selling in the next year (or two).

We are going to add a bathroom on the main floor since there is only one bathroom (upstairs). The bathroom will be next to a bedroom and the laundry/mudroom. Trying to decide if we should put two doors in the bathroom.

I generally don't like the idea, but if I was sleeping in the bedroom downstairs, I would prefer a direct door instead of having to go through the mudroom in the middle of the night.

Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

Comments (23)

  • CaroleOH
    13 years ago

    I would think I would want direct access to the bathroom if a door makes sense floor plan wise. Between the two I'd nix the door into the laundry room. Why do you want to access the bathroom from that room? Is there no door into a hallway for general access?

  • clemrick
    13 years ago

    I love the idea. As an adult, having easy access to a bathroom without tracking mud from the garden through hallways and other rooms is wonderful.

    As a former 5-7 year old child, the two door set up provides a wonderful play area for chasing siblings/friends around and around, especially if tricycles can navigate through the bathroom ;^p

  • sheilajoyce_gw
    13 years ago

    It is hard to tell, but with kids, a bathroom off the mudroom would allow them to run in to use the bathroom without tracking mud through the house. I like making easy access to the bedroom too.

  • maddielee
    13 years ago

    I think 2 doors is a good idea...can you make one of the doors a pocket door to use less space?.

  • Carol_from_ny
    13 years ago

    Two doors can work. I'd be inclined to make both pocket doors. It gives you more room than regular doors and you don't have to worry about which way they swing.

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Here is a copy of the proposed floor plan so you can see what I mean.

    The door going outside has a 9 lite window.

  • classicalone
    13 years ago

    Given the layout that you show here, I'd keep the hallway (it's not really in a mudroom) door, and not put in the bedroom door. I really hate bathrooms with two doors anyway, and given how tiny that bathroom is, two doors just do not make sense.
    And I think people would want their family and guests to be able to use the downstairs bathroom without going through a bedroom, and as for overnight guests, they're not going to be going through a mudroom to get to it - they're just going out one door and into another door right beside it.

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    This will be the 3rd bedroom in the house, so I doubt it will be a "guest room". I definitely think this bathroom will get a lot of use during the day.

    I just don't like the idea of walking past an exterior door to get to the bathroom (from the bedroom).

    We do have some flexibility in where the outside doors ends up. The PO did a horrible job when they built the addition, and we have to take that wall out to make repairs. I would like to put the door closer to the kitchen entrance, but that would put it directly across from the bathroom door.

  • cordovamom
    13 years ago

    One of my upstairs bathrooms has two doors. One door leads into a guest room and one into the hallway. What I have found is that when a guest uses the bathroom they end up locking both the door into the hallway and into the bedroom. Unfortunately, more often then not, when they're done in the bathroom they usually only unlock the door they're exiting from !! So I've had the situation where guests have locked the door to the hallway and no one can get into that bathroom unless they go through the guest room, disturbing the guests !!

    Your layout has the bedroom is such close proximity to the bathroom that I really don't think it's necessary to muddy up the picture with another door. Plus, that bathroom is not that large and another door would really have a negative impact on space usability.

  • chisue
    13 years ago

    I vote for just the hall door. You can drape the window on the exterior door.

    Not asked, but...that's a *really small* laundry space -- and no laundry tub for me to wash my Westie's feet! LOL

  • Billl
    13 years ago

    From a resale standpoint, I'd go with 1 door. Unless you present it as an option, nobody is even going to think of knocking a hole into the adjacent bedroom. However, some people are going to think 2 doors is an odd layout.

  • terezosa / terriks
    13 years ago

    Could you make the doorway between the hall/mudroom area and the rest of the house and put a pocket door there? That way, when you do have guests the pocket door could be closed, giving them a bit more privacy from the rest of the house.

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I have thought about putting a shade on the back door, but what I like about that door is it brings light into the kitchen (especially if we move it closer to the kitchen). Personally, it still kind of "creeps me out" to walk past an exterior door in the middle of the night. It's probably just me :)

    And yes, from a resale standpoint, my concern is people thinking it is an odd layout. Sounds like the second door will be more trouble than it's worth.

    Yes the laundry room is small. Calling it a laundry room is generous. I originally planned a laundry closet, but like this open plan better. If you saw the damp, dark cellar the washer & dryer are in now (complete with dirt floor), you would agree this will be a big improvement!

    Thanks for all the comments!

  • Happyladi
    13 years ago

    Based on your picture I would do just the one door in the hallway.

  • jannbell
    13 years ago

    I would go with two doors. If a buyer hates one of the doors, I think it would be easier and less expensive to remove the door and drywall the opening than it would be to add a new door if the buyer wanted an additional door.

  • CaroleOH
    13 years ago

    I would keep the hallway door and put in a pocket door into the bedroom. Why would someone want to walk basically into your kitchen to take a shower etc.? A pocket door would not take up too much room.

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    13 years ago

    I too would put a pocket door on the bedroom. I wonder though if a lock could be put on both sides, that the guest in the bedroom would feel secure with the door locked between the bedroom and the bath, and also those using the bath, would feel secure in that no one would be coming thru from the bedroom. Clear as mud? I don't like being in a bathroom, particularly away from home, without the door(s) locked.

    Sue

  • khinmn92
    12 years ago

    I would nix the 2nd door. I don't think it would be worth the hassle and would just make the space seem smaller and mitre cluttered. guests would be close enough to the hallway access, that it shouldn't be an issue.

  • cocontom
    12 years ago

    This post is a year old- I hope Barb is done with the remodel by now!

  • gardenspice
    12 years ago

    I'd definitely put two doors in. We have that set up in our second bath and it works beautifully for guests. I think what it gives the buyer is maximum flexibility. no matter how I used it - a guest room, bedroom for an elderly parent or home office, I can't imagine that it would not be awkward to have to go out into the hallway to go into the bathroom.

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    "This post is a year old- I hope Barb is done with the remodel by now"

    I would hope so too, but sadly it was deferred. It is now next on the list for me after DH & sons fix a problem on the outside wall. And along with that my floor plan had some major changes and the planned bathroom as been moved so two doors are no longer a concern.

  • Michael Regio
    2 years ago

    hi, in this type of house, is it advisable to use two doors for the bathroom? one is accessed through the dirty kitchen/laundry (for guests) and one through the walk in closet/ storage (for us, so that the guests dont have to go through our closet before going to the bathroom.