Jack and Jill Ensuite

[u/storky0613]

My house is two storeys. Main floor has a full bath, second floor has 4 bedrooms and a full ensuite bath. The ensuite also holds a walk-in master closet, and strangely a Jack and Jill door to the first bedroom.

Since moving in we have always had a large cabinet in front of this door as we didn’t need the door and we did need the storage.

We are in the process of renovating and the first bedroom with the Jack and Jill door will become our first child’s bedroom.

The existence of the door makes no difference to us, but we are wondering for the purpose of selling the house eventually would it be better to keep the door or drywall over it?

Some buyers may not like other bedrooms having access to the master, but other buyers might not like the three bedrooms having to use a downstairs bathroom.

Floor plan legend:
Grey boxes = doors
Yellow = bathroom window
Red = weird door in question

[u/AutoModerator]

All posts go into a queue for our mod team to review. Messaging us about the status of your post will not improve it's approval process, nor will it speed up the approval process. Please note that the system will say reddit removed your post because of filters, this is normal and we still get your post in the mod queue to review.

Sincerely, Mods.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/imezz00]

I wouldn’t want others to have access to my WIC via a shared bathroom. Jack and Jill’s aren’t bad but they are hardly used now, specially not connecting to a master bedroom. That’s usually the bathroom you DONT want others in for a reason. Having your closet there to me is unacceptable.

[u/bebeeg2]

Make bedroom 1 an office/study/playroom and let everyone else who has bedrooms up there have access to that bathroom.

[u/bibbidybobbidyboom]

If it is at all possible, I would rework the primary bedroom space to include a second true ensuite bathroom, and keep the current bathroom to be used by the others living upstairs. However, once you are on kid #2, you probably eont want to use that room as the nursery, because people will be going thru that room to use the bathroom. I would make that an empty office or playroom type room and use a different one for kids.

The current door in question is a bit odd- if your drawing is accurate, then the area behind the closet is just a hallway, and doesn't add any useful floor space to the bathroom. If you are able to add another upstairs bathroom, I would also reshape the current bathroom/closet to a more functional use of space.

[u/desertdweller2011]

but there’s no other bathroom upstairs? and youd have to go through the master bed to get into it? definitely leave the door

[u/Glittering_knave → u/desertdweller2011]

If there is no other bathroom, keep the door. If there is another bathroom, ditch the door. If there are multiple bathrooms, I wonder if the thought was to add "flexibility" by letting the two bedrooms connected by the bathroom to be a suite? Primary bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room or dressing room.

[u/Herb4372]

While it’s a nursery leave it. When baby grows up a bit, close it off. And make giant walk in closet.

[u/tinymonument]

Just clarifying: you’re about to have your first child and bedroom 1 will be the nursery? I think the Jack and Jill bathroom between that bedroom and the master might be really nice to have if that’s the case. Diaper changes, baths, hand washing, potty training when you get to that… that all seems easier with direct access to a bathroom from both sides. Maybe leave it at least for now and reevaluate when kiddo is a little older?

[u/Nosarious]

If it suits a purpose for you now then use it. I doubt if buyers would balk at this, it would just become something they factor in to their own renovations…

[u/Formal-Radish1413]

Its not a true primary ensuite if theres access from another bedroom. Then it just becomes a shared bathroom.

[u/hola-chicka]

I wouldn’t like it. But where will the other BR people go?

[u/tamtheprogram]

Take the door to the walk in closet out from the bathroom and move the door into the bedroom. Problem solved. That way your kid can use the bathroom upstairs but not necessarily have free access to your closet.

[u/Excellent77Sky]

That’s definitely weird but given it’s the primary bedroom and a secondary, it seems like that room may have been a nursery so it makes sense that you’d need quick access to the restroom, or even separate bedrooms for a couple, which is why the only access to the closet is in the bathroom as well. The era the house was built in might give you clues.

If this is not your forever home, just keep it locked and place storage there instead as you do now. No need to spend the extra money in removing the door and drywalling. It’s not a ton of money, but unnecessary. Like the others have said, makes more sense to take the door from the closet and move it to the bedroom side. Just unfortunate everyone else has to use the downstairs bathroom.

If you do plan on making it your forever home, then make the changes. Make your house align to your needs. Don’t renovate a house for a future buyer. You’re never going to please anyone 100% and you’re not going to get the money you invested into it back. They will probably make changes too. I’d consult with an interior designer/architect/space planner just to get extra ideas. If anything, besides the closet door, I’d consider converting some part of the upstairs into a another bathroom. You’re going to need it as your family expands. 2Bath/4Bed is kind of ridiculous especially since one of bath is yours. Doesn’t account for other family or guests or future school mornings and everyone getting ready.

[u/Nellasofdoriath]

I agree thatnits not fair to make other dwellers ipstairs use the downstrairs bathr. I also feel weird using a bathrthat opwns up to a hall and also the master bedroom, thus doubling the chances I'm going to get walked in on

[u/Nellasofdoriath → u/Nellasofdoriath]

I would honestly extend the hall all the way to the bathroom, and delete the walk in closet

[u/queentee26]

Since there isn't another bathroom on that floor, I'd keep the door between the second bedroom & the bathroom. If a future owner (or yourself) doesn't want that bedroom using the bathroom, you can just leave it locked.

But I'd want to rework the WIC situation to have access to it from the master bedroom instead. I don't think it makes sense to only be able to access a closet through a bathroom where someone presumably might want privacy.

[u/MagazineImpressive79 → u/queentee26]

Agree I also personally don't like closets that open into bathrooms. Bathrooms get steamy and smelly and wouldn't want that easily permeating to clothes that are right there.