How many bedrooms?

[just john]

Same as Swissie, I will have four bedrooms when everything is finished, and hope to have visitors, but the house has formed that way because of our wish to have lots of room downstairs, two reception rooms, kitchen, dining room, utility and downstairs shower room, so if the need arises a reception room can become a bedroom. The house has been modeled so that it can be split in two, visitors can be separate if required and unused bedrooms winter heating costs cut down. Property in France is really such good value by comparison to the UK where we traded down to three bed, that it's nice to indulge in a bit more space to help you relax, I'd have a large Maison Maitre if funds permitted and sleep in a different room acording to the season! Like cars, whether a mini or maybach, getting the right thing for you is a personal choice, ''Fitness to purpose'' being the maxim and that includes having the space to indulge your pursuits whether a quartet or scalextric. I have only once lived in a two bed (our starter home), economic but after a year we couldn't wait to escape the claustrophobia, we found that most two beds were built with small rooms. As for investment potential, its more about buying the right thing at the right price, remembering that it should be basically a home to be happy in. 

Anyway, bonne chance et bonne chasse heureuse[;-)]

 

[Stan Streason]

When we started looking the first house we saw had 3 fairly small bedrooms.  Lovely house, great location and fully renovated - just what I had wanted.  Although I put an offer in I am ultimately glad it was rejected.

My current house sleeps 12 in 4 bedrooms (2x4 + 2x2) and last week my son and daughter-in-law had to put up 2 extra beds for another couple so maybe its never big enough.

Of course it all depends upon family and visitors but with only 2 bedrooms you could never have a "family" to visit or even non cohabiting friends - only singles or couples.  My personality is that not being able to do something would just make me frustrated about it more and more.

[Panda]

Hello

I disagree on the size issue, my first place in France had 5 bedrooms plus a 2 bedroomed gite.  It cost a fortune to heat and was a pain to clean.  We have family about 3 times a year so the rest of the time it was wasted space.  Second house in France was just a shell with planning and was made into 2 bedrooms plus very large kitchen (which incorporated a lounge and dining area) plus a large lounge which incorporated a dining area.  We had lots of vists from family and managed just fine with a good sofa bed and we retained the mobile home from the renovation so that extras could be accomodated (although not often used).  I like the idea of the separate chalet for guests, that would have been my preferred longer term option as I dont like to bump into people first thing in the morning in my kitchen, never have!

So I say go for 'small and functional' over 'it's cheap buy lots of it'!  All of my french acquaintainces live in only as much accomodation as they need, none would consider a huge drafty house, they are too careful with money for that so selling will not be the issue you think it will.

Panda x

[mint]

Lovely lot of replies, thank you everyone and a special "hello" to Panda as she no longer lives amongst us.

Guess what, the 2 bedroom was perfect:  superbly renovated so that every bit of space is useable.  Alas, there is a problem as next door and very close to the house is a large agricultural building used for heavy plant and machinery and this big storage building is on a retaining wall which is only a few feet from the property and on a very much higher level.  If the retaining wall collapses (not such a remote possibility as you might think as the retaining wall is quite soft in parts and very damp with the heavy rains we have been having) I reckon we could be buried alive and it might be hours if not days before we are found![:-))]

Beautifully finished property and the garden and views are out of this world.  But, with reluctance, have to let this one be bought by someone else.

Still thinking about the 3 bedroom we viewed today.  Only one reception room and that has a woodburner so might not be suitable but OH is drawing out the floor plans at this very moment so I will wait to see what goes where.

Newly done out as a speculation exercise so there are some things that will need replacing and the outside fencing, etc are very basic.

Anyway, gotta go, nice programme on on BBC 4.  Norman, I hope you are watching?

[Jo]

We bought 4 bedrooms even though there is just the two of us who will be living there permanently. Of our two sons, one will be taking a year out of UK and staying with us the other chooses to remain in UK. I wanted them to have their own rooms so when they come to stay, for however long, it will be their "home" not just staying in a spare room. The 4th room is the guest room,  and my occasional refuge from my OH's snoring!![:)]

[mint]

Jo, please can you adopt me so that I can have a permanent bedroom in your house?[:D]

I understand completely about your circumstances.  Fortunately or unfortunately maybe, we do not have large families and, whilst I love having visitors, I do select them very carefully and only have people that I love and want to spend time with.

Only thing is, OH loves issuing invitations and it's sometimes difficult as I have little wriggle room (you know, the sort of "room" that is not physical!)

[cooperlola]

How about just having a big bedroom for yourself which you can put your piano in?

The bedroom which I'm planning for myself when eventually all gets sorted will have room for a mega telly and surround system, my computer and desk, shelving for 2000+ DVDs  and the same number of books, plus the bed.  Thus I can indulge in what I like doing without ever bothering the o/h.  As many French houses have at least one bedroom downstairs there would be no need at all for any PG Tips stuff with your joanna.  Then your o/h could still watch the TV and you could play.  Nobody says a musical instrument has to be in the sitting room do they?

Or your could have two tv's - one in the bedroom where you could send the o/h when the rugger's on.

One big bedroom each which can accommodate your "do it alone" hobbies and a communal living space where you can spend time together without disturbance from the TV etc and where you can put guests if really necessary (and usually they aren't) is what I'd go for.  A double bed in each so you can......  in whichever you chose.  Less to heat and less to clean.

But whatever you do, Sweets, buy to please you, not to please some mythical future purchaser and/or guest - it's your home, not theirs.

[Gardengirl]

Cooperlopla, you're so right with that last sentence. so many people seem to buy with resale in mind or else where to put visitors. You should always buy to please yourselves.

We only have a sofa bed for visitors in France; very smart and comfy, I might add. Visitors arriving tomorrow have taken a room for the week at a residence 2 minutes away on foot; he snores and they both like siestas, as does my OH, so we don't have to worry about who/where.

In UK we have 3 spare bedrooms, which when not full of bathroom equipment as they are now, are available but mostly unused these days

I also like Cooperlola's idea for 2 big bedrooms; sounds quite luxurious as in 5 star hotels!   We once had a piano in a garage, but never in a bedroom !  [:D]

[cooperlola]

Well, it comes from living with somebody who doesn't like the TV.  I've thus become used to having a sitting room which does not use the telly as its focal point - it's a room where we sit round the fire after dinner and drink and chat with no disturbance and to my mind it works well.  A hi fi system is all the entertainment in it and thus, also, when people come we talk to them, unlike some people I know who never turn the telly off!  Yes, it does mean recording a lot of stuff I want to watch but again, who says you have to spend the evening in front of the goggle box anyway?  What's wrong with the rest of the day?

Keep the intrusive entertainment private, and share good food, good wine and good conversation.

[Jo]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Jo, please can you adopt me so that I can have a permanent bedroom in your house?[:D]

[/quote]

Not sure you'd like me as a parent! My two would probably say they deserve it[6]

It probably harks back to me being an RAF gipsy,  never kept any stuff from my past as we moved so often,  if it didn't go in one bag it got left[:(] I'm just trying to give them somewhere that's "theirs".

[mint]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

 

One big bedroom each which can accommodate your "do it alone" hobbies and a communal living space where you can spend time together without disturbance from the TV etc and where you can put guests if really necessary (and usually they aren't) is what I'd go for.  A double bed in each so you can......  in whichever you chose.  Less to heat and less to clean.

But whatever you do, Sweets, buy to please you, not to please some mythical future purchaser and/or guest - it's your home, not theirs.

[/quote]

Oh, Coops, you do have such brilliant ideas!

I love the idea of his n hers bedrooms.  Would give a whole new dimension to the age-old question: your place or mine, won't it?[:D][;-)]

Well then, I shall have a nice, spacious bedroom with my piano, my computer, my books, en suite facilities, a mini fridge and tea- and coffee-making equipment (like in the nicer Accor Hotels).  I shall have a sign that says "Please do not  disturb" on one side and "Please clean the room" on the other.

Now, why didn't I think of that myself?[:D] 

 

[maurice]

Hi,

You can try this :
http://compas-france.eu/
There is all for France. I hope it's util.
Maurice

[Doodle]

Maybe the question is 'how may loos' reason being, we have 3 bedrooms unfortunately 1 leads off of another so we are converting the loft space BUT we are doing this because we have 1 loo which is in the 1 and only bathroom and much too our amusement but more often pain, our guests can spend around 45 minutes each in the bathroom!

This year we all decided we must shout to each other 'is the bathroom free' so at least we can get to 'go' beforehand and as we can't install another loo anywhere else in the house we decided to convert the loft - I might say a very expensive loo room indeed!!

Chris

[bettyboop]

We have 4 bedrooms at present, like the idea of making 2 into 1 and having a double room each, plus small single. We are lucky we own the cottage next door, thats where the visitors will go.