I was looking at floor plans last night and one had the toilet facing the dining table through an open doorway, while the other put the bathroom behind a hallway corner, and honestly it's like some architects have never actually lived in a house, has anyone else seen a layout that made you question the designer's sanity?
I saw this listing in the Phoenix suburbs where they converted a spare closet into a half bath, but the only way to it is walking past the kitchen island where people are eating. Then another house had the master shower accessed only through the walk-in closet. Which layout do you think is the bigger design fail, or is there some third option that tops both of them?
Bought a house in Nashville last month based on a listing that showed a half-bath by the entrance, but the actual layout had the toilet facing the door with zero privacy. $5,000 later for a contractor to rotate it all, has anyone else dealt with a misleading floor plan that cost you extra cash?
I had been looking at houses online for like 3 months and kept circling back to these split level floor plans from the 70s. Something about the sunken living room and the half flights of stairs felt cool and retro, you know? Then I actually went to see one in person near my brother's place in Raleigh. The main floor was this weird hallway kitchen where you couldn't open the fridge and the dishwasher at the same time. The stairs were so narrow I banged my elbow on the wall carrying a laundry basket. Plus the only bathroom was on the opposite level from the bedrooms, so you'd have to go up and down stairs in the middle of the night. I wasted a whole Saturday driving out there and the whole tour was maybe 10 minutes. Anyone else been totally fooled by a floor plan photo that looked way better than the real thing?
My buddy Mike bought a condo in Denver with this huge open kitchen-living room. Thought it would be great for parties. First time I visited, he was frying fish. The whole place smelled like a pier for 3 days. And you could see every dirty dish from the couch. Learned that walls exist for a reason - they hide the mess and the smells.
I toured a flip in north Dallas last week where the kitchen was just a tiny galley with the sink right next to the fridge... no counters at all, just a 2-foot strip by the stove. I almost put in an offer before I realized you'd have to prep food on the toilet lid across the hall. Has anyone else seen a floor plan where the designer clearly never cooked a meal?
Was at an open house last Sunday just looking around and the realtor started venting about the floor plan. She said builders do it on purpose because it makes the bathroom look bigger in the listing photo. Never thought about it that way but now I can't unsee it. Has anyone else noticed this in new construction near you?
I looked at a listing in Denver where the floor plan had the toilet door opening directly into the kitchen island, no hallway or wall in between. My realtor laughed it off as 'efficient', but I measured and the toilet was literally 3 feet from the stove. Has anyone else seen a layout so bad it made you walk out mid-tour?
Saw a listing last week near Austin where the only way to get to the half bath was through the kitchen pantry... has anyone else seen rooms that just make zero sense?
I spent 6 months measuring rooms with a laser tape and drawing floor plans in Bluebeam on my laptop. Last week I tried MagicPlan on my iPad at a 1970s ranch house in Austin. It took me 20 minutes instead of 2 hours and the walls actually lined up right the first time. Has anyone else found a cheap app that saves that much time?
Was scrolling Zillow listings around Akron last night and saw a split level where the only access to the master bathroom was through the garage. How did someone build that and think yeah, this is fine?
I saw a listing last week for a 3-bedroom ranch in Columbus. The floor plan had a bathroom between two bedrooms with doors on both sides. One door faced the living room, the other faced the master. My buddy says it's genius for a shared kids bathroom. I think it's a recipe for zero privacy and constant awkward run-ins. Which side wins? Has anyone actually lived with one of these double-door setups?
I was browsing Zillow last night for fun and stumbled on a house from the 1970s in Cleveland. The floor plan showed the single bathroom with its door right next to the stove, no hallway or buffer room at all. If someone is cooking dinner, you'd have to step around them just to use the toilet. There was also a random half wall sticking out in the middle of the living room for no reason I could figure out. Has anyone else run into a listing that made you wonder what the architect was thinking?
I was over at a friend's place in Phoenix last week and their new build has this open wall between the kitchen and half bath with a counter cutout. You can literally make eye contact with someone sitting on the toilet while you're washing dishes. Does anyone else think that is a health code or just basic decency violation?
I used to laugh at those weird layouts where the toilet is right next to the stove, but after living in a tiny apartment with a bathroom off the hallway for 3 years I finally get it - sometimes you just need a sink near the dinner prep. Have you ever found a floor plan that looked dumb but actually makes sense once you live in it?
I was looking at old listings from my hometown in Ohio last week, and kept seeing these split-level houses where the only full bathroom was right off the kitchen counter. My aunt's house had that setup, and we had to walk through the living room just to wash hands after dinner. Has anyone else dealt with a floor plan where the bathroom placement just made no sense?
I checked out a house for sale near 7th Street and McDowell last weekend and the floor plan had the toilet right next to the stove. No wall, no door, just a toilet sitting there between the counter and the fridge. My friend says it's just bad design but I think the builder must've run out of space. What do you all think - is this ever acceptable or is it always a disaster?
I keep seeing people rave about tearing down walls to make everything open, but I bought a house from that era and it's a nightmare. The kitchen noise travels right into the living room so if someone's running the dishwasher you can't hear the TV at all. And the lack of a proper hallway means every room dumps into the same big space with zero privacy. After three years here I'm actually thinking about putting a wall back up between the kitchen and dining area. My buddy did the same thing to his 2016 build and said it dropped his heating bill by 40 bucks a month because the rooms actually trap heat now. Has anyone else regretted going open concept after living with it for a while?