Is this a strange request?

Tropez

pulliptears wrote: »

another thought, could your current room be turned into a nice office or dining room when you move upstairs?

I turned the smallest bedroom into an office when I first moved in as I needed one because I work almost exclusively from home and the kitchen has an adjacent dining room. Most likely the current bedroom would just be a guest room as nigh on every addition or change I wanted made to the house I have now done. Maybe one of us should take up a hobby and use it as a hobby room?

sueeve wrote: »

We had a loft conversion to a bungalow, and after 4 years of sleeping downstairs it was sheer joy to go up to bed. I think it has a psychological effect of moving up and away from the activity of the day.
If it is the early loo trip which is the problem, perhaps just a small loo and washbasin would be enough upstairs. This would leave you with more space in the bedroom. By the time you have shaved upstairs you would feel more able to manage the stairs.

A toilet/washbasin combo might not be quite enough, to be honest. Without going too deeply into my medical issues (:D) my leg is a little flimsy straight out the bath (water relaxing muscles), which is why I tend to bathe before bed so I would likely need a bath in there too.

January20 wrote: »

yeah, but a bedroom is just to sleep in, isn't it? So as long as you can fit a bed that's big enough for the two of you, and a wardrobe... or perhaps it is a cunning plan on her part to have the present downstairs bedroom as a walk-in wardrobe :D

It may well be a cunning plan but I could always knock a hole in the wall to the spare bedroom. Even I could manage that, though adding the door would be an after thought....

As for size, we can just about fit the bed in, but there wouldn't be much room between the foot of the bed and the wall. Getting the bed up the stairs is a pleasant thought I just had... and through that door... oh dear...

Tropez

peachyprice wrote: »

I do think it's a strange request TBH given that you have very valid reasons for not wanting to move up there and her is just because 'it feels wierd' sleeping downstairs.

You say the stair case is narrow, could you actually get a double bed and wardrobes up the staircase?

Well as it happens, you may see from my last post, it has just occured to me what an utter chore it would be to get a bed up those stairs. I'm not convinced it would be possible with a conventional bed - maybe with one of those beds that comes in two parts or something but I had one of them before and it was rubbish... and even then the mattress...

Couldn't even winch it up and get it through the window either! :rotfl:

I'd have to look into it. The "landing" if you could call it that might just about offer enough room to maneuver but I'm not sure.

Wardrobes... well we'd probably just have to buy new ones (the ones in the current bedroom are fitted) and put them together up there.

ontheroad_2

i think you need to cost all of it, and discuss it all fully with your girlfriend, including all the issues involved. You both need to get up those stairs together as well and actually look at the room!

sueeve

Our bed comes in 2 halves, and it is wonderful. Just like any bed, you can buy at any quality level you like. It is useful because we occasionally split it into 2 singles e.g. when I had surgery, or when children come to stay.

Tish_P

Sit down and work out costs with her. If costs are prohibitive, that's that.

Also discuss what other things you could do with the top room - it is a bit ridiculous letting a whole room going to waste! How about a study or a music room or a craft room or even just a hideaway for TV-watching? - and what else you could do to make a downstairs bedroom feel less weird to her. Maybe some more secure window locks or blinds to address those irrational axe-murderer fears, plus some more calming decor, or arranging things so that the bedroom's quieter? The sensation of being away from noise and bustle when you turn in for the night is very important.

greenval

Tropez, I do find this an odd request but despite being female and living alone I don't have any 'mad axeman ' issues or whatever. I lived in a ground floor bedsit about 200 yds from where the Yorkshire Ripper killed his last victim and I'm still here!
Seriously though I now have major mobility issues and the Occupational therapist wanted me to have a stair lift as I've had falls on the stairs too many times to count. I won't , yet, but unless your problems are likely to improve and it doesn't sound as though they will. you may be looking to spend a lot of money on a room that ultimately you cannot access. I don't want to be depressing, just realistic.

squeaky

Tropez wrote: »

Stair case is too narrow, plus, I'm 27, I intend to use my legs as long as they will carry me.

I'm pretty sure that Stanna can fit a stair lift into any space that a person can walk up.

However - yes, I'm in full accord with your wish to keep using your legs for as long as you can. Even so... if it's just for that first move of the day - and you maintain your own discipline to use your legs the rest of the time...?

puppypants

Maybe she wants to sleep upstairs and for you to continue sleeping downstairs!!

Any

I can't see absolutely anything strange about her request.

The only thing is that she might not realise that you have problem with the stairs. Then obviously it is not practical and you need to talk about it.

But I find strange that you think her strange for wanting to do something with unused room in the house to be honest, especially if it could make nice and comfortable bedroom not on the same level as kitchen (that would do my heading I think).

ema_o

Tropez wrote: »

Stair case is too narrow, plus, I'm 27, I intend to use my legs as long as they will carry me.

Slide?? Way more fun than a stair lift

As someone currently making changes to the house, I know both myself and OH occasionally come up with crazy ideas about what we could do. I am still at least partially convinced we could use a bit of our spare room as a walk in wardrobe for example...
Usually once we work throught the costs we are both fairly amenable to changing our minds.

However - cost of bathroom might not be that bad. You can get smaller length baths (1500? I think), and I have seen some good deals on suites if you don't want to go for anything really specific.

Other thought is could the room be extended at all to give space for the bathroom? Might be lower than the rest of the room, but you might not need the height above the bath / loo. We are putting a loo and sink under our stairs, and the loo fits into the sloped bit giving just room to cope with it!