Space for Both Spouses
Fitzpatrick-In the March/April issue of Inspired House (www.taunton.com/inspiredhouse), architect Sarah Susanka points out in her regular article, Not So Big Solutions, that while we carefully provide a bedroom for each child in the house whenever possible, spouses most often share a space. This makes securing privacy difficult for the very folks who shoulder most of the stresses in the family.
We all need private space—and a quiet place to sleep.
My husband snores. Like rockets, like a jet airplane, like a vacuum cleaner that’s sucked up a sock. Poor guy, right? Busted nose, asthma. But what about me? I was finally vindicated by a comment on National Public Radio’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! about a study that said women suffer disproportionately from snoring because they are too nice to do anything about it. I’m sick of being nice. I started sleeping in the spare bedroom.
I know. Now we’re one of those couples about whom people feel free to speculate regarding the status of their conjugal relations. Speculate away. I’ll vouch that a good night’s sleep has a more positive impact on libido than proximity. Besides, with the layout of our 1,250 square foot house, with both bedroom doors open, we’re approximately twelve feet apart; close enough to share conversation and a Walton’s good night every evening.
When remodeling a master bedroom and bath, now referred to in the trade as an ensuite, make sure you address privacy and acoustic issues. Try to carve out private space in the home for each spouse; be it an alcove, an office at the top of the stairs, or a studio or library within the couple’s bedroom, as Susanka suggests.
Or the set-up for my next house; a master bedroom with shared closets and a bath connected to two separate sleeping areas.
We all need private space—and a quiet place to sleep.
My husband snores. Like rockets, like a jet airplane, like a vacuum cleaner that’s sucked up a sock. Poor guy, right? Busted nose, asthma. But what about me? I was finally vindicated by a comment on National Public Radio’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! about a study that said women suffer disproportionately from snoring because they are too nice to do anything about it. I’m sick of being nice. I started sleeping in the spare bedroom.
I know. Now we’re one of those couples about whom people feel free to speculate regarding the status of their conjugal relations. Speculate away. I’ll vouch that a good night’s sleep has a more positive impact on libido than proximity. Besides, with the layout of our 1,250 square foot house, with both bedroom doors open, we’re approximately twelve feet apart; close enough to share conversation and a Walton’s good night every evening.
When remodeling a master bedroom and bath, now referred to in the trade as an ensuite, make sure you address privacy and acoustic issues. Try to carve out private space in the home for each spouse; be it an alcove, an office at the top of the stairs, or a studio or library within the couple’s bedroom, as Susanka suggests.
Or the set-up for my next house; a master bedroom with shared closets and a bath connected to two separate sleeping areas.
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