If you’ve been searching for a house plan, you might have come across the words “split bedroom plan”.
The split bedroom floor plan gained popularity in American suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s.
Essentially inspired from ranch-style homes, homeowners saw this floor plan as a fresh and modern take on home styles back then.
Let’s explore everything you need to know about a split bedroom plan!
What Is a Split Bedroom Plan?
A split bedroom plan is essentially a house plan in which the master bedroom or suite is isolated from the rest of the rooms in a house.
It means that the master suite is separated from other bedrooms and the common areas, such as the kitchen, dining room, and living room.
A house with a split bedroom plan usually features eating and living areas designed with an open plan concept.
It makes the house appear and feel more functional, spacious, and comfortable. However, the isolated location of the master bedroom is what makes a split bedroom plan unique and different from the other house plans.
This house plan gained popularity from the 1950s onward as families started searching for grander houses in upscale neighborhoods.
Back then, it was seen as a modern and revolutionary floor plan. Today, homeowners see a split bedroom design as a practical and functional floor plan.
Benefits of a Split Bedroom Plan
Many homeowners or rentals look for and choose to buy or rent a split bedroom-style house. This is because a split bedroom plan has many compelling benefits that one cannot overlook.
Here are the main benefits of a split bedroom plan:
It Offers Peace and Privacy
Privacy is hands down the focal benefit of a split bedroom plan. If you’re looking for a house with multiple bedrooms, your children will likely inhabit some of those rooms. It’s when a split bedroom plan can provide you with the privacy that you need.
Your master suite will be at a good distance from the other bedrooms, you won’t have to worry about the noise your kids make.
Your room will also be away from heavy foot traffic rooms, such as the kitchen and dining room. It will give you all the privacy and quiet that you need after a busy day at work.
This floor plan will enable you to enjoy a relaxing time in your room. It will enable you to sleep late on the weekends and even enjoy some quiet time during the day.
You will have your own space, away from the constant, disruptive cacophony of noise expected in a household with children.
It Is Spacious
Homes with split bedroom layouts are spacious and grand. It’s because, in a split bedroom design plan, floor space is always used more efficiently than a plan with grouped bedrooms.
It doesn’t feature large hallways and extra walls that separate multiple rooms. These features typically make a space look smaller than it is.
In a split bedroom house, the common spaces can be bigger, more spacious. Even if such a house has the same square footage as a “grouped bedroom” house, a split bedroom plan will provide an illusion of space and luxury.
Without bulky, space-eating hallways, you get more square footage for your living space.
Thus, you can use your common rooms for a wide range of activities, such as relaxing by the fireplace, playing family games, and entertaining guests.
Additionally, with a split bedroom design, the kitchen and living room separate the two sleeping “zones” in your house.
It Is Affordable to Build
Many homeowners are drawn to a house with a split bedroom plan because it costs significantly less to build than a grouped bedroom-style house.
The absence of interior walls and hallways will reduce the cost of the construction material used. It might also reduce the overall labor cost.
It Is Easy to Maintain and Renovate
A split bedroom home is easy to maintain and renovate. It’s because you can easily access your house’s working parts, which makes it easier to upgrade, clean, and repair things.
Moreover, it’s easier to customize or renovate your home and adapt to changing interior design trends.
The open space provides you with multiple benefits. For instance, even if you make one change to your open space kitchen, it will also make the adjoining open space dining room appear modern.
You can also play around with various design elements and mix and match things for a cohesive yet unique décor for your open space common rooms.
It Appeals to a Broad Segment of Buyers
A split bedroom plan doesn’t just appeal to families with growing children. It can also appeal to other segments of renters and buyers as it can accommodate various lifestyles.
For instance, empty nesters might find a house with a split bedroom plan attractive because they can turn the extra rooms into guest rooms for their adult children.
They can also use the rooms as office space, a library, fitness room, etc.
It’s also an appealing house plan for adults with live-in parents. You can ensure that your parents are looked after while enjoying your privacy and independence in such a house.
It can also appeal to homeowners who have a habit of entertaining guests, such as friends and relatives.
You can entertain your loved ones and invite them to stay over at your house without worrying about any disruption to your privacy.
It Promotes a Healthy Work/Life Balance
A house with a split bedroom plan promotes a healthy work and life balance. This is particularly true for individuals and parents who work from home.
You can turn your master bedroom into your home office and work in privacy without getting disturbed by your kids.
At the same time, you will be motivated to finish your work on time so that you can spend quality time with your family.
Moreover, having a unique, personal space dedicated to productivity allows you to be more productive. You can use the space for a passion project or even for freelance work.
Having such a space in your house also save you precious commute time, which you can spend relaxing at home with your loved ones.
It Can Feature Multiple En Suites
Oftentimes, in houses with grouped bedrooms, there’s a shared bathroom down the hall that all family members use instead of an an-en suite for each room.
For many modern homeowners, that’s a huge negative. After all, you don’t want to share your bathroom with your kids if you don’t have to.
When it comes to homes with split bedrooms, many of them feature multiple rooms with attached bathrooms. It enables you to have more privacy and comfort.
You can also allocate the space left by removing hallways to create large, luxurious bathrooms and walk-in closets. You can also add attached bathrooms to your kids’ rooms.
It Is a Creative Floor Plan
A split bedroom floor plan provides you with ample designing freedom. When the house is designed without any clunky hallways, you can make your common rooms appear bigger and brighter.
You can use cathedral-style ceilings to give a grand appearance to the rooms. You can also use larger windows and add skylights to let more natural light into your house.
You can use the second or third bedroom as a creative space, library, gym, home office, etc. You can have a luxuriously airy yet comfortable living and eating space.
The attached bathroom and closet features provide you with ample creative freedom as well.
It Is Energy Efficient
A split bedroom layout enables energy efficiency in your home. Since the bedrooms are separated, you can control the temperature settings in each area independently, reducing overall energy consumption, and lowering your utility bills.
It Has an Exceptional Resale Value
When you build or buy your dream home, you want to stay in it forever. However, your plans might change down the line, or your circumstances might demand you to sell your home.
In such an instance, you can rest assured that your house will have an amazing resale value. It’s because open house plans with a split bedroom design are incredibly popular and desirable.
This plan provides you with designing freedom, privacy, comfort, and more. These attributes and the design’s overall versatility will boost the resale value of your house.
Before buying the house, just get in touch with the local real estate agent to find its resale value. Additionally, when residing in the house, take great care to maintain and renovate it to improve its value.
Drawbacks of a Split Bedroom Design
Here are some disadvantages of living in a house with a split bedroom design:
It Is Not Suitable for Couples with Infants and Younger Children
A split bedroom design might not be suitable for couples with younger children or infants. With kids that young, you need to spend as much time with them as possible.
You also need to keep an eye on them 24/7. Due to the layout of the house, you might have a hard time doing that.
You might also have to make your toddlers sleep in your room because the other rooms will be isolated from the master suite.
If your children sleep in the other rooms, you might not hear them during the night or respond to them in time during an emergency.
It Has an Isolating Layout
A huge disadvantage of a split bedroom layout is that it can be a bit isolating for some people.
If you are not a private person and you enjoy the idea of spending as much time with your loved ones as possible, then such a house might not be a good idea for you.
This is because the design of a split bedroom home might cut your family members off from one another.
It Might Not be Accessible to All Family Members
Depending on the design of a house with split bedrooms, your home might not be accessible for the elderly.
If your house is multi-story, your parents or other elderly relatives might have trouble climbing the stairs to access the rooms. It will also be inaccessible for people with disabilities, arthritis, joint pain, and leg injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the advantages of a split bedroom layout?
A split bedroom layout offers several benefits, such as increased privacy and noise reduction.
In this design, bedrooms are separated by common living areas, providing more peace and quiet for occupants.
This arrangement is especially useful for families with children or when living with roommates.
What are the disadvantages of a split bedroom design?
While split bedroom designs have their advantages, they may not be suitable for everyone.
Potential drawbacks include a sense of disconnection among family members and the need for more square footage to accommodate the layout.
Additionally, split arrangements can be less efficient in terms of heating and cooling, as there is more space to maintain.
How does a split floor plan differ from an open floor plan?
A split floor plan separates bedrooms by common areas, whereas an open floor plan typically combines common living spaces (such as the living room, dining area, and kitchen) into one large, continuous room.
Split plans focus on privacy, while open layouts promote interaction and connectedness among household members.
What are the key components of a split bedroom arrangement?
In a split bedroom arrangement, bedrooms are usually located at opposite ends of the house or on different floors.
This layout often features a central common area, such as a living room or kitchen, which separates the master suite from other bedrooms.
Multi-split designs can further increase privacy by placing each bedroom in a separate section of the house.
Why might someone prefer a roommate floor plan?
A roommate floor plan is another variation of a split bedroom arrangement, designed specifically to provide increased privacy among roommates.
Each bedroom usually has its own bathroom, and the common living area is located between the bedrooms.
This design is popular among individuals sharing living spaces as it maximizes both privacy and comfort.
How does the International Residential Code define minimum bedroom size?
According to the International Residential Code, a bedroom must have a minimum size of 70 square feet, with a minimum dimension of 7 feet in any horizontal direction.
Additionally, the room should have proper ventilation, a heating source, and suitable emergency egress (such as a window or exterior door).
It’s essential to check your local building codes for any additional requirements when designing a bedroom.
The Bottom Line
A split bedroom house plan is a floor plan that features a master suite isolated from other bedrooms of the house.
It’s also usually an open house plan. If you’re looking for a house that can offer you privacy, functionality, comfort, and space, a house with a split bedroom layout will be the perfect fit for you.
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