Eastwood Petaluma floorplan - No loft for kids?!

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Ready2Downsize said:
The loft is upstairs. I helped the kids with homework when I was getting dinner ready and my kitchen was not upstairs.

I DID have a LARGE bonus room with two built in desks with task lighting and lots of room for papers, books, art work, etc. The kids NEVER used them. They either did their homework on their own in their rooms or nook table if they needed help.

Next house I had two built in desks with task lighting downstairs in the office and again the kids did not use it. We also had two built in desks outside the bonus room with task lighting, drawers, etc and they didn't use those either! Hubby did use one (he would have used downstairs office but he was on the phone ALL the time and I work best with the TV on in the background. Then we ALSO had a large u shaped desk in the bonus room which no one used! Eventually the kids put a large screen tv on it and the room got some use as a place to watch movies.

Where did they do homework? Same place as they did since they were little............. nook table, friend's house or their rooms if they needed no help. Interestingly, one kid had a room large enough for u shaped built in desk and drawers. She did her homework on the bed and used the desk to throw her clothes on before they went to the wash.

We had a total of 7 desks (one in the kitchen too) and the two that were used were one in the office by me and one near the bonus room for the hubby. Bonus room was unnecessary. We probably got more use out of the dining room before the kids started watching movies in the bonus room and we only used the dining room for Thanksgiving and an occasional birthday.

I can say that resale value will be higher for an extra bedroom than a loft instead of bedroom.
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Just look at any new build in Irvine >3000sf, they all have lofts so I'm pretty sure the demand for a loft is there.

This is a pretty pointless argument b/c it really is personal preference.  Despite how detailed you want to outline your use of space, you are just one data point.  As am I.
 
IrvineRes88 said:
Question for families with kids that currently don't have a loft, how do you make it work? where do kids hang out when there is a party going on downstairs where adults gathered?
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I always thought I wanted a loft. That was until my kids got older, bigger, and subsequently much louder. There was literally an overnight change in my house. It created an equally overnight door appreciation that ran as deep as my son's new vocal chords. Sometimes, it's difficult to hold a conversation downstairs because of the Jolly Green Giant upstairs. I holler. The door shuts. Problem solved. Of course, tween and teen girls can be loud and ear-piercingly shrill, too. Thankfully, before realizing I would have the need for one, I just-so happened to buy a house with one more bedroom than I needed. That filled the need at least for the time-being.
 
I am a loft advocate... or bonus room... or living room... or formal dining.

I like as many extra spaces that I can get.

Why a loft over a bonus room or bedroom? Depending on the upstairs floorplan, many times a loft feels more open and airy.
 
Thanks all for your valuable input!  So I guess it is really a personal or family preference. Due to our budget and location preference, the homes we are looking at don't have lofts or bonus room.  I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experience in converting some of the garage space into a movie/game room for the kids?  We have 2 cars but can park one car on the street.
 
IrvineRes88 said:
Thanks all for your valuable input!  So I guess it is really a personal or family preference. Due to our budget and location preference, the homes we are looking at don't have lofts or bonus room.  I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experience in converting some of the garage space into a movie/game room for the kids?  We have 2 cars but can park one car on the street.
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Check your CC&Rs
http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php?topic=13194.0
 
I was driving out if CV today and saw a car that had been jacked up and all wheels removed. I'm guessing the rims were robbed overnight. Park your cars in your garage!
 
cheetos said:
I was driving out if CV today and saw a car that had been jacked up and all wheels removed. I'm guessing the rims were robbed overnight. Park your cars in your garage!
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That's a good way to clear out some of the congested street parking in Irvine, lol.
 
Irvine or Bust said:
cheetos said:
I was driving out if CV today and saw a car that had been jacked up and all wheels removed. I'm guessing the rims were robbed overnight. Park your cars in your garage!
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That's a good way to clear out some of the congested street parking in Irvine, lol.
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Lol I hope it does.

Bay tree along the back of Laurel homes
 
cheetos said:
Irvine or Bust said:
cheetos said:
I was driving out if CV today and saw a car that had been jacked up and all wheels removed. I'm guessing the rims were robbed overnight. Park your cars in your garage!
Click to expand...

That's a good way to clear out some of the congested street parking in Irvine, lol.
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Lol I hope it does.

Bay tree along the back of Laurel homes
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Is this an appropriate time to whip out my favorite TI hashtag?

#valuevlg :) :) :) :)

Miss you OS!
 
IrvineRes88 said:
Thanks all for your valuable input!  So I guess it is really a personal or family preference. Due to our budget and location preference, the homes we are looking at don't have lofts or bonus room.  I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experience in converting some of the garage space into a movie/game room for the kids?  We have 2 cars but can park one car on the street.
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Don't do it.  Living in the garage is ghetto and "incognito" will turn you in.
 
Happiness said:
IrvineRes88 said:
Thanks all for your valuable input!  So I guess it is really a personal or family preference. Due to our budget and location preference, the homes we are looking at don't have lofts or bonus room.  I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experience in converting some of the garage space into a movie/game room for the kids?  We have 2 cars but can park one car on the street.
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Don't do it.  Living in the garage is ghetto and "incognito" will turn you in.
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I would not advise putting up drywall and remodeling your garage for one car.

#notagoodmove
 
many echo my thoughts. lofts are useless. another bedroom all day long. just my opinion though :)
 
Ok... I do understand a spare room is more ideal. But the price for a 4 bedroom house is much more than a 3bedroom house so this is not an apple-to-apple comparison.

In the case of having a loft,  most of the times the builder makes other things smaller (e.g. master bath, great room...etc) to fit in the loft, and the price is on-par with other 3 bedroom places with no lofts.

So what I'm trying to compare is, a 3 bedroom place with roomy everything but no loft, or slightly smaller rooms/great room but with a loft. And their prices would be comparable.

 
id still take the 3 bed no loft personally. I find these small lofts or small tech spaces useless for my needs.
 
irvinetabby said:
Ok... I do understand a spare room is more ideal. But the price for a 4 bedroom house is much more than a 3bedroom house so this is not an apple-to-apple comparison.

In the case of having a loft,  most of the times the builder makes other things smaller (e.g. master bath, great room...etc) to fit in the loft, and the price is on-par with other 3 bedroom places with no lofts.

So what I'm trying to compare is, a 3 bedroom place with roomy everything but no loft, or slightly smaller rooms/great room but with a loft. And their prices would be comparable.
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Then get a place with a loft.

But if I had the option to pay a little extra to get a bedroom, I would do that.
 
bones said:
Maybe I'm in the minority as usual, but a loft is pretty much a "must" for me. When the kids are young, it's a great playroom. Yes, you can make a spare bedroom a playroom which we did do in one house but no one (including friends) wanted to hang out in a closed off space like that with all that clutter (toys) surrounding them.  When the kids are older, it's a good video game/tv/homework space. Sure, you can use a bedroom but it's nice to have it open so parents can helicopter properly :)  I haven't reached the stage of empty nester yet but maybe that's when I'll bid adieu to the loft. 

But to answer the question, no loft with young kids? Your great room will look like a daycare. Entertaining and no loft? play in the backyard. No backyard and no loft? SOL :)
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I fall in your camp. I guess I don't have a loft now so I don't know for certain how it will be used, but I much prefer the open feel vs. packing it into a room and adding doors, which closes things off. It also certainly seems like all the builders in the 2500+ range pretty much put the lofts in. Ideal size for me is 4 bedroom (preferably each having its own bath or at least jack and jill situation) and a loft. 
 
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