The floor layout change, guess where the bathroom is !
Reimagining the 1930s house layout : How a View—and a Bit of Replanning—Changed Everything
When you think about updating a 1930s house, your mind might go straight to extensions. But what if you could make it work by simply reconfiguring the rooms you already have? Usually bathrooms are in the back of the house where the view is better or where it’s quieter.
This blog follows on from our last post about tackling the impossible loft conversion. Here, we’re diving into something more intimate: the humble family bathroom — and how rethinking the house layout made a big difference to the way we live.
The Original Setup
In many 1930s semis, the bathroom sits at the back of the house. Originally, that meant a boxy room with a tiny frosted window. No thought was given to the view, or the morning light, or the flow of the upstairs space.
But if your house backs onto greenery, like ours, then you’re wasting something precious: a view worth waking up to.
What We Did
We’ve reworked the whole first floor layout to create a new configuration:
The family bathroom has moved into a central space between two bedrooms. It’s compact, but ideal for a quick morning shower.
The old bathroom at the back has become a peaceful single bedroom, now benefitting from the stunning garden view and a much quieter atmosphere away from the street.
Upstairs, in the new loft, we’ve added a second bathroom—with a full-size bathtub, placed next to the master bedroom. This will serve as the long-term family bathroom, ideal for slower, more relaxing routines. It is still a family bathroom but the location on the second floor makes is less disturbing when occupied for longer and is almost an en-suite as there is no one else on that floor.
Why It Works
This layout gives us two bathing spaces—something we desperately needed with two growing daughters—without adding any extra floor area (apart from the loft dormer).
It also gives us better use of natural light and views, and avoids wasting prime spots on bathrooms no one lingers in.
Crucially, we avoided the cost of a full side or rear extension by investing in smarter internal planning.
A Family Home that Grows With You
This solution works especially well for families whose children are no longer toddlers—where bathtime isn’t the central evening ritual, but speed, space and a bit of privacy matter more.
It’s a reminder that good design isn’t just about building bigger. It’s about understanding how your home really works—and making it better from the inside out.
