My New Vision: Adding A Small Private Deck Off Of Our Master Bathroom
As I suspected, I wasn’t able to completely finish the faux stones on the exterior bedroom door yesterday. But that project will be my number one priority today and this weekend, so I hope to have pictures of the finished door for you on Monday. In the meantime, I’ve had an idea stirring in my mind over the last couple of weeks that I get more excited about the more I think about it. But first, a little explanation.
Every time I post a mockup of how I imagine the area around that exterior bedroom door, I get comments with recommendations, which I’m always open to and happy to receive. But let’s take this one, for example. This is one of the ChatGPT mockups that I did a while back, and while I still haven’t decided exactly what I want the steps to look like here, this is what ChatGPT came up with based on my input.
What I actually imagine (and plan) is a much larger landing that is the same depth as our front porch, which extends five feet from the front door to the edge of the porch. And then off of the porch are three steps. So this will give you a more accurate idea of the depth of the landing and the steps that I plan to build outside the bedroom door.
But I always get suggestions to make the landing area wider and turn the area outside the bedroom door into a little deck where I can put a small table and chairs. That’s not going to happen. There are obstacles in the way that would cost a lot of money to move. As you can see from this photo that I shared a couple of days ago, our gas meter is right there on the corner of the house, and the gas company requires a three-foot clearance on all sides around a gas meter. And then to the right of the door, you can see that white thing sticking up out of the ground. That’s the cleanout for our main sewer line, which also can’t be covered up, and there’s no way I’m paying to have that moved.
So as you can see, the width of the steps will be limited by those two very necessary and immovable objects. Technically, yes, both could be moved, but that would come at such a high price for very little payoff, in my opinion. Even if we had a small deck outside this door with a small table and chairs, I can assure you that it would go unused. I just can’t envision myself ever sitting out there, and I know for a fact that Matt wouldn’t either. If I’m going to put money into an area where Matt and I can enjoy sitting outside, I’d want it to be in the back yard, not the front of the house.
As a side note, there’s also no room for a permanent ramp. There are approximately 16 inches from the ground to the door, which would require a 16-foot ramp if I’m going to add a permanent ramp. There’s just no room for a 16-foot ramp. I’m going to stick with my idea of a large landing that’s the same depth as our front porch with a lightweight aluminum ramp that can be stashed around the corner of the bedroom for easy access.
Okay, that’s part of the explanation before I show you the plan that’s been rolling around in my head. Now on to the other part of my explanation. As you know, because I’ve been sharing this for a while now, I’ve pretty much resolved myself to the fact that we’re never going to be able to build the addition that I’ve always dreamed of. It costs so much money, and it just keeps getting more expensive with each passing year. I don’t feel comfortable spending that much money in such a shaky economy. So I’ve shared in past posts about how I’m coming around to the idea of living with the sunroom and making it work for us, and I’m also considering opening up that hidden bathroom that sits beside the sunroom and making it usable again. (This has pretty much gone from a consideration to a plan in the last few days.) The more I’ve ruminated on these ideas, the more peaceful I feel about them as opposed to tearing them down and spending tons of money to rebuild and extend.
So with those things in mind, the other day I was putting Cooper (our dog) out in his yard for the morning. His yard is directly outside the exterior door in our master bathroom.
And as I stood there watching him for a minute, I thought to myself that this is actually the perfect spot for a small deck.
I can just envision making it a beautiful, private area off of the back of our master bedroom suite, and the more I think about it, the more I love the idea. I know it’s not exactly common to have an exterior door in a master bathroom, and the plan was always to add on behind that room, so that exterior door was never meant to be a permanent fixture in that bathroom. But I’m very much in a “work with what you have” mindset these days. And I’m getting more so with each passing day.
Several years ago, I remember seeing a picture of a gorgeous (but small) master bathroom with French doors leading out to a private garden, and it was absolutely amazing. That image has stuck in my mind all these years. I wish I could find it and show it to you, but I wasn’t able to find it. But with that image in my mind, I have a vision for what this little deck could be. And the more I think about it, the more I want to make that vision become a reality.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
“Work with what you have” is the perfect mindset. Do you think you would use it?
We would definitely use a private deck space in the back yard. I would probably use it more than Matt, but I could imagine myself sitting out there every evening to unwind a bit before getting ready for bed.
Kristi,
Is the sunroom going to be your new exercise room?
What a wonderful idea! It would also allow you to make a pretty little spot to look at in the backyard without having to overhaul the whole thing!!
With little kids and health problems, I’ve learned everything can’t be as beautiful as I’d like but if I can create a tiny oasis of beauty, it feeds the soul with peace. Add a mini water feature and you’ve got Eden out your back door.
I love it. I’ve always had to have that concept of live with what you have and put a little lipstick on it, we were renting after all, and we were moving every couple years whether we wanted to or not. I love the deck idea out back. I think once you crack open a little of the sunroom, you might be surprised at what you find, and in a good way, then again, you never know. It might be a good idea to be able to have outdoor access the new full bath that you plan on uncovering. We are almost ready to start the final project on the house, and one of them is for an ADA accessible bathroom that can be accessed from patio. Looking forward to seeing the finished bedroom door and what lovely stairs you put in. Would you even try your hand again on making them like the studio door ones, they were awesome.
Cheers to you, Matt, and the Fur Babies!
We have an exterior door to the backyard in our master bathroom and at first, I thought it was weird in a house that doesn’t have a pool (and cannot have one, due to tiny backyard on a slope), but I actually really like being able to work outside and come right in to a shower. It’s been really handy. And man, I’d love it if our existing deck extended all the way over to that door! That’s a really good idea…
I love that you’re flexible with your ideas and plans and definitely applaud your thoughts on building upon what you already have, Kudos.
I love this idea (as usual! ☺️) and I’ve really been enjoying watching you refresh areas and reuse spaces in a way that fits your family’s needs without excessive spending. This really speaks to my heart Kristi. In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with pressure to buy more. “More seasonal decor even though you have 12 totes full in your garage!” “More pieces of ironstone even though you have 200 that you have no room for” “Just build a bigger space for all the new stuff you buy” For me, it’s extremely exhausting and can be very defeating. We’re a family in a small cottage with 1 permanent income (a church employee’s salary) and a part time cleaning business with 1 son working his way through college and helping us remodel our home which will eventually be his for his future family. And honestly I love our life because we feel it’s what God has called us to. All the other breeds such dissatisfaction with our lives and an attitude of ungratefulness. So ALL of that to say…thank you Kristi for such a refreshing and God honoring perspective. What you’re doing is NOT just DIY. It is a ministry. From NC I pray for God’s sweetest blessings on you and Matt 🙏🏻
I absolutely love your go with the flow attitude. And the private retreat out the bathroom door is just delightful.
Are you intending to keep the concrete patio that is behind your sunroom? It might make more sense to put the money you would spend on the small deck behind the primary bathroom into updating the large patio. Maybe you could stain the concrete or add a stamped design to it. I honestly don’t know if that’s possible. Just a thought.
You can do it.