The term “en suite bathroom” isn’t quite as popular and some people are still unsure. En suite is French and literally means ‘in sequence’ or ‘in agreement or harmony’. The term is still used today, but it doesn’t refer to a bathroom in France.
However, when used to describe a bathroom in English, it usually means ‘attached’ or ‘adjoining’. Oftentimes, one of these words are used instead of en suite in case the prospective buyers aren’t familiar with the term.
What Is An En Suite Bathroom?
An en suite bathroom is a bathroom that is attached to another room. This room is generally the master bedroom. Oftentimes, a master bedroom isn’t really considered a master bedroom unless it has a master bathroom attached.
Master bathroom is another common name for an en suite bathroom because it’s almost always attached to a master bedroom. You can also call a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom attached, an ‘en suite bedroom’.
Both en suite bedroom and en suite bathroom are correct. You can use them both freely and any realtor will know what you are referring to. They will know you want a bedroom with a private bathroom attached.
Why Get An En Suite Bathroom?
There are many perks to having an en suite bathroom. Most people see an en suite bathroom as a plus when buying a new home. These are the main reasons why buyers are in love with the idea of an en suite bathroom.
Nighttime Safety
No one likes wandering around at night, in the dark, and finding the bathroom. Stumbling down the hallway or the stairs isn’t always the safest. That’s why having a bathroom attached to your room is amazing, especially at night.
It’s best to keep your other bathroom near the kids’ room while keeping your en suite bathroom attached to your room. That said, if you don’t have an en suite bathroom, you’ll probably want your only bathroom by the kids’ room.
Separating From The Kids
Kids are messy, but they also have no concept of privacy. Let’s face it, sharing a bathroom with kids isn’t ideal. So giving them their own bathroom and keeping one to yourself will save a lot of headaches.
Like previously mentioned, the kids need the bathroom at night more than you. So make sure they also have one that is easily accessible. That is, if you have kids in your home.
Easy Cleanup
When only one or two people are using a bathroom, it stays pretty clean. Especially when those two people are adults working together. Master bathrooms and en suite bathrooms are way easier to clean than other bathrooms.
If you are the only one using it, the bathroom won’t need to be cleaned very often. If two people are using it, you can take turns and clean it even less often. Maybe rotate. One person cleans the bathroom this week and the other cleans the bedroom.
Privacy For Couples
Even if you live alone or with other adults, if you’re a couple, having your own bathroom is perfect. You need less privacy from your spouse, but you want the option to be there. With an en suite bathroom, you can choose to lock the bedroom door, or the bathroom door.
If you are alone, you can lock the bedroom door only. If your spouse is in the room, you can do whatever you both feel comfortable with. You can even shut the bathroom door and leave it unlocked in case they need to use the restroom.
Giving Guests Their Own Space
If you can afford it, putting an en suite bathroom in the guest room is a grand idea. If you have guests often, it’s even better. They can have their own space, even in the bathroom. You can even put in a kitchenette for added privacy.
Making your guest room as comfortable as possible is a considerate thing to do. As long as it doesn’t take away from the quality of life that your family lives. After all, who is living in that home 24/7?
Cons To En Suite Bathrooms
We’ve gone over the pros of en suite bathrooms, but are there any cons? Of course! Not everything is for everyone. The pros heavily outweigh the cons with this one, but let’s take a look at those cones in case they apply to you.
Space Taker
This one is a given. If you have a large bathroom attached to your bedroom, you have less space for something else. It could be taken from the living room if downstairs or your bedroom if upstairs. Is the square footage loss worth it?
Of course, you can always add on, especially on the lower level of the home. But with this comes costs that are almost always more than you expect them to be. When receiving a quote, make sure you add at least 10%.
Reselling
Not everyone wants an en suite bathroom. Some people see the cons alone and don’t believe the pros are worth it. Anyone can add a bathroom, but not everyone believes that can just gut one. So this is always a risk when having something unusual.
Disturbing Your Partner
When you wake up early, you probably want to be as natural as possible. If you want to sing in the shower, then you want to sing in the shower. With an en suite bathroom, you risk disturbing your sleeping partner when doing so.
Having a bathroom away from the bedrooms can help with this. But so can good insulation. If you already have an en suite bathroom and love it, you can look into having it insulation to help with this problem.
When It’s Your Only Bathroom
This is probably the biggest downfall to en suite bathrooms. However, it isn’t a problem if you have another bathroom for others to use. But these days, houses are smaller and sometimes, it’s the only bathroom in the house.
When this is the case, people feel their privacy is at stake. Guests tromp through your bedroom to reach the bathroom. This puts your possessions as well as your reputation at risk. No one wants their bedroom contents on display.
Remember, if you have a “public” bathroom, this isn’t a problem at all. Just know that if it’s your only bathroom, your bedroom will be walked through, judged, and a greater temptation for thieves.
Are There Any Other En Suite Rooms?
Of course! An en suite room is just a room that’s attached to another room without an outside entry. You can have en suite walk-in closets, en suite bars, and en suite game rooms. When a realtor says ‘en suite’ they mean bathroom unless otherwise specified.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t request other en suite rooms attached to your bedroom. This is quite a popular thing to do in large houses where extra bedrooms would be wasted. Cut a doorway between bedrooms and turn one of them into something else.
Caves, havens, bars, game rooms, and spas are all popular add-ons. All it takes is adding a doorway and transforming that other room into your perfect getaway.
What Is En Suite In Hotel Rooms?
In cheaper hotels, an en suite room is a bedroom with a bathroom attached. However, in more expensive hotels, an en suite room could be a large suite with multiple other rooms attached. This would be a bathroom, living room, bar, and more.
Jack And Jill Bathroom
Oftentimes, a Jack and Jill bathroom is called an en suite bathroom. This simply isn’t true. Because an en suite bathroom doesn’t have another entry, it’s private. While a Jack and Jill bathroom has two entries.
A Jack and Jill bathroom with one entry isn’t a Jack and Jill bathroom. On the other hand, an en suite bathroom with more than one entry isn’t an en suite bathroom. This is simpler than it sounds.
To learn more about Jack and Jill bathrooms, read the entire guide here. You will learn what a Jack and Jill bathroom is, why they were invented, and find inspiration to add your own.
Bathroom Components
We all know the components that are found in bathrooms, but did you know that a bathroom without a tub isn’t considered a full bathroom? That’s right, three-component bathrooms aren’t really full bathrooms. But what is a full bathroom?
Full Bathroom
A full bathroom must have four components. These components are a toilet, sink, tub, and shower. The shower can be combined with the tub and still be considered a full bathroom. Most houses have at least one full bathroom.
Three-Quarter Bathroom
Usually written .75 in listings, a three-quarter bathroom has three components. It is usually either missing a bathtub or a shower. In bathrooms for adults, it will be missing a tub while kids’ bathrooms will be missing a shower.
Half-Bathroom
You’ve heard half-bath mentioned a lot but what makes it a half-bath? It’s not the size, but again, the components. A bathroom with two components is a half-bath. More often than not, these components are a toilet and a sink.
Half-baths are generally for day guests who only need to use the toilet. It will have a sink to wash hands but rarely contains a tub or shower. If it does, the toilet is missing and it’s simply a room to clean up in.