justme CA

We bought a nice home 51 years ago and moved in with out family and a cat. It is a tri-level with eight steps up to the bedrooms and down 8 to the family room and garage from the main level. So life has had it's ups and downs ever since until today it's just me...and a cat! The stairs are harrder and harder although I have two knee replacements but to be fair the years are more and more for me too. On my birthday in a couple of months I will be 88 so I'd vote for on the main floor for the sewing room. But stairs are good exercise and I still love my home and especially my big yard.

MargeD

As I've gotten older, my ability to move up and down stairs has become a challenge, so I would recommend you put the sewing room and bedroom on the first floor. You may not feel it will happen, but you never know when you could fall, hurt yourself and then be unable to use the stairs, so a little foresight might be recommended.

Rose Bagwell

Consider the knees 1st and foremost. To me downstairs is always better, you don't have to run downstairs when someone rings the doorbell, when you want a cup of coffee, or when you are cooking something and have to check on it, etc. etc. Just my opinion.

sassysews2

I've always been pretty mobile but now have 3 steps to the family room & garage (storage, freezers, & extra frig) & due to bad knees, have trouble making those 3 stairs. Moved from multi-split to one level w 3 stairs, never thought knees would be this bad at 69. Go with main level, you won't be sorry.

luci4

I would say main floor, because as you get older you could have problems doing steps.

scrapinmema

Would go with main floor.

linkd

Main level - no doubt. DH and I just moved to a single story mid fifties ranch. We are going to remodel (I grew up in one of these and didn't realize how little closet/storage space there was!) He retired and was starting to have knee issues. I wasn't, but now the first few times I go up a flight of stairs I think my arms get a better workout than my legs. But I would definitely put the loft in for the grandkids AND for as long as you can, go upstairs once or twice a day - just because you can and you want to keep it that way. I sometimes go for weeks without climbing stairs because no place I go has them - rural Sonoma is a single story world. On the guest room aspect. If you have enough space a queen sized wallbed, when chosen for a flat front, can make a really nice design wall. You can take it down if you have guests.

DJinSC

I also suggest the main floor sewing room. I'm a young retiree with no knee problems, but I really think if my sewing room were on the main floor I would wander in there more often. Since we moved to this house, I have a beautiful sewing room upstairs but don't go up there very often.

lizzy

I have my sewing area upstairs and I have to use an electric chair on the stairs because of my knees and back. Would give anything to live in a one story house and just use one bedroom as a studio. Someone told us when we were looking for a camping trailor, buy for yourselves, your grandchildren will not be coming that often and then they grow up and live miles away. So we bought a one bedroom trailer. His advice was well intended and right on the button. Wish we could afford to move now but it is not feasible. Thinking about turning my formal dining room into a downstairs bedroom.

zennia

Main floor for sure. My sewing room is on a different level which was fine a few years ago. Now my knees hate the climb.