This is what I get from having a USA perspective: I thought this would be a rant against some guy building a 19-bedroom 6-1/2 bath house for himself and his new trophy wife.
Yes, these things exist. There is one in NJ, and it’s distinction is that it’s bigger than Bill Gates’ house in Washington.
A few extra rooms for Goo? That doesn’t sound excessive.
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People love to criticize larger (but not outrageously-sized) houses. IME it’s been either thinly-disguised jealousy or a “yuppies suck” attitude.
The people I work with generally have houses ranging from 1500 to 3500 square feet. Mine is on the low-end of that range, about 1800 with an additional 600 or so for the basement and 400 or so for attached garage. When I lived alone, my family bitched about having extra bedrooms that were unused:
“What are you going to do with them?” (whatever I want. One will be the bedroom, one the den, one the lesbian pleasure palace of exquisite perversions,…)
“A house that large needs children to fill it up.” (ummm…no, it doesn’t, actually. Saying doesn’t make it so.)
“Won’t that be so much cleaning?” (um…no, not unless I’m a pig)
“Won’t that cost a lot to heat and cool?” (not if I shut the vents and doors in the rooms I don’t use. It’s not that hard. Plus our energy rates in the US are laughably underpriced as it is.)
“I don’t know, I’d think it would feel too empty.” (like one poster in this thread already said, I’d be happy living in the spaces at Versailles if I could. I’d love to have more space, and if I finish the full loft I have, I’ll have about 1000 more square feet of space. And that won’t be enough either, but I can’t really move right now.)
I can’t feel bad about my house, sorry, and it sounds like the OP should not feel bad in the least about wanting more space. Remember - you can always use less space than you have, you can’t use more space than you have. Nor do I begrudge anyone wanting a larger (or smaller, for that matter) house. I can exist and live in small places, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
We recently toured the Street of Dreams, where they had 6 multi-million dollar homes. The smallest was 5,000 square feet. In this same development someone is building an 88,000 square foot home. (Yes, that’s 88,000, not 8,800.)
Tell her to get stuffed. She’s just jealous. More house than you need…honey, there ain’t no such thing.
A family member asked it? Have you considered that it might have been a backhanded way of asking when you’re going to get around to having kids?
Hey! That’s my inlaws you’re talking about! 
Well, I completely agree. You don’t need it, some struggling family does. Moreover, since they are struggling and therefore would have rented it if they are able, you are required to actually rent the place and let the struggling family move in while you pitch a tent in the back yard. A four person tent would have more than ample room for you and your hubby and allow the struggling family to live in comfort.
(ummmm, yeah.)
So Goo, now that you have all this space, when are you going to get around to having kids? 
(Dugrik, for a newbie, you know how to push the right buttons)
All this fuss over a couple of extra bedrooms? Sheesh!
I’m reminded of my father’s comment the first time he stepped foot in my sister’s house in Beaumont, TX. He paced off the parlor and declared to sis, “This room is bigger than the house you grew up in!”
:eek: I can’t escape !
BWAHAHAHA. Thanks for the belly laugh, my friend 
Dugrik, welcome to the SD. You are probably wondering what Dangerosa is speaking about. I am childfree and recently underwent a new-ish surgery (Essure) to permanently sterilise myself. I shared my ups and downs in trying to get this procedure with this board as I needed to vent somewhere. The branch of the family that this comment came from is one that doesn’t know about the sterilisation, but does know we are intending on never having children, so it’s highly likely it was an underhanded jab at our selfishness in not having children.
So, IOW, you hit the answer perfectly, without knowing the background. Good on ya ! Thanks for the laugh, even though it wasn’t intended
Why do I want that big of a house, with that many rooms, tell them “Because none of your Fucking Business, oh and because I want to and I can afford it.”
Nobody asks Hollywood or Rock - Roll People, why they have such a big house, with all those rooms.
People weren’t quite so rude with us, but some did mention that our house “seems like a lot of house for two kids.” (Dr.J and I are the kids in question.) They usually forget all the computer, craft, and music shit our apartments were crammed with, not to mention the cats, the two big hairy dogs, and all their paraphenalia.
I have to admit, it is often more space than we really use, but when we want or need the space, it’s damn nice to have it. And it’s not like our house is gargantuan. It’s 1300 sq.ft. with three bedrooms. We have my room, his room, and our room. We deliberately planned it that way so we could each have our own private space, and it’s worth every fucking penny. He doesn’t have to look at my girlie stuff, I don’t have to look at his tacky stuff, we both have a place to escape when the other is working that last nerve.
I’m amazed that people don’t understand that we don’t live in a communist country where people only get what they need. We live in a capitalistic society where people can get what they want and a consumer society, where people get what they can afford to buy.
I work in property management with all those poor, struggling families. People say if it it would help them get a place, landlords should have to take subsidy (I guess paying renters can pitch tents), and we should be willing to rent without getting our standard one month’s fee (I guess WE can pitch tents).
First of all, I’m in complete agreement with the OP and everyone else, obviously.
Second, this thread is an interesting parallel to some of the SUV threads where the anti-SUV crowd crows that many people that drive SUVs don’t need the extra space and extra capability, then the pro-SUV people say so what if they don’t strictly “need” it, then the anti-SUV people say well then you’re an asshole.
(If I’m feeling especially evil later I may try to match up some of the posters in this thread with posters in the SUV threads and see if I can catch somebody going both ways :evil smiley:)
Well, I live on my own in a six bedroom house, and I love the extra space, especially when family or friends come to visit and I can offer everyone a guest room.
I didn’t actually set out to buy such a big house, but I’d spent 18 months looking for the right property, and when I found this one what was I going to say, “oh, this is otherwise perfect, but I can’t buy this house because there are too many bedrooms for a single person and some large family might need it more than me?”. I don’t think so.
A work colleague made a comment to me the other day to the effect that there I was, living in this huge house when her family are crammed into three bedrooms or whatever. I ignored her, it’s none of her business how many bedrooms I have.
Occasionally I feel guilty that I have so much space when there are people who have no homes at all, but short of having them live with me, I don’t think downsizing the number of rooms I have is going to make any difference. Giving money to homeless shelters is likely a more practical alternative.
Perhaps, Goo, your friends are under the impression that there is a central pool of bedrooms, and the more you have, the less there are for everyone else. Or maybe they’re just jealous. Or maybe they’re the kind of people who just have to criticise.
Why would anyone build a 19 bedroom house with only 6 1/2 baths? Why not have at least one bath for every two bedrooms?
Maybe she thinks you should donate the difference in rent to charity, instead of getting a bigger house. Where does she live?
Or maybe she thinks you should give your extra room to the crowded children in China.
I have to admit, I’ve probably mouthed similar words. Honestly, tho, it’s not out of jealousy and it’s usually when I hear about HUUUUUGE houses (8000, 10,000 or more square feet) In many cases, I’m truly perplexed.
I hear about retirees who can finally build their dream houses - usually huge places. I gotta wonder why someone who has retired and who can relax and enjoy life would buy/build a place that requires so much work and upkeep. I’m really not being judgemental - I really do wonder!
But when you come right down to it, I don’t care how big a house you want - enjoy! As for me - my retirement home will have a guest room plus an office with a futon. Come visit me - there’ll be a bed for you!
I have a customer whose three-bedroom (counting the MIL suite) is topping out at 52,000 sq ft. He has entire rooms bigger than my three-bedroom split level.
He’s happy and his checks don’t bounce so I’m happy. Best of both worlds.
My sister-in-law has a house that’s way bigger than she needs. It’s excessive and that troubles me a little. But not that much. I certainly don’t think she’s a jerk.
However, folks who drive SUV’s to satisfy their vanity are jerks. The difference? SUV’s pose a much more significant inconvenience and safety hazard to others than large houses.
I live alone in a 5 bedroom/2 bathroom house. I don’t even have any pets.
Anyone who objects to my living arrangements is cordially invited to bite my bum.