Couples Want Bedrooms Of Their Own. That's the trend, according to real estate experts and The NY Times. Sure, sleeping together may lead to more "physical" intimacy. But intimacy, especially among long-time couples, is overrated apparently and way lower on the "desired list" than getting a good night sleep, not being bothered by your partner's snoring or other gross habits or even simply being able to enjoy some private time.

Long associated with dysfunctional relationships, sleeping in separate bedrooms is now often simply the norm for busy independent-spirited otherwise happy couples. At least that's what many "experts" say.

Of course, who are these experts? A bunch of builders? Builders who get to build tons of extra rooms and wings because of this new sleeping-living trend?

We do wonder about the experts' conclusions. If you really don't want to share a bedroom or bed with your partner, call us killjoys or literalists, but we think it might (just maybe) suggest you're not exactly enamored of him/her any more. Of course, we live in the burbs, so what do we really know.

Meanwhile, house builders say requests for dual master bedroom suites are going through the roof (figuratively). The "separate-but-living-together" couples may not want neighbors to know they're separate -- it apparently still carries a "your marriage is in the toilet" stigma; uh, duh! -- but these couples are willing to pay for it. And it's the one area of the housing industry in which real estate folks are laughing happily all the way to the bank.