Here's a picture of what the current setup was, we took it down to the beams:

Here's the plan:

I actually prefer the original to your proposed.

If I can throw out a wild card, how about the following drawing which will give you a full length vanity with two sinks? I'm moving all your plumbing, but what the heck. You're doing the work, not me. lol

With the toilet next to the tub, you could be a little tight on elbow space. More than code minimum which is 30", but only by a few inches. But with the toilet facing the vanity and not the tub, you'll gain a few more inches of knee room.

For the first time ever I'm going to upload the image with the post. Never done that before, I usually use HTML. See how it works.

Edit: If moving the toilet would be too difficult due to plumbing and joist issues, you can "mirror image" the room: Leave the toilet where it is in the upper right corner of the room. Move the double vanity to the left wall. Move the tub to the lower right corner. Move the entry door as needed.

Moving showers and sinks is fairly easy compared to moving toilet plumbing.

This post was edited by mongoct on Fri, Jan 25, 13 at 9:06

What about moving the door to the middle, centering the toilet on the window, and making the vanity longer?

It looks like your plan is a reaction to your feeling cramped on the toilet now. You essentially made a 5x8 toilet room! My dad's former house had a similar situation, with a small vanity and the tub just like in your proposal, and the toilet centered on the window (it was not 8 feet accross, so just a wall on the other side of the toilet). The vanity felt very small since it was closed in, but having all that room in front of the toilet made it feel like the toilet was in a roomy spot even though the width was small.

Maybe extend the vanity for the whole wall, but after 60 inches angle back to a shallower cabinet, maybe with some hampers concealed?

Your vanity is too small for an only bathroom.

If you don't want to move a lot of plumbing (or at least, the expensive plumbing...)
I'd turn the toilet, as you did, and turn the tub 90* and put that along the outside wall.
Then, put a 5' vanity "south" of the tub on the wall. Alternatively, you could put a 5' vanity "opposite" the tub (in my new proposed position) so the side of the tub is fully open/accessible.

I, too, think your current plan is better than your proposed one. Can you move the door over?

I like Mongoct's idea. I don't like the idea of facing the toilet as you walk or look into the room. I think a longer, even double vanity (with a tall tower in the center perhaps, or at each end) would be very practical.

Love Mongoct's idea. My brother's main bath (only functioning bath at this time) has that layout (though only one sink) and it's great. The toilet is nicely tucked behind the shower instead of the first thing you see when you look in the door.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses!

Mongoct, the current layout just doesn't work, it's way too cramped when using the toilet, which wasn't even a standard size. Thank you for taking the time to submit that idea. Unfortunately, I can't move the door to the center, it's limited to that corner. Otherwise that idea would have been perfect!

Kirkhall, you would have the window contained within the shower? Something about that just makes me nervouse. Assuming 3 showers per day, that's alot of abuse against that window no?

Willemsen, thanks for your insight regarding your father's bathroom. I do think that my proposed idea might be a reaction to the tight space, but given my door location and not wanting an outside window in the shower, I may be stuck...

How about Mongo's idea, leave the door where it is and build vanity shorter, so door will clear when opened (should give you around a 60 in vanity). Also strongly dislike straight on view of the toilet.

It must not be a true 8x8 room if you can't put the toilet facing the bathtub.

Most toilet rooms (enclosed) are about 5' long. And most tubs are 30 or 32" wide.

If you had a 32" wide tub, and put the toilet where it was, and that outside wall was really an 8 foot dimension, you'd not feel cramped/right up against the tub when you sat on the toilet.

Check your measurements.

You must do something about your vanity. It is much too small for a bathroom that will see 3 showers a day.

There are ways to sufficiently handle a window in a shower, but yes, it is not ideal. Do you NEED the window there? Or, the size of window that is there (ie, would it work to have a transom type/celestory window instead)?

Mongo's idea is best, but if you can't move the door... (why can't you? what is the limitation in the hallway? Is there another potential point of entry?)

duplicate

This post was edited by mdp0430 on Fri, Jan 25, 13 at 13:41

Thanks for taking the time everyone! I really appreciate all of your insight.

I will definitely remeasure.

I can't move the door because the door to the attic is in the way. I've provided a sketchup below. I'm using that area as a linen closet, with a panel behind shelves to get to that side of the house's attic.

Mongo's idea with a shorter vanity may work! But, if I move the bath there, where do I put the light/fan switches? They're to the left once you walk in, and about 32" off of that left wall... Pretty much inside of the bath at that point... Geez, this is tough!!!

If you can make a measured drawing of the floor plan, that would be a great help. Especially where the door is located on the wall, the distance from the door framing to the two respective corners.

In my drawing above (the photoshopped version of your original drawing) having the toilet opposite the vanity will give you an additional 11" of knee room over what you have now. That's based on the premise that your tub is 32" wide and the typical vanity is about 21" deep.

60" of counter space is about the minimum for a two-bowl vanity. Without moving your door, if the door swing does interfere with the vanity and the vanity was shortened for door swing, you should still be able to fit a 5' long vanity even with the swing of a 3-0 bathroom door since the room is 8' deep. How big (wide) is your current door?

Two bowls in a 60" vanity can be done, but it can also look cramped. Instead of cramming two bowls into a small vanity top, I'll sometimes recommend a wider trough sink with two faucets, one faucet on each back corner of the trough. That way two users can wash faces, brush teeth, etc, while still having their own faucet and for the most part, their own sink space, even though it is a shared sink.

And don't forget, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a single bowl even when you can fit two. Or three. My wife had carte blanche with our master bathroom. And she absolutely insisted on one sink.

There are ways to incorporate wall switches to the left or right of the bathroom door. The swing of the entry door could be reversed if needed. But again, an accurate measured drawing will help so we can see if a tub can fit there. There's always the idea of the tub with a slight stem wall. Again, I'm crossing to many bridges.

I'm an idiot. 8' wide was wishful thinking. I only have 6'8". I must have subliminally dropped the 6. Please allow me to come up with a sketchup with exact dimensions over the weekend.

Thanks again for all of your help thus far. If you live in NJ, I owe you a beer!

Your original layout is identical to mine, minus a few details. Where you have a closet and shower, I have a double slipper clawfoot tub with the wall dimensions of 7'4". The clawfoot is probably a bit narrower than your tub/shower. The toilet is in the far right corner facing the tub with a window between. The single vanity (centered on the toilet wall) is in front of the door, next to the toilet with the door being in the front right corner of the room and it opens out. The dimensions in that direction are 6'8". There is zero wasted space and every inch counts, but it works for a family of 3 as the only full bath. I feel your pain!!

Have you considered doing a slightly narrower walk in shower instead of the bulkier tub? As far as the layouts suggested, I like the idea of moving the toilet to the current closet space and putting in a double vanity.

I am interested to see how this turns out for you. Good luck with your more accurate dimensions!

Ah, yes. 6'8 would be cramped in your original layout...

Another thought, with your sketchup there...
That bedroom adjacent to the bathroom--it is generously long... How much of a remodel do you want to do?

I have in mind of maybe borrowing some space from the double closets (or moving the closets "in" to the room; or moving some of the closet into the room (making a squarer one/more WIC-like) and using the other space for bathroom.) Are any of those walls right there load bearing?

Hi everyone,

Mongo, I've attached a sketch of the exact dimensions below. As always your input is greatly anticipated!

Kirk, I would love to use that closet space, but it's our master bedroom and only holds a king sized bed and two pieces of furniture. Everything else is in those two closets. So I can't give up that space.

Swedishkitchen, we did think about just a shower, but really need the bath. It's our only fullbath and we feel a tub is madatory.

Given those restraints and keeping the full size window, I'd do one of 2 things.

Slide your tub down and put your toilet on the far end like Mongo drew with vanity (shorter) infront of the door.

Or, put the toilet in the existing 32x32 space near the door, tub existing, and vanity along the wall where Mongo drew, just shorter (4' vanity at a minimum, but aim for 5.)

Which of these you choose will likely depend on your budget and how difficult it is to move that toilet v tearing out and replacing the bathtub too.

I like the idea of sliding the tub up, and putting the toilet in the back left corner with the vanity opposite the toilet. Now, anything I could do with the wall switches without reversing the door?

Thanks again everyone!