I think it might depend somewhat on your lifestyle and how you use the room. I love having the toilet a bit more private, some people like having it enclosed and others don't mind it completely exposed. I don't like looking at it so the more private the better. I love your set up with the vanity outside the main bath, so someone can use the sink and someone else can use the main bath with some privacy.

If it were mine, I'd leave the set up like it is with the door where it is and put the tub in the upper left corner, with a wall at the right end to hide the view of the toilet.

Then you could put as large a shower as you want (48' x ?) in the lower right corner, with the opening toward the tub. If you want a sink in the main bath area, you could move the vanity in there onto the right wall, or put a wonderful storage cabinet there. I think a large storage space where the vanity is now might make the passage through the closet area seem too constricting, where the vanity keeps it more open.

I'm sure some of the space gurus here will have some great ideas.

As long as you are willing to take down walls, you could take two feet from your walk-in closet and put a new extra closet in the space that had your vanity. Move the sliding glass doors to the new extra closet and put a swing door on the old closet. You might be able to put a pocket door on the right wall of the door opening into the bathroom so you could see your tub on the left. It would open up the toilet area to move the wall next to it over about 4 or 5 inches.

WOW - so much to think about. My head is spinning.

Karenseb - When I first looked at your drawing I thought. 'How does a 4' shower and 6' tub fit on a wall that's only 8'?- then I read that you took space from the closet.

I hate destroying the closet - it's the only thing that's actually finished upstairs but ... in the long run it could be worth it. I'm meeting with the builder tomorrow and I"ll ask him if it can be done and how it changes the price. It would be great to get more closet space too.

I'll let you know after I see him. Thanks for helping me see something else.

Olychick brings up another good point though - someone can take a shower, use the toilet, soak in a tub - while someone else puts on make-up or shaves. It's tough because there's no window and the only natural light comes from the bedroom. I put my makeup on and always wonder if it's too much or too little even with lots of light.

By having the sinks area visible to the bedroom you get some natural day light but it's tough if you're on different schedules & waking up or going to sleep at different times plus - no privacy.

I'm attaching one photo which shows the open entrance from the bedroom (same carpeted floor) and if you look, near the back of the photo, there's the door into the shower tub space.

Maybe that will help to give a better perspective. I even went out and bought a tension rod and 2 white curtains to hang up so I'd get the feel of a door at the opening. I pull it open during the day and close it at night.

What about putting a pocket door into the bedroom? I put one with glass (for more natural light) but it's very effective as a noise barrier. It would involve some construction in the closet, but might work for you.
Here's my door, which I love:

I love your door. I was thinking of a pocket door. It would take up no space at all but involve moving some electrical and building out one of the walls. The closet wall is 3" longer than the sink wall.

I was told there's less construction costs with a split door or a barn door. There's a split door into the bedroom as well as the downstairs guest room/office so I thought that following a theme may be good. That way it would look like it was always there.

I really like your vanity cabinet design also.

Someone else asked how long I'll be here. I plan on moving in 5 years so I'm not sure how personalized I should make the space and not overspend. Then again, I know how easily plans change and my 5 year plan could easily become 15. As my Nana used to say, "Man plans and God laughs!"

In Karenseb's sketch, if the wall next to the toilet was 12" longer, you could put saloon doors on it and the person would have a modicum of privacy. I have seen similar designs in houses. That would leave a large enough 3x3 ft area for exiting the shower.

The saloon doors are a really neat idea.

What do you think about removing the doorway, wall and header that you see in the photo? I think that would open up the space, especially if I'm going to tile the dressing room/sink area so it flows with the toilet/tub area.

I hung the 2 white curtain panels at the first opening so I could get the feel of a doorway separating the bedroom and I really like closing it off at night. If I have a door there I don't really see a purpose in having a 2nd door -

we've thought about it and don't want to take 2 feet away from the closet so it looks like the 2 sinks may go back where they were BUT it may be lots nicer to remove the wall and open things up.

Then I just need to decide where to put the shower.

Plan 1- it stays as a 32x48 shower next to the toilet wall, where it currently is and maybe a linen tower and 2 sinks on the same wall as the shower. I'd do a free standing tub across from it.

Plan 2 - put the shower across from the toilet and make it a little larger - maybe 48x48 or 36x60. The linen cabinet would go somewhere on that side, too. Then I'd put a 60x32 alcove soaking tub, possibly the Mirabelle Edenton, in between the toilet and sinks. I'd surround the tub with 2 pony walls OR keep the tall wall near the toilet and do the saloon doors like 'measuretwice' suggested and do the pony wall to separate the tub from the vanity area.

Can you picture what I'm describing?

Personally, I prefer having a door between bedroom and sink area. My significant other and I often get ready and sleep at different times (due to different work schedules). So I prefer to be able to shut the door when I'm brushing teeth, drying my hair, etc so as not to disturb him with noise or a light on in the bathroom. I think a pocket door would be fantastic. (Mine is just a normal door, but I wish I had a pocket door instead.)

Pricklypearcactus (love your name) - I agree - we both have different schedules too. I will talk to the builder about a pocket door.

The opening is 36" - maybe have a single 34" door or split it in the middle and have it slide to the right and left? I remember that he mentioned considering a traditional split door since it would cost less than a pocket door and not take up too much space when it opens into the dressing room area.

Do you agree to make it just one big space and get rid of the door/wall between the sink and shower area once there's a door from the bedroom? Otherwise there will be a door in, then another door and could feel really closed in... almost like being in a train.

I've attached a photo of the door that currently separates the 2-sink vanity from the shower-toilet-tub room. That's what can be removed.

I have the door then another door set up in my upstairs hall bath. I think my sink area is much smaller than yours as I just have a single vanity. Then there is the second door into the small tub/shower toilet area. It's very small, but since we use it just for house guests it doesn't make sense for us to spend the money to make it any larger as that would require moving a wall to steal space from an adjacent bedroom.

I have considered taking off the second door to try to make it seem a little roomier, but it is nice when I have several of my family visiting for someone to be able to use the sink to brush teeth, put on make-up, etc while someone else is in the shower so function has won out.