Do you really want to have to walk past the toilet, and whoever might be using it to get to the closet? You have a lot of space. Is there anyway you could reconfigure to give more privacy to the toilet?

1) Is there enough room for the door from the bath to the MB to open fully? It looks tight to me. What size bed are you assuming?

Answer: There is, but not much. There is a door there now that we plan on leaving there. The door that is there now is a closet door.

2) If your tub is 60" long, you'll need more than 60" to install it. Also, for comfort and aesthetics, you'll want a few extra inches around it, especially at the head end.

Comment: How much more room? Will 66" be enough? we have a tub now with no extra space on the ends or back.

3) Do you really need a door between the sink/toilet area and the bathing area? No, but thought it might be nice for privacy and to keep the shower area warmer in those cold months when taking a shower.

Do you really want to have to walk past the toilet, and whoever might be using it to get to the closet? You have a lot of space. Is there anyway you could reconfigure to give more privacy to the toilet?

Answer: I tried...the toliet is there now, which explains its placement. not enought room for a wall...unless I reconfigure the shower, but I'm literally out of ideas...this is like my 30th layout version. Please, make any suggestions you might have!!

Do you have a tub elsewhere in the house? If so, do you really need this tub? Doing away with the tub would give you a lot more options.

That's a tough layout. Without getting into real big ideas, here are a few tweaks to your existing plan:

1) Get rid of the door between the two halves of the bathroom and just make it an open passageway. Now that might be of personal importance to you, but from my personal perspective I don't see it doing anything in terms of adding privacy or restricting sight lines or attenuating sound, etc. At least not in any way that I'd be overly concerned with.

2) I changed the two closet doors into a single door.

3) I aligned the opening of the closet door with the now open passageway between the two halves of the bathroom.

4) I bumped the shower wall (that has the towel bar on the back side of it) towards the tub a bit. That increased the size of the shower a bit. I added a return on the end of that wall back into the shower. The return will help contain water splashes. An alternative to the 90-degree return I have would be a 45-degree return.

5) I changed the swing of the bedroom/bathroom door. Making it left- or right-handed is up to you, there are slight issues with both swings. But I think it better having the door swing into the bathroom then into the bedroom.

A plumbing comment. Your shower head is buried deep in the shower, well away from the door. Shower valves are typically located on the wall just below the shower head. Were you to locate your valve there, you'd get wet with a blast of cold water when turning on the shower. Not a big deal, but I'll normally place the valves just inside the door opening of the shower so the water can be turned on without having to step all the way into the shower. Then once it's up to temp you can step in and enjoy.

Just a few quick ideas. Oh, and one question...is this a "public bathroom"? If not, if it's to only be used by the occupants of the master bedroom, then I'd consider losing the bathroom door that opens up onto the stair landing. That frees up all kinds of space...

But here's what I have regarding the above comments:

If you can close off the bathroom door that goes to the stair landing, then here's a possibility:

1) Move the sinks.

2) The toilet could be made more private by adding a wall. I drew it as a wall with no door, or a wall with a pocket door. I'd like to avoid a swinging door since code requires the door to swing OUT of the toilet closet and the door swinging into the bathroom would mess up your limited floor plan. I have the toilet door aligned with the window to maximize natural light into the bathroom. But having the door perfectly aligned means you might have to flip the toilet to the opposite wall as I have it in this second drawing. Plumbing, cha-ching. So budget-wise the toilet could be left in it's existing location. To leave it in its existing location the toilet door would have to be slid to the right a bit.

3) The bedroom to bathroom door has been moved, now all three doors align, from the bedroom all the way to the closet.

Without moving the toilet you could also gain light from WC by using windows in that wall and a glass paneled door.

I'm guessing that this is the only bathroom on the top floor of a two story house, so the door to stair has to stay.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Yes, "antss" is right...this is the only full bath in the home. We have 1/2 bath in basement and one on an upper level, but this one is the only full bath in the house. I'd love to remove door at stair landing, but don't see how I can without then adding a shower or tub somewhere else in house.

Thank you Mongoct for taking the time to tweak my drawing. I do plan on putting the valves in wall just inside shower--that I did learn, and much more, from this site!

Thanks again!

I would worry about the 2' shower opening. Is that up to code? It seems very narrow.

Well, I'm stuck.

With a private bedroom on one end and a private closet on the other, and with public and private access and bath space in between the two...coupled with trying to not move walls or windows or plumbing too much...I come up empty with regards to a decent solution.

This last drawing is an attempt to slice out a "public" full bath that can be sort of isolated from the master bath, at least from the master sinks and shower. Things can be flipped and flopped within to better consolidate plumbing and door swings, but I'm stuck as far as finding a real efficient layout.

This will keep the "public" out of your "private" shower and sink space. But you'll have to go potty in the "public" toilet. With this plan the only way to get a toilet in the master private bath space would be to go with a single sink in the master space or to have a second toilet in the original location, which would place it within the shower. Believe it or not, that is somewhat common to have a toilet in a wet space. Then the shower opening would have to be slid to the right and you'd probably need a shower door. As is right now I have this shower shown as having a glass panel front with no door.

Far from a decent solution, but here we go: the drawing needs to be scaled a bit better, and "as is" it does have with multiple issues:

Mongoct...thanks again...I do appreciate the ideas...at this point I'm thinking about removing the entrance to the bath from the bedroom and just enter from the main hall. This is what we do now..there are two bedrooms with the bath in the middle and only one way in...it's not like we can't live with that set up..as we have been for 17 years....so if we remove the entrance to the bath from that bedroom...does that provide you with a better solution???

Thanks!

With all of the layout plans so far, if a child or guest is using the bathroom then you can't get into your MBR closet. This would be a dealbreaker for me.

I'd move the closet where you're showing the sink/toilet area now and make the only way in and out of the closet the door from the bedroom.

Then I'd give up the idea of ensuite bathroom for the Master and put the entrance to the bathroom for everyone where the shower controls area is now and use all of that space where the closet and shower tub area are now for your bathroom.

As I said, it would be a HUGE problem to me if someone were taking a long leisurely shower and there was no way that I could get access to my closet. This does add to the cost, but down the road might be worth it.

Where are the other bedrooms that use this bathroom for bathing? Can you add a shower to the bathroom on the level of the other bedrooms?

I really like the last drawing that Mongoct laid out. It is a clean and straightforward bathroom.

I know it is presently the only bathroom in the house, BUT....
well, this would be a very expensive room to redo again in the future. Do it the best it can be NOW.

If you have no other users besides the residents of the master suite, then make the bath work the best for you both.

IF, down the road you have a need to sell, have a place that you could work in a shower to that half bath. It would be much more sellable with a real master suite than a semi ensuite.

If there is even a closet close to the half bath, especially backing up to the plumbing wall, I'd find some way to turn that into a shower.

moccasinlanding..which version of Mongoct's did you like? The last one?

I'm working on other ideas today...there are a couple of places I could move the shower, but I'm limited on its size then..If I put it where the tub is now, I only have 30 inches..I have another option that only puts the shower at 36 inches...for a walk in shower, what is the narrowest I should go? Is a 36 inch wide shower (probably x 66 inches long" too narrow?

And now for something completely different! ..... :-)

This is a rough cut and paste job as I don't have this software, and obviously it changes everything including eliminating the tub, moving the closet, some plumbing and a window or two. It's a bit pie in the sky but you get the idea.
I would not want to have my access limited to my closet and would prefer to have the toilet area as private as possible.

I am unable to embed the photo, so here is a link:

{{gwi:1444812}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Totally different layout

Here is doggiemom's plan:

{{gwi:1444814}}

terriks - please tell me how you did that. When I try to embed with the img src= process it doesn't work!

BTW - The upper left box is the shower and the big box in the middle is the closet.

That's weird, when I first opened this page again, the picture that I linked to was there, then seconds later it was gone. Now it looks like doggiemom's link is broken.

The way that I was able to post the picture (before the link was broken) was by right clicking on the picture, then clicking on "copy image location" and using that with the img src= etc.

Updated .......

{{gwi:1444816}}

thanks doggiemom! Great idea...too many decisions...we gutted the left bedroom today...and will gut the bath this week...this will reveal all of the plumbing and provide us with our options..and limitations...hopefully the right plan will evolve!

Thanks.

slc, I've been trying to keep the plumbing over the central core as in your initial design. Can you move the plumbing anywhere? to the left as doggiemom has it?

I have been following the thread and want to point out a couple of things. A 60" tub is meant to fit in a 60" space so the size is actually nominal and slightly under.

24" wide shower door may be code acceptable in some areas. A 24" door into a bathroom or powder room is.

There is an awful lot of room dedicated to hallway in that last plan. With space at a premium that is a consideration.

The last plan is not option I'm afraid as I would have to relocate all of the plumbing since it is all in the middle at this time. At this time I'm thinking of sticking with the original plan above with regards to the shower and tub but flipping the toilet to the wall opposite it now (moving it 4ft to the right and moving the vanity towards the door on the same wall and putting up a half wall between them for privacy...this would also eliminate the door from the right bedroom into the bath. Can't now but will post new plan of this later.

OK...below is the final layout-- that is if it turns out it isn't too much trouble switching the toilet to the other wall.

Quick question to you all....Our shower is 4 x 5.5 with 26" opening on the long side...and I want to use a Kohler or Swanstone shower pan/base/receptacle. First, I cannot find a shower pan that are these dimensions so I'll buy a smaller pan and build bench to make up the floor difference.

However, when I look at all the brands of shower pans out there...they have a threshold either on one side, two, ect....if I get a pan with the threshold on the long side where I want my opening, can I still put a wall and tile the rest of that side?

Does this make sense? I do not want an opening all along the threshold side of the shower pan...just about 1/2 of it.

Thanks!

{{gwi:1444818}}

I see you have your final, but Ill post this anyway. It's my last attempt to give you two separate baths. Again, compromises due to space, but what the heck...

I think that Mongo's plan with 2 baths is a much better idea. I don't know how long you plan to live in this house, but as a buyer, having to walk through a shared bath to get to my master closet would be a deal breaker. Where is the closet in your current floor plan?

As far as the shower goes. If you do a tiled floor, you can create whatever sized shower pan you want. I built a Kerdi shower several years ago, and built my own custom sized shower pan. IF you stick with your current plan, you should really consider a pocket door for the toilet.

Mongoct..thanks again! Hopefully after the bathroom is ripped out in the next week or so and we can see all of our plumbing we can get an idea of what we can do. As everyone says "you can do anything" which for the most part I believe, but time, experience, budget, etc, dictate what I personally can do.

I do like this plan though but my fear of all the additional plumbing and fixtures this would entail may be a deal breaker...

terriks...not sure what you are referring to re: the closet...it's on the left in the most recent plan...

I guess the closet isn't an issue with us because even though this is the only full bath in the house, it is only my husband and I in the house and we RARELY have anyone stay over night..maybe once a year...and we have other small closets in the house. But, I see your point that if/when we resell, it might be an issue with potential buyers.

For the record, I have considered Kerdi. But the friend of ours helping us DIY this has never used it and neither have we. And our friend, who has installed many showers, has never installed one with a tile floor, only ones using terrazzo or Kohler cast iron bases. Yes, our luck, but it is what it is. Money, experience, and nerve are all at a minimum for this project. We live in a rural area and are having a problem finding someone to do what we want...oh, they'll do it, but I don't want to be first experience.

Also, I hate, hate, hate, dirty grout in shower tile floors. Those floors look great intially, but as time goes,....well...yuck!

Again, though, back to my original question, IF IF IF we go with a shower receptor how do we handle the threshold side of it when installing the shower walls?

Thanks again!

I can see where the closet is in your new plan, but where is it now? How is your current space set up.

But, I see your point that if/when we resell, it might be an issue with potential buyers.

Not might be an issue, it will be an issue.

I guess that I'd need to see the floor plan of the rest of the house to understand how this bathroom functions. Where are the other bedrooms? Are they on this level? How many levels are there in the house, and where is the main living space in relation to this bedroom/bath? When you entertain, is this the bathroom that people use? It looks like it is on a different level than the rest of the house. Does that mean that there is no powder room available on the main floor of the house? Sorry, I have so many questions, it is confusing to me.

Sorry, I misunderstood your question. Here is the layout as it is now.

Two bedrooms with bath in the middle, and a door to each from the hall. The kitchen and dining room referenced are 5 steps lower than the bedrooms and bath referenced in this plan. There are two other bedrooms on two other levels above this level. There are 5 levels (or 1/2 levels) to this house. Basement, then main living area with dining room, kitchen, living room, then there is this level with its two bedrooms and full bath, then one more level with a bedroom and then yet another level with an attic bedroom. These levels do not cover the entire footprint of the house. The bedroom we're keeping is the main bedroom and the one on the left is mostly used for storage which is why we're using it to expand the bath. The other two bedrooms function as a guess bedroom and an office.

There is a 1/2 bath in the attic bedroom and there is a 1/2 bath in the basement.

Our goal for this remodel is a bigger bathroom (so tired of living with a 24" vanity for two people for 15 years!) with a separate shower and additional closet space.

"Not might be an issue, it will be an issue. "

I have to agree with this statement. In most locations I don't think you could even classify the bedroom you are keeping as a bedroom, because it doesn't have a closet accessible without going into the hallway and then through a shared bath.

Hi there,
I just want to give you some consolation that these people here really are trying to help. I remember posting my kitchen design with a question, and I looooved my kitchen. The people here at GW were very critical of my design, and once I got past the initial shock and hurt feelings, I am sooooo glad I listened to them. They really are trying to help, and they have great advice. They are just trying to save you some money and stress in the long run.

They are just trying to save you some money and stress in the long run.

Yes, I wasn't trying to be mean. I just would hate for the OP to spend a lot of money on this project, then find out when/if they go to sell that people find the set up a turn off.

I don't really know how to resolve your problem, but I think if you can somehow turn this into 2 bathrooms, with one being a nice master bath it will work out much better than the master closet that is not attached to the master bedroom, that you have to walk through a shard bath to get to.

Please, I appreciate all of your comments....I too did a kitchen remodel and too faced the comments from GW members, and the result was a better kitchen.

No worries, I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I do. It takes time to read everyone's posts, and I appreciate you all taking the time to comment and if you're not being honest, what is the point.

But let me ask you all this. If I turn the bath into two baths, reducing the size of a shower and vanity as a result, spending more $$ as a result, and I'm not really happy because it works for most people, but doesn't work for us, is it worth it???

Well, I know how you feel there. But you will be tying up access to your closet if another person (not your partner) is using the john or taking a shower. If I read your room use correctly, you have half baths in attic and basement, but no other bathing facilities? Just in this area. IF you split this you could make a secondary toilet/vanity area which could also be entitled to use the shower. But you could still lock off their access to YOUR master bath and closet area.
I think that MongoCT drew something like that.

And technically, if there is no closet directly associated with the main bedroom, it technically cannot be called a bedroom. I understand what Terriks means about that. Even a small closet can keep it designated as a bedroom, but it would be hard to call it a "master suite."

In my DH's house in Mass, I've been dealing with a similar problem, so I know how mind boggling it gets. On the main floor of the house, a cape, we have a full bath with a tub. It serves as a guest powder room. I am adding a master bath adjacent to it, but this bath only has room for a shower. So what I'm doing is making it possible for us to combine the two when we are at home with no guests. And when we have overnight guests upstairs, we can also lock the door from the living room which gives access via a tiny hall to this full bath. OR, conversely, I have a door further down the hall which is really the bedroom back door(another one exists)---it blocks off access to our bedroom from this direction, as well as to the 3/4 master bath.
By making all the flooring the same in the full bath, the tiny hall, and the 3/4 master bath, it will I'm thinking look cohesive. I'll have to try to put this drawing up for you. It is much simpler than your plans, because our walkin closet access is separate from the bath areas.

I'll have to go back and view your current setup for the plumbing etc, to see if your dream of a big bath can be achieved while keeping the walkin closet dedicated to your bedroom.

"But let me ask you all this. If I turn the bath into two baths, reducing the size of a shower and vanity as a result, spending more $$ as a result, and I'm not really happy because it works for most people, but doesn't work for us, is it worth it??? "

Two things to address your above question:

One, if you don't have the money to do the second bathroom now, you could always rough in the plumbing and leave it as an empty room for a bit until you're able to do it. That isn't ideal, but it would allow you to have the second bathroom without having the big outlay of cash at one time.

Second, yes, mongo's plan does leave you with a smaller vanity, but what about using one bathroom for each of you? Since it is usually just the two of you in the house, you could each have your own bathroom to use on a daily basis, but then when you have guests (and when it's time to sell), you have the second bathroom to make the whole setup more appealing.

SLC--"I feel your pain." I go through the same thought process and worry about spending so much money on something that I won't like that much more than what we have now. When you have lived with a certain house layout for as long as you and I have, you adapt and get used to it and it doesn't seem like such a big deal. And you don't want to be spending your money for what might please future sellers rather than yourself. However, the folks here who are better at spatial relationships than myself have had some good suggestions. Two questions--are you making that entire second connecting bedroom a closet? How big is that room? How do you and mongo draw those pictures? Where's the closet in the MBR? It looks like the closet in the second BR is actually larger than the one in the MBR? This is the only bathroom with a tub, is that right?