You mean, get rid of the shower and transform the room into a powder room? IMO, that's a huge no-no. Huge. You will be reducing the number of bathrooms in your house, and that's going to affect its value.

We have the same problem with bathrooms you do because, at some point in the past, I think the PO used a living room as a BR. Hence, a true bathroom now directly off that room. We had the exact same impulse to change it that you do, but our RE agent strongly counseled against doing so. It's kind of useful anyway, since one can go directly to it from pool or garden.

That was my fear of getting rid of a full bath, but I just hate the look of it in my main living room that we just had redone. So even though I have 2 other full baths in house you still think its a bad decision?
Not sure what's considered a powder room, would that be just a toilet and vanity(sink) then yes that's what I was considering!

It depends where your living room is situated in the house. Is it the first room you enter from the front door? If so, I would remove the shower because a buyer intending to use the room as a living room is going to have the same reaction you have - it doesn't belong there.

You should be able to preserve the pipes and drain so that it could revert to a shower sometime in the future. Rather than a vanity, you might consider removing the shower, adding doors and using it for storage.

There might be other room configurations to consider. If you moved the door opening to another wall, like the towel bar wall, could you enter the bathroom from another room of the house?

Would removing the shower enable you to reconfigure the location of the door so that it's not in your LR?

IMO, I think turning into a pdrm(toilet & sink) would be a good compromise, then you still would have a bathroom on your main level.

This post was edited by chijim on Wed, Feb 20, 13 at 10:00

I don't think it would impact the value of your house as you have two other full baths and people don't generally expect a full bath on the main floor. Buyers could also be off put by it as you are. Also, unless you're planning on moving in the next couple of years re-sale ought not to be a major concern (within limits obviously). Not that I think it would be an issue even if you did sell.

Does the BR door open right into the LR? If so, could you move the door during the reno so that it opens onto a hall or something? That would definitely help with re-sale, as will having a nicely laid out and attractive new powder room.

Go for it if it would suit your family better, I don't see the risk.

>and people don't generally expect a full bath on the main floor

I would consider that the population is getting older and moving more generations into one house and keep it. I would definitely prefer a full bath on the main floor, ever since I broke my ankle when I was 30. I don't know what I would have done if I'd had to negotiate stairs, and later when I was living in a town house with only a powder room downstairs it was terribly difficult for my elderly mom to get upstairs for a shower.

I would say don't do it unless you have another bath on that floor.

This post was edited by writersblock on Wed, Feb 20, 13 at 10:20

When you walk in my house you walk up 4 steps then you are in my living room. It's a large L shaped living room so no matter where you move Bathroom door it will still be in LR. In the picture the closed door is a closet. Open door is the bathroom.

Another view!

How many bedrooms is your house?

It would probably feel off to me too. It appears to be in view from seating, which is worse. Maybe if it weren't a shower curtain? Also consider dressing it up more. Install a sleek trackless door or a more tailored curtain and oriental rug, a little more color on the walls to warm it up, in line with the living area.

Keeping it in case anyone becomes disabled, even temporarily , is a good point. One floor living when older, too, so you don't have to move. You might not have the money to spare for converting at that point.

I would try keeping the door ajar instead of open to see if that helps.

As I sit here with my broken foot, and getting older by the minute, I too think you should leave the shower there. I understand that you think it is odd to have a shower in a room just off the living room -- why don't you think it is odd to have a toilet in the room right off the LR? Dress up the bathroom, then close the door!

I can't tell from the photo if it's a stall shower or a tub with shower. If it's a tub, perhaps you could convert it to a smaller stall shower so it isn't such an elephant in the room.

That space looks like two separate rooms. And I am guessing the section where the bathroom opens to is not an area you use, based on the furnishings I see.

The shower is not the issue with that layout, it's giving a purpose to that part of the L.

Yeah, don't do expensive glass doors. Making it a handsomely tiled accessible shower where you wouldn't have to step up into a tub would be great for one-floor living resale, imo! A lot of people do buy with their elder years in mind.

I think whether it is a powder room or a full bath you still have the door there so doesn't matter either way, except you loose the value a full bath gives. Not so much difference in my area - maybe 5K, but still.

If you have kids or a future buyer has them it could be a plus to have a full bath with a tub there. You can put older kids in the bath to play while you can finish cleaning up in the kitchen and still be nearby just in case and not a full flight of stairs.

For a buyer I don't think the apartment bath would count as a bath since they may choose to use it as an apartment to rent out and would thus only have 1 full bath to themselves if you removed it.

I think I'd leave it but make it so pretty you love looking at it. I'd be way more concerned about a toilet next to a living room. I have a friend with a house and the sole bath is a jack and jill with doors from the bedroom and the living room. I'd do my best to avoid having to use the bathroom when visiting. It was awful when she'd have a number of guests and the living room was full of people.

I'd put an automatic closing device on the door so it's never obvious it's a bathroom.

What is the rest of the layout? What is behind the bathroom and closet? What is behind the wall with the armoire?

My first instinct would be to change the bathroom's entrance rather than turn it into a half bath.

How deep is that closet? And what is behind that closet? If space allows, you could remove the closet, turn it into a hall and have bathroom door open into that new hall. Moving plumbing is very expensive though.

I had a similar situation in a town house I rented. I had a folding screen built that went from wall-to-wall concealing the shower area and then used it for storage of my Christmas decorations. I put a mover's blanket in the tub so that the tub wouldn't get scratched. It was a pain to move the screen, but since I only did it twice a year, it was acceptable. The upside was that the bathroom looked like it was just a powder room and I had extra storage that I really needed.

I had the same idea as EG3d.......use the closet as a hallway and have a door on the left wall to enter the bathroom. To makeup for lost storage space, a carpenter could easily build storage (or hanging space) above/around the tub/shower area.......something that leaves the plumbing & tub alone and could be removed by future buyers.

I think the main problem is your sofa faces those doors, thus you're always looking at the bathroom. I would rearrange the seating in the area off the bath.

I suppose the bathroom/shower would make more sense if that area was used for overnight guests. But as someone said earlier, why is it so off putting to have a shower there, but its perfectly fine to have a toilet and sink. However, turning it into a powder room will suit a purpose and make you feel better about its proximity to the living area and I don't think it will adversely affect your house value.
Or you could decorate it and make it another beautiful room in your house and show it off (or just close the door).
Sorry, not much help here. I think it would bother me a little too, but I would be inclined to live with it. Who knows, it could come in handy.

I think if your bathrooms are all turned on their sides, it would be a good idea to repair that. ;-)

I guess it depends on the area in which you live. If you live in the southeast, you would definitely compromise a future sale of the house if that house was located in a neighborhood of mobile people. In a retired area, it might be fine. I live in an area of empty nesters, but even here, most have 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 baths. They have not gotten beyond their years of raising children and having neighborhood kids in and out all the time and other family members.

Lol are my pictures on their side? Sorry I'm on my iPad and they aren't to me when I look at them!
I guess it just seems weird for shower and not toilet in living room because its 2 floors away from bedrooms, so it just seems out of place for the shower. I would be open to leaving it there but just have no idea how design it. I think shower doors would make it look even more out of place in living room. My style is traditional/old world style I would love ideas how to make it work! Thanks :)

I wouldn't move the door either way the door would be in seating area. Also an older couple or disabled person would not buy my house too many levels (too many stairs)!

If you leave it as is, think about Fun2Bhere's idea of a screen. You may not have enough room on the floor for one with panels that fold, but you have something made that hangs from the ceiling, which could make it appear as if there is a wall panel there, rather than a tub/shower. You could have panels that slide to the side for access to clean the area, or as she suggested use for storage. Or you could just enclose the area with temporary panels, which don't move, that would be easy to remove in the future.

"I wouldn't move the door either way the door would be in seating area." Then IMO, if you are going to keep the toilet, you may as well keep the shower.

Maybe you could make it blend a bit better:

[Contemporary Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by San Francisco Architect Mike Connell

[Contemporary Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Toronto Interior Designer Toronto Interior Design Group : Yanic Simard

[Traditional Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Boston Design-build ARCHIA HOMES

I really like this idea of a half wall for the shower next to the toilet.

[Traditional Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Los Angeles Interior Designer Cynthia Marks - Interiors

[Traditional Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Minneapolis Interior Designer RLH Studio

[Traditional Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Orange County Design-build Spinnaker Development

[Traditional Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Toronto Interior Designer Jennifer Brouwer (Jennifer Brouwer Design)

I really like Lyfia's point that mothers with youngish children could be on the same floor during a tub time...also anyone could find themselves after an accident, surgery, etc. needing to remain on the main floor and a first floor shower could sure come in handy. I was recently recuperating at someone's house for an extended time and could only take sponge baths as the upstairs bath was inaccessable to me....yuck. Make the bath as beautiful as possible and keep the door shut. I might use a gorgeous fabric over curtain in the shower and keep that closed. I agree about decorating by carrying the living room style and quality into the bath, making it a little gem, for example if your living room is elegant/sophisticated, and not treat it as an after thought or something you are ashamed of! Glam it up as if you are proud of it!

It's not uncommon to have a powder room, that is, a bathroom, serving a downstairs living area. Sometimes they are too close for comfort to where other people are. Not uncommon at all. Get a noisy fan ;) While it is unusual to have a bathing unit included in lower level bathrooms, I think yours feels particularly off because it's dressed like a bedroom bath.

I missed that you've already got a lower level apartment. If that would work for one-floor living at a time when you might be temporarily unable to do the stairs, then you don't really need to retain a full bath. Unless this is a house for a large family with four or more children or something.

Lyfia has a good idea but how much further is the upstairs bath from the kitchen (which looks like it is still another level away)?

Was this general area a separate apartment also?

Ok I am on board with keeping it!! Now just have to figure out best design. I like some of the above pictures. I don't think I would like shower doors there and I think you are right about I made it look too much like a bedroom bathroom, I guess with shower curtain? I love arches like in the 5th pic, but with no shower curtain or doors I guess you would only use tub no shower right?

I'm late to the party but I would vote to leave it. You could easily move the door to the towel rack wall and enclose one 'leg' of your living room and have a bed/bath suite should you ever need to re-arrange the living space due to disability or even turn it in to another rental room. I like the idea of hanging some sort of screen in front of it to disguise it, just be sure to run some water down the drain occasionally so the trap doesn't dry up from not being used and allow sewer gas to escape.

Glad you're keeping it.

I like Jackie's idea. Something to consider.

You could also try to "hide" the bathroom with one of those bookcase doors. When the door is closed, it looks like a bookcase. And who doesn't like a secret door in their house? :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Bookcase door

Glad you're keeping it. Since the bathroom isn't used too much, I would get an area rug to help keep noise at a minimum.

i'm glad you're keeping it as well...i have a similar bath in my condo, except there is a small hallway that leads to it, but you can definitely see it is a 'full bath' if the door is open, so i will be 'glamming' it up...

check out these designs with an arch built over the tub...this, imo, gives the bath a much more luxe feel without a huge investment...also consider covering the side of the tub with wood panels (another easy design with a big impact,imo)

my bath looks much smaller than yours, just your typical tub/toilet/sink arrangement, not much bigger than a powder room! (but no way i will give up the shower/tub) as my other tub which is a jacuzzi is downstairs in my finished lower level

Here is a link that might be useful: glammed up tubs

I think it is good to keep the shower. In this area, having a full bath on the main floor is a big selling point -- for young families, for dog owners, for families with parents/grandparents moving in, extra guests, accidents, injuries, even creating living quarters for a caretaker. I've had friends who have searched and would pay anything for a master and second full bath on the ground floor because a parent needs to move in.

Look over on the bathrooms forum. I was browsing and saw a thread talking about a Wind tub and a hidden shower curtain. You might be interested in at least the hidden shower curtain part of the discussion. I think it could be a great answer for your purposes too.

Here is a link that might be useful: narrow master bath discussion

I too think keeping it is good, think of families with kids, a dog, a senior or disabled person with trouble managing stairs.

however I think the floral shower curtain calls way too much attention. Can you put in a white waffle weave or something that blends with the walls a bit? It would be far less noticeable, then.

Whether there is a shower or not, that sofa facing the door to the bathroom is a problem - it's like there is a show to watch! Can you float the sofa facing the window with the back to the bathroom and put a chair beside it to create a grouping away from the door?

i'm glad you're keeping it as well...i have a similar bath in my condo, except there is a small hallway that leads to it, but you can definitely see it is a 'full bath' if the door is open, so i will be 'glamming' it up...

check out these designs with an arch built over the tub...this, imo, gives the bath a much more luxe feel without a huge investment...also consider covering the side of the tub with wood panels (another easy design with a big impact,imo)

my bath looks much smaller than yours, just your typical tub/toilet/sink arrangement, not much bigger than a powder room! (but no way i will give up the shower/tub) as my other tub which is a jacuzzi is downstairs in my finished lower level

Here is a link that might be useful: glammed up tubs