I feel like people love big master baths more than they love built in bars. And you have so much room to burn in that dining area. I wouldn't hesitate to make it smaller by getting rid of that nook.

What if you put a tall bar where the turquoise/white/red chair is sitting and put a short wall on the right side so it looks built in and is flush with the fireplace jog on its right?

Or, what if you did a floating credenza like your kitchen cabs, just without a little wall on the left? You might be able to pull the plumbing out the back so it looks totally floating.

Ps as always, I really like your house and plans for it.

This post was edited by robotropolis on Sun, Mar 2, 14 at 8:38

Absolutely I'd get rid of the nook and increase size of MB. You still have plenty of space to built out a bar area.

Your space is fantastic! I would love to live in an MCM home.

Thanks guys! That makes me feel better, but I'm still a little nervous about it. Right now, I like how it is built into the wall, and not visible from the kitchen area or entrance as it is flush with the wall. But I also know ma bath space is important. Argh!

Robotropolis, those are great ideas for the bar location. I have to look at it closer.

Thanks for the compliments on the home also.:) Hopefully I will not ruin it. I am so nervous that I am going to ruin this house with all these changes (bumping the kitchen forward for a scullery, getting rid of the bar).

I definitely would increase the size of MB. You have quite a bit of space in that corner with the wall flat. If you wish, you could build a matching wall on the left and everything would look completely built in.
You could do a long credenza there, matching your kitchen cabinetry, which already looks like furniture, then have the bar "hidden". Everything behind doors, roll-outs and swing-outs.
We have a friend who had one done and the sink actually moves up and down. It's covered when he wants it to look like furniture only. He removes the top over the sink area and with the press of a foot pedal, the sink rises into position. It is the coolest thing!

Or, you could do a tall unit (again matching the kitchen cabinetry) with fold back doors. (The "tuck into the cabinetry" ones, like many entertainment units have.) You fold back the doors and voila, a hidden bar. Base cabinets wouldn't have to be 24" (although it looks like you have the depth), 15-18 would probably be sufficient to still have a bar sink. No upper cabinets, just open shelving (6-8" deep) for glasses storage.

{{!gwi}}

I was going to suggest the same thing as robotropolis for your great MCM home. I think the wet bar, with the same cabinetry as the kitchen, and maybe some open shelving above to display barware and some lighting would look like it was always there.

You also have enough room in that little area to do a full stand-behind bar --spaceage bachelor pad style!

When I was searching for MCM inspiration I ran across the tour below. What a fascinating house!

Here is a link that might be useful: Thought you might enjoy this tour of the Liljestrand house in Honolulu

This post was edited by robotropolis on Sun, Mar 2, 14 at 21:53

Thanks gooster and robotropolis. I think I will probably not keep the built in bar/buffet/credenza. Robotropolis, that house is amazing! I love the island and kitchen cabinetry. The bar in the pic above is nice also. Thanks!

I am not much of a drinker and I thought the bar would be a good place to put my nespresso maker. I also thought it could also function like a buffet or credenza. Maybe if I mimic the floating kitchen cabs, it will looks okay. I am still nervous about it looking like there is too much clutter. I really love the open space of the house. The wall where the clocks are was actually supposed to be the entrance to the master ba/bedroom. Someone moved it to a different wall and it is now a large 4-5 ft opening into the living room, which works better, I think, and is more private. I will put a barn door there to close off the bedroom.

Just to update this thread - here is what the architect came up with for a conceptual plan. He didnt draw the buffet/bar in, though.

He said the ma bath counter is 8 ft. It looks kind of small to me though.

Neat plan!

3 comments:
I think the toilet is oddly far from the rest of the bathroom and makes it feel like the whole closet is in the bathroom. I also wouldn't love the toilet backed right up to my head as I was sleeping (depending on how soundproof the whole operation was).

I also am lazy and although i like the look of the shower-in-front-of-tub, it would drive me nuts that my shower was getting my tub dirty day in and day out (as someone who takes 100 showers per bath).

It seems like there is a very generous amount of closet space and I could consider sacrificing a closet to improve flow in the bathroom/closet area...perhaps opening up another doorway at the bottom (to the right of the head of the bed...so you could access closet without having to walk through bathroom if needed.

There seems to be a big split regionally between walking thru closet to get to bathroom and walking thru bathroom to get to closet. I prefer the first but many prefer the second.

Thanks so much for your comments Robotropolis. :)

I was skeptical of the shower and tub being in that configuration, but he showed me pics, and I looked on houzz, and found a lot of baths configured this way. I believe the shower is going to be huge, and there will be a giant skylight over the shower/bath. The drain will be a linear drain. He said no water will hit the tub... I THINK I am okay with it. I also do not want any glass around the shower. We have really hard water here and it stains glass terribly. :(

I am wondering if I need a partial wall to make the shower more private? I'm not sure I want to see myself showering in the mirror every day, or have someone walk in if I forget to close the bedroom door.

I hate to add another door to the bath, as with the extra closet at the current entrance, the br size will shrink. :(

Hmm...should I move the toilet? Or lengthen the sink counters along the back wall to bring them closer to the toilet? I would LOVE a dramatically long counter.

If I had my druthers, I would push the guest bath a little into the master ba area, to create more space in the guest room/office. THe guest room is 11x11 sq. ft which seems kind of small. I'm trying to expand the doorway in that room to open up the red rock wall up. I think it will look pretty dramatic.

You know the kitchen adage, drawers are better than doors - maybe the triple reach in closets could become triple dressers with countertop on top? That would be one heck of a countertop!

Or...? No tub?

With tub, and a decent shower for the guest bedroom

I agree--lose the nook. It looks like someone misplaced the doors to it long ago.

You'll have space for a very groovy free-standing bar or credenza that ought to be perfect.

Bathroom layout is beyond me, but turning the nook (back?) into closet space is wise.

Thanks Robotropolis. Those are great ideas. I do like the second one. I will have to see how large the ma closet is.

What do you think if I make it a super long counter, with storage underneath (like a dresser) or a built in vanity?

Do you think it's bad to have the toilet against the same wall as the bed?

I think I should keep the tub.

Thanks fori! That is a big help. I am beginning to think you all are right on losing the built in bar/credenza.

Here is a pic of a bath with the tub/shower combo.

[Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Seattle Architects & Designers SHED Architecture & Design

[Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Seattle Architects & Designers SHED Architecture & Design

I was thinking of floating like they did:

[Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Seattle Architects & Designers SHED Architecture & Design

This post was edited by rockybird on Wed, Mar 5, 14 at 19:45

Rockybird:
With the tub beyond the shower, you would have to walk through water to get to the tub, if someone had taken a shower recently. It takes a fair amount of time for the shower floor to dry.

You didn't post any dimensions, but this total space looks quite large. I think Robotropolis has a better solution for the WC, but I personally would flip everything else, putting the whole bathroom at the end, separating the tub and shower.

By putting the closet where the shower/tub currently is, you could put hang-up and storage on each side. With a "U" closet, it can be awkward getting to clothes that are in the corners. You could put a linen closet and/or other storage in the space across, where the sinks are to be moved from, but only the width of the closet.

Put a door into the MB. Leave the WC on the right where Robotropolis put it , but put the toilet on the opposite wall and the entry at the other end. That way, you have a wall for the bathroom door to open against. Or, put in a pocket door.

Put the sinks cabinet across from the WC on the left wall. Put the shower the whole length of the right wall , from the WC to the bottom wall. Then, put in a tub between the shower and the left wall.

It doesn't appear that you have any windows, so they wouldn't have to be accounted for.

This post was edited by canuckplayer on Tue, Mar 11, 14 at 19:18

Hi Canuckplayer,

Thank you, I didnt see your comments until today. I am beginning to agree that maybe the bath should be on the other end. I will try to draw the plans as you suggest and see how they look. Robotropolis also suggested some good ideas on the bath forum. The problem is that there isnt enough space to give me what I want - a big ma closet with an island and a gorgeous bath iwth a long counter.

The space is 15'10' X 19.5'. it may be closer to 16x20, seems to vary everytime I measure it.

I live alone, and if I ever end up married and am still in this house, I plan to build a ma addition on the side of the house with his/her toilets and vanities. I dont know if this should affect the ma bath plan or not.