I know I probably went overboard, but I have been searching Houzz for shower/tub combos for myself if I decide to go in that direction. Most of these pictures have Master Bath titles - they tend to be small houses or apartments in large cities where space is an issue. They all have a generous sized tub. A few have extra shower bling and even a separate tub filler. All of them have material choices and the level of tile work that you see in a master bathroom. I'm sure that if I searched Houzz I could find just as many, or even more, remodels of small master baths where they have just built a walk in shower. I think the decision to do a shower/tub may be a personal choice because they want a soaking tub - since they are titled Master I'm assuming the bath is not the only bath in the house and they could easily just go with a shower. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/lakewood-bathroom-contemporary-bathroom-denver-phvw-vp~564696) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Aurora General Contractors Heritage Home Improvement [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/tamara-mack-design-interiors-traditional-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~1860108) [Transitional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2112) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Tamara Mack Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/jackson-hole-residence-rustic-bathroom-portland-phvw-vp~1116073) [Rustic Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2111) by Portland Architects & Designers Howells Architecture + Design, LLC [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/bath-traditional-bathroom-charlotte-phvw-vp~1153799) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Charlotte Architects & Designers Don Duffy Architecture [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/tile-showers-traditional-bathroom-houston-phvw-vp~1597876) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Lake Jackson Kitchen & Bath Remodelers JC Remodeling & Restoration, LLC [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/icon-development-tofino-job-contemporary-bathroom-vancouver-phvw-vp~2443799) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Nanaimo Tile, Stone & Countertops City Tile [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/riverside-drive-super-groovy-masterpiece-contemporary-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~2456534) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by New York General Contractors Rusk Renovation [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/burns-park-addition-and-remodeling-2000-and-2006-traditional-bathroom-detroit-phvw-vp~374078) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Canton Architects & Designers Studio Z Architecture [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/erica-islas-silverlake-contemporary-bathroom-los-angeles-phvw-vp~190979) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Culver City Interior Designers & Decorators Erica Islas / EMI Interior Design, Inc. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/hall-bathroom-traditional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~678390) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Nathan Cuttle Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/master-bathroom-highrise-new-york-city-contemporary-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~89484) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by New York Photographers Vanni Archive/Architectural Photography [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/carnegie-hill-residence-traditional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~204853) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by New York Architects & Designers Incorporated[[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/upper-west-side-nyc-apartment-renovation-transitional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~6968329) [Transitional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2112) by New York Architects & Designers John M Reimnitz Architect PC div> [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-bathroom-mediterranean-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~1042841) [Mediterranean Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2109) [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/nyc-bathrooms-traditional-bathroom-phvw-vp~7215764) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by New York Design-Build Firms DELUXE Design & Construction [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cat-mountain-greenbelt-homes-austin-tx-transitional-bathroom-austin-phvw-vp~834553) [Eclectic Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2104) by Austin General Contractors Greenbelt Construction This post was edited by Anna_in_TX on Tue, Feb 11, 14 at 6:40

Of course my dogs are small, so I just use an oval galvanized tub. No drain required. But you can take a similar galvanized washtub which is round and would fit in your shower. Drill a hole low on the side and mount a drain plug in it. Then you can drain almost the entire tub and tump over any remaining in the bottom before you carry the tub outdoors. Also, consider getting a plastic tote at the dollar store and do the same thing with it. Not very durable, but you can learn on it anyway. Then do something more durable the next go-round.

Well, phooey. I taped it out in the bathroom with blue tape last night and it looked like it would fit, but with too many nos, I'm back to the drawing board. Interesting thought, Vix. Right now we don't actually have a toilet room, so much as a separate toilet "area" (there's no door, and the closet takes up too much room to add a door), but it's on my agenda to create one. In our house, it's very necessary. I generally use that bathroom to try to FIND privacy, only to have 3 people (and sometimes the dog) follow me into the bathroom. I'm looking forward to having a door that locks and a fan so that I don't have two little people handing me the TP and asking whether I'm doing number 1 or 2 (oh, and the 1 year old likes to flush while I'm ON the pot; so I've got my own special cold water washlet), while DH decides that he absolutely has to shave and brush his teeth at that exact moment. Now if I take a hike to the guest bath on the other side of the house, all three just follow me AGAIN. Sometimes when I have insisted on locking the door in the guest bath (no way to do that with our LOUVERED -- why??? -- pocket door in the master), my one year old plopped down prostrate outside the door and cried until I open the door. For my W/C, I want to put in a LOUD fan; no whisper quiet for me. Maybe I'll even add a radio. :) The way I'm seeing it, I can either get rid of the long vanity altogether and live with a fairly small vanity, plus a tub and shower, I can skip the tub and live with the kids' bathroom on the third level as the only room with a tub, or we can bump out that weird corner jog, which would give us an additional 49'' X 27'' space -- enough to fit a 5X3 tub, 5X3 shower and keep the two vanities. But that sounds very expensive and will require carefully removing and replacing the siding to match the existing. DH's response to all this was "why do we need a tub?"

I wouldn't give up the tub because it really makes the bathroom. I think the Master Bath is more of a master with a soaking tub. I would never give up 2 sinks. It wouldn't be good for our marriage to be fighting over the sink. I like the privacy of the toilet area in your first drawing. I would go with the smaller shower with the tub. I have had a 36" by 36" shower for years. A 6'2' large build husband, who is comfortable in there. We are going to make our new shower 36" x 48" because we have the space. I agree with someone else don't put the bench seat in. I think tile also gives you more space as opposed to a fiberglass surround which adds a couple inches to the interior walls. I considered going into my closet for a 60" shower but I don't think it is worth it. I will make the smaller shower elegant and put top features in it.