I'm thinking the 2nd bath would be the place for a small shower while the Master needs a spa tub in the toilet closet area and a toilet closet where the shower is.

Can I ask the reason for having a second bath upstairs?

With a 2 bedroom home one full bath is usually sufficient for family, however a powder room for guests on the lower floor is often a great benefit. The fact that the second bedroom has no access to the bath and it was made a private master bath really limited the use of the second bedroom - not comfortable for guests or kids to have to walk through the master to use the bathroom.

I am just wondering if, given the limited space, there may be a better solution.

I think the master needs the tub and I would do a tub/ shower combo and the 2nd bathroom just a shower and I would need to see the whole floor plan of that 2nd floor.

Here is the existing 2nd floor plan.

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll answer

the questions below:

My reasons for a 2nd bathroom:

-Significant increased value for a 2/2 vice 2/1 when I sell or rent it out as per a local Realtor

-I don’t want to share a bathroom with guests

-Additional flexibility for future kids

I spoke with an architect and he told me the standard for a Master Bath in this area (DC Metro) is a large walk-in shower, toilet closet and a double sink. That is what I prioritized in this layout.

The existing bathroom has 2 doors, so there is presently access for the 2nd bedroom/guests via the hallway. But I don’t see the need to keep the Hallway door if there’s a second bathroom upstairs.

What if you cut your deep hall closet in half, combining it with the small closet in the master to have a RIC instead. Then combine the current WIS and closet+ to do something like this? The hall entry would remain as is. Laundry to the toilet area and toilet under the safety glass window. How much space would be gained from the laundry to do the 2nd bath?

Redmond Education Hill Master · More Info

Thanks! But which closet are you referring to as the "deep hall closet"? There is no hall closet, other than the laundry closet, which is entirely taken up by the stacked laundry machines.

Does this explain/make sense? Yellow would be the shower/tub wet room. Blue would be the back wall of a reach-in closet in the master. Guess I was referring to the deep master closet.

Oh, I see. Yes. That is an awesome idea. However, I paid to have custom California closets installed when I moved into the house 2 years ago, so the thought of ruining all those lovely closets is just too much. I'm trying to make the most of the bathroom within the existing walls.

I am not an architect, but I think you could make better use of the space, have 2 functional bathrooms and a closet in the 2nd bedroom. Where I live you are not allowed to count a room as a bedroom without a closet.

So here is my idea - very rough, but it gives you the same pieces, looses the dead space in the middle of the master bath, gives you a larger walk in shower, a less claustrophobic 2nd bath and gives a closet to the 2nd bedroom.

I'm thinking that someone with really good design skills could come up with something even better.

Thanks for the ideas! My plan is to build a closet in the far corner of the 2nd bedroom. Technically though, a bedroom around here doesn't need a closet, but I agree that practically, people want a closet!

Jennifer Hogan’s idea looks awesome. I was going to suggest squaring off the proposed bathroom; you wouldn’t miss the angled wall space in the bedroom.

Concerning the master bath.

You could keep the fixtures where they are and just replace the vanity and add another across from it.

You could move the California closet to opposite side and create a hallway into the bath which gives you more wall space for a second vanity.

Keep the tub and shower. Save plumbing cost.

Concerning the new bath addition.

Be careful you have enough room for a toilet across from the vanity in the new bath. Maybe a pedestal sink across from a small toilet in a shorter length.

Your layout seems tight. Even in my drawing with a pedestal sink, you may have trouble clearing the sink when you open the door. I put in a corner shower, but if you can fit a tub, that might be better.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I re-worked a second version of the Master Bath, this time keeping the bathtub. The trade off is a single vanity (instead of a double) and a slightly smaller walk-in shower (same size as I have now). A plus is that most of the plumbing in this plan is the same as the current bathroom fixtures, so remodeling costs may be lower. Thoughts?