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Remodeling Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Help with Bathroom Layout

2 years ago

Looking for ideas on Bath Remodel. Right now just looking for layout ideas.

Let’s start with the existing layout and what I will and will not move. Attach is a diagram of the existing floor plan. The bath is a decent size of 6’6” x 10’. The drawing is to scale with 3 squares equals 1'. I am in the process of re-piping so water supply lines can be moved but I do not want to move any drain lines as the bath is on a concrete slab. So the tub and toilet need to stay where they are currently are. I plan to keep the tub/shower. There is some

flexibility in moving the vanity left or right as the plumbing can stay inside the vanity.

As for moving walls, the only wall I could move is the wall where the door is located. Even though it could be moved I am not crazy about it as it will affect a BR and force other door opening and walls to be moved. But if it will create a better bath layout then I would be willing to move that wall out a bit, maybe could move it out a foot or so if needed.

The existing bath has a shelf closet, but it is not very useable as it is 32” deep, but only 15” wide. And as you can tell by the attached photos we need a lot more closet space to store stuff.

One thought is to add more closet space, maybe using bifold doors. That possibility is shown in the diagram with dashed lines and labeled, “Potential Closet”, but it makes that other shelf closet just about unreachable and unusable.

Maybe there are better options like pull out shelves or something along those lines. And maybe there is a better vanity design that might help. I have thought about storing all the towels and linens somewhere else and creating some type of pullout shelves with containers in that deep closet to make it more usable.

Looking to increase storage space and yet create a nice bathroom.

Any suggestions appreciated.

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Comments (6)

jck910
2 years ago
How many people use this bathroom daily? Does dirty laundry need to be collected in this until laundry day? One thing you should do is sort all the product into large baskets for each family member. Then all products that are no longer used should be disposed of. I'm sorry but there is no way all that stuff is used regularly. Then each family member should get a basket to keep in their bedroom for the products they need in the bathroom when using it. It should be stored in their room. A towel rack on the back of the bedroom door's for each person so they can their towels between showers/washings. Corner shelves work great in the shower area to put shampoo, body wash etc. while bathing/showering then back into personal basket when finished. Until you figure out how that stuff gets used layout won't matter. Don't add more closet space until that is figured out because you will end up with the same problems.
emilyam819
2 years ago
Looks like you need a big medicine cabinet like the Hemnes one from Ikea. Can the narrow space by the tub open into a hallway for a linen closet?
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1. The drawing of the bedrooms is a rough estimate. The bathroom dimensions are accurate. 2. House is 1 story on a slab foundation. The red line is the exterior of the house. 3. I am trying to put the budget together. I am willing to spend whatever I need to make it work better for us. We planned to do the kitchen & floors throughout the house this year but the last owners re-tiled around this bathtub and did not do it correctly. We now have termites. We paid to have them treated, so now we are going to rip out the entire bathroom to renovate. We will likely keep the bathtub, but that is it. I plan to order a free standing vanity rather than having one custom made (72" if the vanity stays in same spot, 60" if we go with option 1 below). We will be doing most of the work ourselves, but I do not mind spending the money to pay a plumber to come in to move plumbing to make the layout work better for us. 4. I would love to move both doors closer to the vanity, but I am trying options moving only 1 door to save money/time. The door moved in Option 3 is the one where the termites got into the frame, so we have to fix that frame/wall anyway. I just think the toilet would fit better on the opposite wall where there is a short wall.
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You have quite a dilemma . . . in fact, a few, I'm afraid. My best advice is to seek out a professional NKBA designer who can redesign with all clearances in mind. It would seem from your drawing that you have less than 30" width at the toilet - does not meet any minimum - and could face a door opening into them as they exit after using the facilities. The double bowl vanity looks to be a bit small. You might be surprised at how confining a 60" vanity with 2 users is especially with the door opening into the first user. Not sure if by Roman tub you mean a very large free standing tub with grab bars for entry - ? or if you were looking to share common elements with the shower more in line with a wet room concept. I think a 4' x 7' tub is oversized for a 9'x10' bath. I would prehaps revisit some of your plumbing selections for size. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
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Would something like this work? More closet space. Shower length might be 54 inches depending on exact measurements.
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How much room would there be for the freestanding tub? You need to have room to get around it to clean around it. If it is going to be blocked in you might as well build it in and do a tub deck. If you had a tub would you use it? Some people don't use them and would place more value on more storage.
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msjoan
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
You could extend the closet, as you suggest, with doors in the extension into the bathroom. Divide that and the extisting storage and add doors into the bedroom for the existing closet. Two usable storage areas. And find a place for your slippers in your bedroom.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
2 years ago
Initial thoughts - the cubby section next to the tub is way underutilized. The shelves are spaced so far apart. I would put a tall pantry with rollouts in there. Get at least 5 in the lower section and use the top for towels. If you need a hamper, they do make ones for a cabinet like that as well.

You could extend the closet as you proposed, but accessing that area next to the tub will be difficult so I would say close it off and open it with a door on the bedroom side.

The other thing you can consider is doing a 36" vanity and a 12" tall pantry on the left. This will give you much more storage as well. Then get a nice recessed medicine cabinet and you should be all set.

Good luck
rwbil
Original Author
2 years ago
To answer Questions:

@jc910

That bathroom is actually the guest bathroom, but the Master is a mess and I will also be remodeling it but it is a bigger project, so want to start with the guest bathroom. Right now I use the master and the wife uses the guest. So all that crap belongs to her and I suggested throwing it all out, but she thinks she cannot live without any of it.

For the tub/shower as part of the remodel I plan to add niche(s) that hopefully will help.

@emilyam819 & @msjaon and @ Debbi Washburn

I thought about if I added a closet to make the other narrow deep closet open elsewhere.

On the other side are a BR and a BR walk-in closet. Right now there is a TV on that wall in the BR and no other obvious place to put that TV. Maybe could have it open into the existing closet but it would still be the narrow deep way and be odd, but maybe with pull out shelves it could work. Have to think about how to make all that work.
rwbil
Original Author
2 years ago
After reading the bigger medicine cabinet I started to research. BTW I can do carpentry work. I found this. I think I will build something like this.

https://youtu.be/7kIAa5k21Kk

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