Too narrow...better to have one large closet with an island in the middle. You could have a nice 2x5 or so island, with 3' walkways all around.

we're designing our new home in the pacific northwest ... but cannot change the door location between the bedroom and bathroom.

If you are designing, why can't you move the door?

Is this a custom house or a stock plan?

A primary bedroom with two equal size closets is as outdated as the use of the term "master".

(Mistress worthy has her suite; as befits my station in life, I have a lesser one.)

I would never want a closet accessed

from a bathroom due the humidity, moisture and odor issues. This design is even worse with the toilet literally right next to your clothes!

That all makes sense.

Yes, it's based on a stock plan provided by a local company. We've limited change option.

Now, that all makes sense. I didn't know the design had these problems. In fact, I've tried to design it based on what we have today - which we've lived in for just a few of years (attached below).

I've moved the toilet to the other side to avoid hearing flushes every time. Moved the walk-in closet door to the bedroom - it seems the popular choice nowadays. There was a storage area there, which I removed and extended the wall. It still looks organized and there are other storage areas on the same level. Also, made it into one large walk-in closet instead of 2 smaller ones. Agree, an island would look great in the center.

Thanks all!

Our old home:

I like your change (it will also be more convenient to have the toilet accessed that way) but with the dist1nce between shower and closet, I might like to keep that door to the bathroom as well as to the bedroom. You could keep the bathroom door closed most of the tome, but even if not there is air circulation with two doors. The two doors is more convenient, too. Not to mention, I’m always an advocate for more than one way to move around spaces!

Thanks @bpath! Great idea. A pocket door may work here as well.

Yes, I agree with bpath. Put a pocket door in.

In my experience, about half the population loves the idea of a closet accessed from the Master Bath and the other half abhors it. If you have different morning schedules or routines, having the closet accessed off the master gives your spouse a fighting chance at sleep while you perform the morning magic. We have that configuration in our home and it works well for us. The (shared) closet is right next to the shower. We never close the door between the closet and master bathroom and we've never had an issue with mold or mildew--which are common in our coastal VA climate. We have a combination recessed light/vent fan over the shower and it's on a 30-minute timer which is reset to 30-minutes when either of us gets out of the shower.

I have seen people smoking a cigarette while filling their car's gas tank with no problem, but I don't recommend it.

I find something like this to be a good conceptual solution.

Nope smoking is always bad. Filling gas and smoking is crazy stupid.

I am like 20 years with a closet off a primary bath with zero humidity issues. 5 houses - yep 5 - all with closets off the bathroom.

I suppose if you take very long showers and have poor ventilation and live in a humid area and something else, then it is an issue.

And I live in a humid area (although not as humid as PNW with open windows).

I have always lived in Georgia, first on the coast and then metro Atlanta, so I know humidity. I’ve had homes with access to closets both ways and prefer through the bath. Zero issues with mold and odors. I don’t know why this is such a sticking point for some.

I would think every one knows smoking while pumping gas is not recommended, and I have even seen a gas station employee empty trash cans right beside the gas pumps while smoking their cigarette; and there's those "No Smoking" signs in bright red and white prominently displayed every.single.time.

Count me as another who prefers the closet off the master bath. Our architect had no issue at all with that request. Honestly, I’m with Architectrunner guy on this and believe that the humidity issue is just a red herring in most places used to justify personal preference. Perhaps in a VERY humid tropical climate without proper ventilation it could be a problem, but I grew up with my closet off my en suite in the humid South with little ventilation, but no issues.

I have had clients that have had problems and I have had clients that have not had problems; in my client's best interest I advise against it because of the potential problem. I leave it for the home owner to decide.

I have also had clients that have walked through the master bathroom in stocking feet to get something from the master closet and have to also retrieve a dry pair of socks to put on in the bedroom because they stepped in the water unintentionally left on the bathroom floor.

Architects can simply turf the HVAC issue to the PM&E guys. Problem solved!

Architectrunnerguy is correct once again.

Keeping humidity out of clothes is such an odd issue to fixate on, given that there are thousands of more important issues that take priority.

I've never once heard of anyone having issues with "humid clothes" because their closet was attached to the bathroom. My bath towel gets soaking wet when I take a shower and hang it on a hook, yet it magically dries out and is mold/mildew free within an hour or two.

"I've never once heard of anyone having issues with . . . "

You should get out more.

Count one more. I strongly prefer the closet off of our bathroom given our schedules and how we use it. And in humid Houston, all the suburb houses here are built that way and I have not heard one person complain about the moisture issue.

I have a closet where I have to walk through my bathroom to access it. To be honest, it is both convenient and annoying. One option would be to have a door from both the bathroom and the bedroom into the closet. Yes, I think you'll want to close the door between bathroom and closet when you bathe or shower. And you'll want to make sure to have a good ventilation fan.

Edit: One disclaimer - I do live in a semi-arid climate. And I do close the door from the bathroom to the closet when showering or bathing.

Also, I like having a toilet room in my bathroom. While I do not mind my partner seeing me in the glass shower, I prefer not to be seen while using the toilet if he is already using the bathroom for something else. This is entirely a personal preference and I fully recognize that some will fee the same and some will not.

I have a very expensive handbag and shoe collection that I would not want exposed to the humidity from a bathroom. This may be a regional thing. I cannot recall a single home I have ever owned or been in that has a closet accsessed from a bathroom, other than a linen closet.

It seems that everybody who post who HAVE a closet accessed through the bathroom have no problem. There are also people who never have had that setup but are positive that you are wrong and that in reality, you absolutely do have humidity problems. Its textbook right fighting, ask dr phil lol Sometimes, People are wrong but will argue to the death about their position. The correct ventilation and mitigation in the closet will make it a non issue. There is always the POTENTIAL for something, get out more.

You should get out more.

This actually applies to you, no me. You mention the "humid clothes" in virtually every post, yet I've never seen a single person here (who has a closet attached to a bathroom) ever complain about the issue. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Having a closet off of a bathroom is not the same as having a closet accessed through the bathroom. I would never buy (or build) a house where I had to go through the bathroom to get to the closet (and not for humidity reasons), unless it was an easy fix to change it. Mark has a great solution, and it addresses all the concerns of those who advocate for closets through the bathroom (not waking someone else sleeping in the bedroom, easy access to clothes after a shower) as well as the concerns of those who advocate for closets not accessed through the bathroom (unable to access a closet if someone is using the bathroom, walking across a wet floor to reach the closet, the yucky factor of walking through a bathroom to reach the closet, the added steps needed to retrieve the one item you forgot in the closet before you head out the front door, did I mention the inability to retrieve that one item until the person using the bathroom says "ok, you can come in now"?, etc.).

• 17 yrs ago when we designed our bedroom, we gave high priority to accessing the dressing room/closet from the bathroom. We have another door from bedroom to closet. Until retirements, I got ready for work earlier than hubby so could give him extra sleep time in the morning. Still love this setup. We have great ventilation/ac etc. Live in northern NJ and have never had a problem with humidity. I did put a hard stop on a small w/d in closet, though plumbed for this. Realize that when we sell the next owners may choose to do a relatively simple remodel.. Personal preference.

Most of the homes that ive seen, plans and models have water closets which are another feature that people flip out over. So the issue of waiting until someone is done with their business to let you in is mostly a minute problem. As far as people showering, and im guessing whoever is showering in the master bath is a partner of some sort that you most likely have seen naked and probably wouldnt care if you need to get to the closet. I could be wrong. The floor excuse is also… excuse me.. dumb. If your floor is gross, wet or not thats on you. Its a clear sign if you think walking on your own bathroom floor is gross, that you need to learn how to clean.

Just to chime in that my parents have had their large closet off their master bathroom for almost 20 years with a (gasp!) washer dryer in the closet. They’ve never had a problem. My mother is known for her clothing purchases and if there was an issue, we would know about it. Let’s just say they leave Nordstroms open past closing for her. I did the same thing with my home and I love it. I also put my w/d in the closet. I love being able to go directly from the shower to the closet to get clothes. My bathroom is very large and my closet also large, so perhaps that helps. We both also live in very dry climates.

I would not buy a home where the main closet is NOT off of the bathroom. Just as I would NOT buy a home where the toilet was in the open bathroom and not a separate room (with a window). It is a lifestyle issue and mositure and odor is not an issue but the same ol' people keep claiming it is. You need to get out more...

Moisture and odor are always potential issues, even in my sheltered little life. It is up to the home owner to decide how to address potential issues.

Potential. My son also has the potential of becoming a video gamer millionaire. Im not optimistic. lol

I still don't see what the "potential issues" are and why your first question was "how do you plan on keeping humidity out of the clothes closet."

In the OP's plan, there appears to be ~15 feet separating the closet from the shower. In addition, the two rooms are separated by walls/doors. In addition, the bathroom will have an exhaust fan.

So what exactly is the issue? Why aren't you concerned with how the humidity will impact the mattress/sheets/artwork in the bedroom? As Architectrunnerguy alluded to, you have an odd fixation on this non-issue.

Booty - Do you want me to teach you to read or do you want me to repeat what has been written?

You seem to have a odd fixation on me.

She does have point. Why are you concerned about the potential humidity in the closet but not in the bedroom which is much closer to the source of moisture. If the doors separating the two areas are the same, wouldnt the potential be the same? You should really discourage en suite bathrooms to your clients as there is the potential of mold. If its apples and oranges, why is it apples and oranges?

I'm just pushing back on your bizarre stances. I wouldn't be inclined to respond if this were a one-off comment from you, but you literally bring it up as a serious concern EVERY TIME someone posts a plan.

We get it...you have a weird obsession/hangup with closets being attached to bathrooms and enclosed toilets...but that obsession is not shared by 99% of people visiting this forum. You've made your point dozens of times.

Haven't read any scientific research on this but I can kind of see how moisture can more easily dissipate in a bedroom with a bigger area for air to move around than in a closet full of clothes. Plus sheets get washed every week while clothes that don't get used don't normally get washed.

Thank you RTHawk, I was afraid this thread was getting void of good reason and intellect.

Lol

I was afraid this thread was getting void of good reason and intellect.

Mark, you are the one avoiding "good reason" and facts...

- The closet is closed off from the bathroom with walls and doors.

- The bathroom has an exhaust fan that remove moist air.

- The closet is as far, or farther away, from the shower/tub than the bedroom.

- Dozens of people, with years & decades of direct experience, have never had a problem.

- Not a single person with this setup has claimed to have suffered from "humid clothes."

Given all of this, I fail to understand where your deep-seated fear & concern comes from.

I've moved the toilet to the other side to avoid hearing flushes every time.

But it's still a toilet in a narrow, windowless closet. You have no place to store extra toilet paper, and such a room is hard to clean. It's no nicer than a stall in a store. Think twice about whether this is where you want to "do your business" every day.

Moved the walk-in closet door to the bedroom - it seems the popular choice nowadays.

The point isn't that it's "popular" -- lots of popular things are downright stupid. The question is, What's most functional and efficient? Of the options presented here, this one is -- by far -- the most functional. It allows you to access the closet without entering the bathroom, which is a step-saver.

In my experience, about half the population loves the idea of a closet accessed from the Master Bath and the other half abhors it.

I'm quite ambivalent on the closet-opening-into-bathroom concept, but I think it's usually poorly arranged. If you're going to do it, you need the closet door placed near the bathroom door so you don't have to walk the length of the bathroom to get into the closet.

This humidity thing seems to be an urban legend that exists pretty much only on this board.

Nope smoking is always bad. Filling gas and smoking is crazy stupid.

Did you know that talking on your cell phone while filling your tank is also bad? The danger is remote -- if you happen to drop your cell phone, it can "spark" as it hits the ground and start a fire. Unusual, but it happened to one of my students! Yes, he actually set the gas station on fire. The gas station took him to court, but I never knew what happened to him -- maybe the school year ended? It's been years ago.

other than a linen closet.

Hmmm, I have a linen closet IN my bathroom, and my towels and sheets are not musty or smelly in any way. Even the beach towels that sit all winter without being used. Even my flannel sheets that sit all summer.

My son also has the potential of becoming a video gamer millionaire. Im not optimistic. lol

Oh, loads of my students intend to become eAthletes and/or YouTube sensations! The big problem with that is that we live in an area where basements just don't work, so their mothers don't have basements for them to live in.

Booty - Work on that reading comprehension.

@Mark Bischak, Architect,

I agree that locating the master closet so it can be accessed without going from the bath back into the bedroom is ideal. Narrow building envelopes don't always allow for such configurations without undesirable trade offs.

The concern with regard to mold/mildew is indeed a legitimate one. The concern should not be limited to closets accessed via a bathroom as my personal experience will attest. Ventilation--the "V" in HVAC is rarely given appropriate consideration during design. Air circulation in closets is important--particularly large closets with no windows and which are rarely accessed--and in humid or mixed-humid climate zones.

Work on that reading comprehension.

Here is a recap of everything you've contributed to this thread...

- How do you plan on keeping humidity out of the clothes closet

- I have seen people smoking a cigarette while filling their car's gas tank with no problem,

- I would think every one knows smoking while pumping gas is not recommended,

- I have had clients that have walked through the master bathroom in stocking feet to get something from the master closet and have to also retrieve a dry pair of socks to put on in the bedroom because they stepped in the water unintentionally left on the bathroom floor.

- You should get out more.

- Moisture and odor are always potential issues, even in my sheltered little life.

- Do you want me to teach you to read or do you want me to repeat what has been written?

The answer to your very first question was quite obvious, even to a layman, let alone an experienced "professional" such as yourself. The "plan to keep humidity out of the clothes" is three-fold...1) An exhaust fan that extracts moist air from the bathroom, 2) Clothes separated from the bathroom with solid walls/doors, 3) Locating closet ~15 ft from the shower.

None of your responses make it clear why you are so fixated on this particular issue in virtually EVERY thread you post in.

Like a dog with a bone.

OP says plan is resolved.

For the record. I took a hygrometer into the main bathroom before taking my shower this morning. The humidy level in the closet (the door is right next to the shower door) was the same as the main bathroom before turning on the shower. After I was done, the humidy level in the closet was the same as the room before taking the shower. I kept the door open to the closet and the exhaust fan on. There was no increase in humidity except for the bathroom area. So I stand by the fact that having a closet off of the bathroom does not affect the moisture level in the closet and your clothes will not mold. It is a personal choice. There are advantages and disadvantages with both configurations.

I had this frog. One day I set it down on the ground and said, "jump!"; and the frog jumped. So I took the frog, cut off one of its front legs, set it down on the ground and said, "jump!"; and the frog jumped. So I took the frog, cut off its other front leg, set it down on the ground and said, "jump!"; and the frog jumped. So I took the frog, cut off one of its rear legs, set it down on the ground and said, "jump!"; and the frog jumped, but a little sideways. So I took the frog, cut off its last leg, set it down on the ground and said, "jump!"; and the frog sat there motionless. So I stand by the fact that having cut off all the frog's legs, the frog has become deaf.

Bob - I don't think I know you or your background, but I think you have to improve your Scientific Method before making such a blanket statement. I do see you agree with me in that it is a personal choice. There are advantages and disadvantages with both configurations.

I tuned in here today just to see if Mark responded. Thanks for making it worth my while.

Mark Bischak, please stay you. Never mind what anyone says or what you may have said ‘in virtually every post’...I love your posts...!😁💐

I like your posts Mark, and personally don’t like posts where someone decides to squabble about an issue. We all have different perspectives,the OP can decide what they like.