Bathroom Design Dilemma

last year

My wife and I plan to renovate our master bathroom. We agree that the layout is inefficient. The shower, for example, is far too small. But we are unsure how to better utilize the space and efficiently use our resources. We are also torn whether we should keep a tub, since we have a tub/shower combo in the hallway bathroom.

I attached a picture that shows the current layout and one possible change that includes a tub. A larger shower is a must. We assume that simply replacing the current tub with a shower, leaving the throne room alone, and deleting the current shower would be the cheapest option. (Not pictured) If we go with that option, I suppose we could turn the current shower into a closet.

Is there a better layout that includes a tub (compared to our attached proposal)?

Thank you for your help!

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PRO

Patricia Colwell Consulting

last year

First if you do not need a tub why have one since there is one in the home. FS tubs require a min. of 12" all around and from what I see you do not have the space . Not to mention you need to almost stand on your head to clean the walls behind with the 12" clearance / I never understand toilet rooms inside a bathroom no one should be using the toilet when some one else is in the bathroom. You have good sized space replace the tub with a nice big shower and use the old shower space for storage .

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Comments (11)

la_la Girl
last year
I think giving up the tub makes sense - i would rather have storage. FWIW a friend removed her tub and put a gorgoeus glass front cabinet in her MB for towels etc - it was lovely

does your budget cover moving the toilet? that makes the reno a lot more complicated

be warned there is BIG energy on here about toilet rooms 😅
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I'm sorry, but there are so many things wrong with this plan beyond the layout of the master bathroom. For example, the living room is virtually impossible to furnish due to the diagonal circulation path. Given the limited size of your bathroom, would you consider omitting the trendy free-standing tub and replacing it with a shower? And replacing the free-standing tub in the small second bathroom with a built-in tub/shower?
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Thanks again for all the good feedback. Moving the water heater out of the bathroom will be a last resort if we just can't figure out a solution to keep it all in there, but I'm determined to try my best first. The paper cutouts help with trying out different arrangements. My preferred option would be New #1, even if it makes the plumbing more complex. The water heater could be enclosed and have some towel storage above it, too. Using an 18" deep vanity should leave plenty of space to walk through (maybe I wasn't very clear in my original post, the width is 6' to 6'6"( that wall isn't in right now), so it is flexible where exactly it will land. I tried to use some actual product dimensions. Let me know if I am missing anything. New Option 3 is just a more elaborate version of the previous idea. This is really the only one I can see that could have a plumbing wall and still keep everything in the bathroom. A sliding door in the shower should work better than a hinged one, it will be a tight squeeze, but should work, at least on paper..... Option 3 is the one mentioned by wdccruise, where the water heater gets ejected. Critique away if you have anything I should know :)
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I offered a layout with private vanities and walk-ins but I must say, I like my first layout: - No risk of locking some out; - Long continuous counter top (I think teenage girls would prefer that over a small private vanity); - I like the deck at the end of the tub to keep toys (or all kind of different products when they get older); - All doors are 30" wide; - More storage in closet; - More spacious overall; - More natural light; - I like a J&J in this format. One teenage girl can do her make-up while the other is in the shower. A S posted the layout in her house that is similar to the one I drew and she said it works like a charm. - I think sharing the vanity is just one other way to get siblings closer and learn the values of patience, compromise and sharing. Note that a custom order of a 2'4" wide door for the bathroom's door would be a little better (even though it does not change the space in front of the toilet) and I would slide the door the other way to be able to mount a toilet paper holder on the right wall".
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Blaine Hutchison
Original Author
last year
Thank you for your input. The bathroom is 11’ long. (Measured from the tiled back wall around a tub to the door.) But with a 5’ vanity and 5’ tub, that only leaves one foot. Turning the tub the other direction from the picture might make a shower tub combo tight. We pictured the tub and shower area like a wet room. If the tub runs longways, as pictured, we have more than enough room to move it width-wise.

We received a few very reasonable quotes that included putting a toilet where the shower is. My wife also worries the toilet will be right behind the vanity. (There will be more than 3 feet.)

We are new to this site. Really appreciate everyone’s input.
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la_la Girl
last year
Lots of people on here are not fans of wet rooms - when you shower the bathtub gets splashed/messy, it's hard to clean behind the tub, plus it is a big area and if it is waterproofed correctly and tiled well it should be very expensive. (re: your situation it's hard to imagine a reasonable quote for moving so much plumbing and having so much waterproofing & tiling done but every market is different and everyone defines "reasonable" differently - just make sure you have really experienced pros, bathroom gut jobs go sideways fast)

search houzz for "wet room" and you can see some of the discussions
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Karenseb
last year
Are there windows in this bathroom and how big
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Fori
last year
Dump the tub. A fancy big shower will likely be fine for resale.
cjaxx
last year
It's interesting how different individual's priorities are. I personally would never give up my deep soaker tub. I didn't use it as much when I was younger, but the older my joints and back get, the more they appreciate soaking in a hot tub. When we bought our current house, I passed on several houses because there was no tub in the master bath. But I'm a big believer in making the space work for YOU, but keep in mind your needs as you age. (Unless you're planning to sell and move before that becomes an issue)
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Louise Smith
last year
last modified: last year
I removed the tub and had a large curbless shower installed. Heavenly. Easy to clean. Easy to use., especially as we age.
melissa20
last year

Just a quick thought/draft. Linen Cabinet gives privacy to the throne. shower is 48”*36” with two glass walls. tub has 65”*36”. Hung a mirror on far wall to make the space feel bigger. Enjoy
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PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
The layout you have is pretty good. But I would nix the closet and make the shower larger. If the closet was to house linens and towels, you could have an open shelf vanity to stack towels there.

Contemporary Bathroom · More Info

I'd also swap the swing on the shower door so it doesn't conflict with the entry door.
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Mrs Pete
last year
I think giving up the tub makes sense - i would rather have storage.

We personally use our tub, and we'd give up the wasted space in "the throne room" ... but since you are rather ambivalent about the tub, this makes sense.

does your budget cover moving the toilet? that makes the reno a lot more complicated

Yes, moving a vanity /sink or a tub /shower isn't nearly as expensive as moving a toilet. Just don't fall in love with the idea of moving the toilet without looking at cold, hard numbers.

My wife also worries the toilet will be right behind the vanity.

Right behind the vanity? As in located next to it? That's the most common position for toilets. This is a non-issue.

Just a quick thought/draft. Linen Cabinet gives privacy to the throne. shower is 48”*36” with two glass walls. tub has 65”*36”. Hung a mirror on far wall to make the space feel bigger. Enjoy

Melissa's sketch is good ... in general, any time you place the toilet and vanity on the same side /the tub and shower on the opposite side, it works. Why? Because these items match in depth. It's just practical.

Other random thoughts:

- I totally agree that your shower is too small. Wouldn't the easiest thing be to lose the adjacent closet to enlarge the closet /leave everything else as is?

- Your proposed sketch contains a pretty big problem with the toilet: It's across from the vanity, which means that you'd be looking at yourself as you sit on the toilet. No thanks.

- You've drawn in a 6' tub ... that's a big tub. Unless you're quite tall, a 5' tub will be fine; in fact, unless you're tall, you'll be prone to "slipping down" in a long tub. Most people like a DEEP tub but not necessarily a long tub. Consider nicer amenities (such as arm rests and integrated grab bars) rather than extra length.

- Also, in your proposed sketch, getting into the shower would be problematic.

- Last thought about your proposed sketch: Duplicate sinks in a 5' vanity will eliminate most of your at-sink storage. Drawer storage at the sink trumps repetitive sinks every time.

- Okay, I was lying about that being my last comment: Do consider where you'll hang your shower towels and where you'll place your fingertip towels (if you go with duplicate sinks, you'll want both sinks to have access to the fingertip towels).

Bathroom Design Dilemma

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Comments (11)

la_la Girl

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Blaine Hutchison
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la_la Girl

Karenseb

Fori

cjaxx

Louise Smith

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Sabrina Alfin Interiors

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