Door option brainstorming

18 years ago

Hi all. Way back in October, I posted about our bathroom remodel. That project is just finally truly getting underway. Unfortunately, a week in, we've already hit our first snag.

This is very roughly the layout we're doing (there are several changes in the final version, but they're not material to this discussion, and I don't have an updated drawing handy).

The problem is with the pocket door. We chose to use a pocket door because we didn't like the idea of a regular door opening in against the shower, not opening all the way, and potentially colliding with the swinging shower door.

In the original plan, the door would slide into the wall toward the shower. The plumbing for the shower is far enough over that it doesn't get in the way. However, once we got the wall opened up, we discovered that there's a heating duct and a sewer pipe for the upstairs bathroom running right through the area the door was to go. Moving those would be a major job, so we're having to look at other options.

I'm not totally satisfied with the builder's proposed solution: making the door slide the other way, which requires moving the light switches for the room to the shower side of the door (currently they're by the vanity). There are a couple of reasons I don't like that. The primary problem is that there simply isn't room on that side of the door for the switches. Putting them there would require moving the shower wall in quite a bit -- there are a lot of switches, and it has to be far enough in to avoid the door frame. The shower then wouldn't be flush with the tub enclosure (which can't be moved in and still have the tub fit). A secondary (much less serious) issue is that I think it's much more convenient to have the switches reachable when you're standing at the vanity.

I'd love any ideas you might have, no matter how crazy. Here are some things we've thought of:

Use a regular swinging door, but have it swing out. Note that the area leading up to the bathroom is a fairly narrow hallway, so this may not be ideal.
Use a regular swinging door, have it swing in, and just live with the fact that it can't open more than 90 degrees and might occasionally hit the shower door.
Use some sort of bifold or similar door that doesn't go into the wall but also doesn't fully swing.
Use beads or a curtain (not gonna happen).
No door (also not gonna happen).

So, what would you do?

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

homepro01
18 years ago
I like the builders idea. You can reduce the shower by about 6" without noticing it. You could also use a fold down bench in the shower rather than a built in bench. You can also use switches that perform multiple functions like a dimmer and a timer switch from Lutron.

Good luck with your decision!

Homepro01
weedyacres
18 years ago
There's always something like this:
{{gwi:2104796}}

OK, a little more seriously, I think my first choice would be an out-swing door. Second choice is probably an in-swing door, assuming you always close the door when you shower. If you don't, then that wouldn't be a good solution for you. I'm not a big fan of pocket doors on doors that are frequently opened and closed, so that would be my third choice. I don't think it would be a big deal to not have the switches next to the vanity. You usually turn lights on/off when you enter the bathroom, not while you're standing at the sink.

You can fit a lot of switches in a narrow space. We got 5 switches and an outlet in like this (radiant heat thermostat above):
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pineapplecake
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks. I like the western door idea ;-)

Your picture of the switches is helpful, weedyacres. The more we've thought about it, the more we've come to the conclusion that a normal swinging door is the right way to go. Just less complicated (and therefore less expensive and less prone to more unexpected problems). And if we do that, we can leave the switches where they are, with plenty of room.

It's not a huge problem to not have the switches by the vanity, but I do think it's more convenient to have them there. That's where they are now, and most days I do end up using them while I'm getting ready (e.g. to turn the fan on or off, turn the heat lamp on or off, etc.).

Thanks again!
snowyshasta
18 years ago
Just wanted to say that our master bath has a normal swinging door, which is just like yours could be. Opens only 90 degrees, because the shower enclosure is right there. It's never really been an issue, I never have noticed a need to open that door (or any other, really) up a full 180 degrees.

In our case the shower door is on the other side of the enclosure (our tub is turned the other way from yours so the short side abuts the shower, and the shower door is in the space next to the tub). So the shower/regular door hitting each other has not been an issue, but even with your door in that same area, I hope you could work around it, especially if the shower door were on the side towards the top (by the tub) to minimize interference.