Bathroom layout help - to steam or not?

12 years ago

We are completely redoing our old house, building the bathroom from scratch basically, so we can do pretty much anything we want. We are planning a freestanding air tub for two, probably 66 or 72 inches long, so that gives us a little less room for the shower, but it looks like we'll still be able to make it 60 x 42 (and can probably gain a few more inches on the width actually, and if we do a 66 inch tub, can probably gain a few inches lengthwise for the shower), which should be OK. We want it to be able to be used by two, though most of the time it will probably be only one of us using it. We would of course have liked to make it bigger, but it seems like this is the best we can do if we want it all.

We are thinking a normal shower head on the wall opposite the bench, a rain shower overhead, and a handheld on the long wall, reachable from the bench.

We are contemplating a steam shower, as the SO has pretty serious asthma and allergies, so think this would be good for her lungs. One concern she has though is that if it is fully enclosed, it would be stuffy when she is taking a normal shower, but I've seen some things where you can do a glass transom, so that seems like a solution. Also, of course, if we're doing the steam shower we need the full bench, which does take away from floor space.

But just generally looking for feedback on this design - this seems to be the best we and the contractor can come up with, but of course wanted to put it out there for any fresh ideas.

Please let me know any questions, and thanks so much for looking!

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Comments (4)

speaktodeek
12 years ago
I have a 60 x 42 tub with shower surround. The tub would be too short for two people or one tall person and not really wide enough, either - you have to figure 42 is generally the outside dimension, not the useable interior dimension. To relax and stretch out you need the 72 or you have to sit bent kneed in a 60 length. As a shower, it's too small for two. You end up elbowing the other person. I think you're trying to get one too many things out of your space. Your space is quite tight for a two person bathroom, even your vanity real estate is borderline too small and your walkway really more narrow than it should be for a two person bathroom. The whole room will be cramped and uncomfortable. I'd suggest going to a fixture store and physically trying two people in different tub sizes to see how it actually feels, space-wise. And mock up a cardboard shower to size, and try it out with two people.
sbollag
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks so much for the feedback!

Maybe I was not clear in my original post, but the tub will either be 66 or 72 inches, not 60. I definitely agree that a 60 inch tub would be too short. The shower is going to be completely separate, so that will likely be 60 inches long, by 42, or maybe a little more.

I also completely agree that the walkway is too narrow. In fact, I was arguing with my contractor about that this morning, he was trying to convince me that it was big enough, but I know it's just not.

So we're going to address that issue (which may end up allowing us to add a few inches to the width of the shower). The whole problem has been this window in the water closet, that affected where that wall could be, but we're just going to bite the bullet and change that window (it pains me greatly, because we just paid a fortune to fix up these old casement windows, but I think we are going to change it to a single casement, instead of a double, then we will be able to push that wall back at least a whole foot, so will be able to add 6-10 inches to the walkway, and a few to the shower).

Thanks again!
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speaktodeek
12 years ago
Yeah, my bad on the tub measurement - I was up in the wees talking to customer fraud rep in India - someone put a huge charge on my card. So not a lotta sleep last night.

In a 60 inch tub, a medium or short person can stretch their legs but not while submerged up to one's neck in hot water. Sixty six inches, you get to do this if you are a tall man. If you are a tall man, you don't get to have straight legs and sink low into the water until you go to 72 inches. And 42 wide is pretty thin for two bodies when you subtract for the actual width! 48 would be much more comfortable. Also, make sure your floor can handle the weight of all this!

The shower, the 42 width seems ok but not generous for width (it's do-able, though, without being cramped much), but 60 length is a bit too short for two people not to have to be quite careful. I think 72 would be good. There's nothing like actually blocking out the space and trying it, keeping in mind that in a shower you need more space than when dry as sometimes you are "blind" when your eyes are shut from soap, etc. so you need more margin. In such a large shower I'd pay extra attention to how drafty and cold it could be if you are not able to concentrate the heated vapors well. A huge open shower can be cold due to drafts!
sbollag
Original Author
12 years ago
No worries at all! Sorry to hear about your troubles (that actually happened to me recently, except that it was tons of smaller charges).

I am not that tall actually, only 5'8", and the lady is 5'4", so I'm thinking that maybe we should go with 66, give a few more inches to the shower. Although we did sit in a 72 inch one the other day and it did not seem overly big. But we're gonna try to hit up another store or two this weekend, so we'll see.

Also, you'll be happy to hear that we've changed the layout of the bathroom a fair bit, I think it's going to work much better. We are changing that window in the toilet room, so we will push that wall back, and that will give us room to stick the vanity between the tub and toilet room, so when you walk in it will be a nice open space.

And with this change, we'll definitely be able to add probably 5-6 inches to the shower width, so that will be nice. As far as length, I certainly agree that a 72 inch shower would be better, but I think it is what it is (the exterior wall abuts the stairwell). We'll probably mostly just use it together for the steam shower, so should be OK. And since it will be a steam shower, it will be completely enclosed (we're planning to put it in a glass transom).

Thanks again!!