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andrea_harrison6

Need help with small bathroom layout

11 years ago

We currently live in a small house and want to add a master bathroom to existing space that currently doesn't have a bathroom. I am having a problem coming up with a layout that will work. The space we have to work with is 11' x 7' but since we are taking away our closet and expanding into our dining area, this space will also have to include a closet as well. (Our closet is currently a reach in 2' closet but takes up the entire 11' wall). Our contractor has recommended staying away from the corner angled showers because he says that they have a tendency to leak. We are only looking for a shower, vanity and toilet, any ideas on how to add everything we need into the space we have?

Comments (7)

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    We need a drawing showing the complete dimensions including doorways and windows. Also, what how large a vanity and one or two sinks?

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Here is the best I could do as far as dimensions/layout. The current closet for the master bedroom separates the bedroom from the kitchen/dining room. We would like to use the current closet and steal an additional 4'9" from the dining room to create a bathroom and closet. There will be not be a window in the new bathroom and the layout is pretty much a clean slate as all the plumbing, etc. will have to be ran. More than likely we will only have room for a single vanity but would like to have as large of a vanity as possible along with a standup shower and toilet. There is a linen closet right outside our bedroom door so there really is no need to have to add that into the bathroom layout either. Any help would be appreciated as I am out of ideas. (see post below)

  • 11 years ago


  • 11 years ago

    I'm planning something similar, so I'll throw out some ideas to get you started. I'd do a 6 ft wide closet with a sliding door and a 4 ft wide bathroom. That will leave you 1 ft of wall space down the center for the plumbing and you can make that smaller if allowable by code and give the extra space to whichever one you'd like.

    Put the shower along the back wall (kitchen wall), then toilet and vanity. You should be able to fit a 26-ish inch wide shower along the back wall and a 31 inch vanity, depending on code.

    I say this because our hall bath is 4 ft 9 in by 11 ft, but we have a closet that bumps into the space right around the 7 ft mark, so our bathroom space would be somewhat similar. Obviously, your code might be different, but this might give you something to kick around.

  • 11 years ago

    A 4' wide bathroom would be too cramped. 5' wide is really the minimum, and that gives you room for a tub/shower at the end, then a toilet and sink along one wall.

    I'd take your allocated space, draw a horizontal line down the middle, and make the top 5' a bathroom and the bottom 6' a closet. Bathroom layout (the 8' dimension can be 7', just use a 24" sink).



    You could put the closet door either on the master bedroom side, or in the center of the bathroom wall (across from the toilet) if you want to access it from there.


  • 11 years ago

    Are you suggesting to put the plumbing on the outside wall? If so, wouldn't it be costly to address an issue with the shower, since you'd have to make a choice between tearing out tile or removing part of the outer wall.

    That's why I suggested putting the plumbing on the inner wall. Patching drywall would be cheaper and there's less of a chance for the pipes to freeze.

    Having an 11 ft width is tricky. Six feet is basically the bare minimum to have a walk in closet with rods on both sides, so you have to decide if you want a 5 ft bathroom and a closet with only one wall of hanging space or have a slightly narrower bathroom and rods along both closet walls.

  • 11 years ago

    Thank you for your ideas. I was hoping to have at least a 36" vanity. We have a 30" in our only bathroom now and I find that to be way to small. To maximize space, it looks like our only option for shower placement may be in the corner. I like the idea of entering the closet from the bathroom though and hadn't considered that previously.