Advice for small main bath layout (pics included)

7 years ago

Our main bath is small and has an awkward layout. It's just shy of 7x7 and we currently can't open the door to 90. It's also right at the top of the staircase, so making the door swing outward isn't safe.

This is what the layout is now:

We're planning to reno it next spring but we're struggling to find a new layout that will allow us to open the door properly, while also having enough space for the toilet and not putting the shower under the window.

I've come up with three possible layouts, but I'm not sure if any of them are very good or if there's another possibility I'm not seeing. All of these options either means moving the window or closing it up.

Thoughts?

Featured Answer

Fern

7 years ago

Honestly I think keeping the layout you have and making the door a pocket door is the way to go. I agree with Don that 2 and 3 seem crowded. And #1 would require a really small vanity - you have 84 inches, minus say 32 for the door swing leaves 52, minus 36 for the toilet leaves only sixteen inches! Even if you cut the space to the toilet down to 30 inches that's still a tiny vanity. Whereas if you keep the original layout and switch to a pocket door you have four feet for the vanity, plus you can look out the window while you're in the tub :)

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Comments (7)

Fern
7 years ago
Is that a washing machine next to the tub or what?

Do you need a tub or would a shower be OK?

Is there a reason not to go for a pocket door? That would require reframing the wall but is still probably cheaper and less invasive than moving the window and the plumbing.
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Yael Santo thanked Fern
Yael Santo
Original Author
7 years ago
@Lola - no, it's a storage cabinet. Unfortunately we do need a tub, since we have a baby. We also live in a family neighbourhood, so removing the tub would likely affect resale a lot. A pocket door is an option I hadn't thought of!
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Don
7 years ago
Only #1 doesn't crowd the tub. A family with small children would find #2 and #3 awkward.
Yael Santo thanked Don
Milly Rey
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Can you make the cabinet into a closet and have it open onto a HALL, with just a dirty laundry pass through to the cabinet in the bathroom? These cabinets are terrible when they are narrow and deep.

Pocket door sliding to left. Put light switches on now-solid upper closet wall.
Yael Santo thanked Milly Rey
cedarburgcapecod
7 years ago
We have nearly the exact same layout (also at the top of the stairs) but the linen closet opens into the hall. It works well, offers more storage and is also a spot for sheets. On the wall where your cabinet is we have hooks for the kids bath towels. At some point I would like to add some "between the studs" open shallow shelving just above the hooks for small items and toiletries. The only thing that I don't care for is the look of 2 doors right next to each other, but it functions well.
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Yael Santo thanked cedarburgcapecod
Yael Santo
Original Author
7 years ago
@Lola

The door is currently only 24 inches wide, actually, but the vanity would still be pretty small at 24 inches as well. I'm thinking we'll go the pocket door route in the end. Thanks for the advice!!

@Milly Rey

It's possible we could turn it into a closet, although we have a linen closet just a few steps up the hall already. I was debating slide-out shelves to make the depth work in our favour. I'll explore the extra closet idea, though!

@cedarburgcapecod

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a difficult bathroom layout, hahaha. We already have a linen closet just a little further up the hallway, but we'll look into the idea of adding another one here. As I wrote to Milly Rey, I was thinking of slide-out shelves in the closet to make it work. I'm also a fan of the inset wall shelving and I'm hoping to incorporate it somewhere in the room!
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