I hate toilet rooms they make no sense to me. Could you post a pic of the whole floor plan instead of just the master. IMO the 2nd one seems like alot of wasted space for closets but closet design is a personal thing and I have always found women need more space than men .

You will want to have the toilet room door open out rather than in. you almost have to stand on the toilet to get the door closed.

Oh, man, I like elements of both, lol!

With Option 1, I like that there is natural light in the bathroom outside of the water closet. I also like that you have a lot more storage for linens and toiletries. If I were to make changes to this layout, I'd swap the closet and bathroom, and add a window between the sinks. <3 Oh, and I'd swing the water closet door to open out instead of in.

(One more "Oh" lol....) Oh, and I'd take the long clothes rods in the closet all the way to the short wall, and instead of a rod across the short/top side, I'd add a window with a bench and/or shelves/shoe storage underneath. But that may not appeal to you at all, for all I know! :-D

With Option 2, I like that the doors can be completely left off of the walk-in closets (I like splitting closets, too!), and that you can't see into them from the bedroom door or from the bed. Changes would include having the pocket door slide into the non-waterproofed wall so that it isn't near the shower. I'd change the swing of the water closet door here, too. ;-)

Given the choice, I'd probably choose Option 1, because I *adore* having natural light in bathrooms. With the modifications I mentioned, I'd *definitely* choose Option 1, despite the fact that I really like the split closets. Actually, I'd probably split the closet here, too, so that there was a "front" closet (for my husband) and a "back" closet (for me), separated by an archway or cased opening instead of a door. I'd make the opening wide enough to hold shelving for my husband's shoes and wallet/keys/pocket knife/etc. But that's just me, lol.

Thank you for your suggestions! I think I prefer a pocket for the WC instead of a swing but not sure if there's enough wall space there. We can probably create it though.

I actually have less clothing than my husband - I've given up on being fashionable and wear the same 10 outfits :D. He, on the other hand, is a shirt and tie work guy and gets them laundered (neither of us iron) so he needs a lot more space than I do!

I also like natural light in bathrooms and thought about switching the bathroom & closet in option 1 - I just struggle with the window treatments. But since we're building this, we can pick frosted/textured glass and not worry about it. I also was considering doing medicine cabinets and I don't want to do that on an exterior wall - but we'd have plenty of storage in that option so maybe not as big of an issue.

I like the idea of splitting the closet!

(not a pro) I like option 1. You get a window in the bathroom, and it's what you see when you open the door. Also since hanging clothes take up ~2' of space and don't turn corners, your closet setup is more efficient with option 1. (see below - blue is hanging space.) I second (third?) the comment about the inswing door on the loo; pocket would be better.

If you like more wall space in the bedroom, you could consider something like below; you'd lose the linen cabinet and some hanging space.

Also, the showers in both designs look like they'd be dark. I prefer glass walls (some people think they're harder to keep clean, but I find cleaning glass easier than cleaning tile and grout.) If you don't like an all glass wall you might want to consider a glass transom at the top of the shower wall.

I like your plan much better. Since this is a new house, can't you be more flexible with the windows? Perhaps high windows above the mirrors?

I'd do a pocket door for the WC.

@bpath what specifically do you like better? I like the access better (no need to squeeze by someone at the sink to get to the other sink), but it is a worse use of space (smaller vanity & closet). I definitely was considering adding windows above the mirrors but I haven't sent comments back on this yet. I'm vacillating between the two and can't decide...is the better layout enough to sacrifice space?

@chicagoans I had thought about eliminating the door to the master closet. I don't LOVE having to go through the bathroom to get to the closet, but you have me thinking maybe we could make that an alcove...

Imo as long as you space the sinks so that you each have a full bank of drawers, including at the top right under the counter, that's more important than countertop. I'd add a medicine cabinet for each of you on the sides.

I like the little hallway with the closets in either side. ( I prefer reachins, myself. But that's personal preference.) You don't have to make the closets the same size. But I like how the hallway keeps you from having to go through the bathroom, T the same time you aren't walking THROUGH a closet to get to the bathroom, either.

Also, since someone asked. Here's the rest of the upstairs. This is the second iteration (the first was truly awful) and I'm loving almost everything about it. Going to change a few things but mostly this is pretty much what we want. I could take some space from bedroom 2 but would prefer not to. I could also change the location of the hallway linen closet and move the master bedroom door. Sorry, I don't know how to make it not blurry. The hallway goes off to a bonus room.

@bpath Yes, that was my concern - the smaller vanity would only leave 24" of space between the sink cabinets, which would be really small drawers if we did 2 sets. I suppose it's doable but tight (we have more space in our current bathroom so it will be hard to go smaller). In Option 1 we have plenty of space for drawers so there's no concern. I also like walking by the closets but not through them in Option 2. This is hard.

I really like option 1. We are in the building process too, and I can completely appreciate your dilemma. I would change your shower to frameless glass (as someone suggested above) it keeps the bathroom “appearing” larger and keeps the shower from being so dark. Also, I personally like the regular door on the water closet, opening in. If you open it out, and ever leave the open, it would be sitting in the middle of the room. I’ve not seen one open out into the room. I don’t close the water closet door, unless using 😉. I don’t think it’s an eye sore. Here is a pic of our MB in house we just sold. You can see the glass door shower and my WC door is open (looking at reflection in mirror. Lol). I also had windows above my vanity, you can get an idea of what that looks like too, if you decide to go that way. I know it’s so stressful, but, I’m also loving every minute ... hope you are too.

@kimberkc Your old MB is enormous! I wouldn't be having this dilemma if we had that much space to work with :) Or maybe I still would, but I wouldn't be as concerned about the vanity space also being the walkway space. Appreciate your thoughts on glass. My concern with that is the waterspots being annoying and having a squeegee hanging in my shower all the time, but I'll definitely consider the openness of it. I did want to try to squeeze 2 shower heads in there but not sure we'll have the space for it.

Yes, water spots. I will say the best way to take care of them is to spray your door with Old English oil. NOT THE DARK STAIN ONE 😬. It will take soap film off like a dream. It then seems to keep it from getting film/water spots too fast. My MIL taught me that. I also like the way it smells. Lol I know it’s hard to tell, and I can’t find a better pic of our shower. It wasn’t huge, but we still had two shower heads on the wall by the built in shelving. Your builder will probably be able to get two shower heads for you, or maybe a rain shower head.

I prefer Option #1, but with the bathroom and closet in flipped positions. That way, you can put a window above the mirror(s) over the sinks and/or a window between the sinks, as well as having windows as you currently show them in the WC and at the end of the bathroom walkway. Also it would provide more of a sound buffer for Bedroom #2. Yes, Bedroom #2's closet is there, but there is still "plain wall space" between Bedroom #2 and the Master shower. Flipping the Master closet and bath would eliminate the potential of someone showering very early or very late and disturbing the person in Bedroom #2.

I disagree with @kimberkc with regard to the WC door opening out into the room. There is wall space there for the opened door to rest against if it is hinged on the opposite side of the door frame -- that is, a right-hand opening rather than a left-hand opening as currently shown. Or, a pocket door.

Can we talk about pocket offices? Kind of narrow, dontcha think? Who are they for?

I agree with @Lindsay_CA about switching the MB and closet. Valid point regarding noise and gaining a window, or two, would be really nice. But, I still think opening a door to any room swinging out, is not smart. That is not how a builder will typically do a door, because it would just be awkward. That still won’t settle your initial worry, which is space for your walkway. Maybe if you move the shower to the back wall, next to WC, and move your vanity to the front, and split them. His and Hers vanity, one on the left and one on the right. ????

@bpath the pocket offices were my request. they're about the size of a cubicle, which is what I work in now. since the whole covid thing might be with us for awhile, I thought it would be a good way for both my husband and I to have office space for working at home without using huge rooms. we're already butting up against our maximum total sf for our budget so I thought it was a good way to make it work. our current home has one 7x10 office and it's more room than we need and only one of us can use it. If the next homeowners don't like it they can remove the wall and voila. One nice sized office. or if we decide we don't like it, we can change it.

@kimberck that was the layout I was going for but I couldn't figure out how to make it work. not sure it will... are you talking about his hers vanities in option 1 or option 2?

I’m talking separate vanities. Right inside your door. One on the right and one on the left. Then put shower to the back wall. I can’t draw a plan like the others do. I would have to doodle it on paper. Lol

Opinion 1

@kimberck I think that would end up taking a lot of closet space, unfortunately, unless we use really narrow vanities...

Here is a quick idea. I thought about switching the bath and closet, but I like seeing your vanity when you walk in the bedroom and not the closet first.

I would steal 6 inches to 12 inches from bedroom two. It is still a good sized bedroom. I would steal enough to make sure your walk way in front of the vanity is 48 inches. Then I would make the shower extend into bedroom 2 and put two shower heads on the wall. Make the shower 5 feet deep by about 6 to 6.5 feet wide. I like a glass door, just squeegee after each use.

Put a pocket door on the toilet room. If you put the door near the end of the room, you will probably not need to use the door very much (more private with the opening on that end.) Make the interior of the toilet room about 45 inches.

If you do a shallow 30 in linen cab near the entry door, you can skip the pocket door there and adjust the door opening so the door when open does not impede your entry.

@karenseb thank you! I like that idea a lot. I thought the space next to the closet was a bit wasted in that bedroom...I think he left it there so I had room for a low boy dresser but I should be able to fit one on the hallway wall so that's not an issue. I do like a swing door into the bathroom better as well.

Ok. Try not to laugh to hard. And obviously not to scale. But this is what I mean. (And you might need to tweek). Closet stays in same place.

@kimberkc OH got it. Thanks for the visual! Yes, that could be an option...not sure how far apart vanities should be back-to-back so need to check on that!

Yes. Me either. We have a local builder that does the separate vanities in all his homes. He’s a great builder. He makes the “men’s” vanity a bit higher to accommodate them better.

The builder is James Engle (Overland Park KS). You can look through his gallery of homes to see if you think it could work for you. He’s got beautiful homes. This is a pic off his sight.

Ok ... just one more. This is similar to what I thought for you. It’s a James Engle home.

If you do end up going with separate vanities - one on each side of the doorway entering the bathroom - I would suggest offsetting the sinks. That is, don't have the sinks directly across from each other. Otherwise, you'll be "bumping butts."

Just wanted to thank everyone for your help! I thought I had 2 good options but now I have a ton! 😬

OK - if any of you have more time, I've taken a few of your suggestions and mashed them into a new layout. My goal was NOT to have access to the closet through the master bath, but I'm ok if the entrance is shared. I like the idea of getting rid of a door on the wall. So, here's what I've come up with. Flipped the bath & closet, changed the vanities to be L shaped (maybe not "ideal" but we have this set up now and it's fine), and created a sort of "vestibule". I just don't know how the doors should work...do I do 2 doors, one to each space? Or one door to access both? Or is this a terrible layout? I lose a bit of closet hanging space...

Sorry for my terrible pdf markup skills.

Pink: closet & vestibule. Blue: toilet. Green: shower. Yellow: vanities.

I like it. I think that could totally work for you. I would go ahead and put in two separate doors. One to MB and one to closet from your vestibule. Then on the wall in the vestibule that is solid, have your trim carpenter build a frame, something beefy and substantial, for a full length mirror. Then stain or do in trim color. It will look nice and be very functional.

Separate the vanities and put the vestibule/doorway into the closet in between the vanities.

Corners in buildings are precious because you can get light from two different directions. You've taken advantage of this with your bedroom, but you are wasting it with the bath/closet. You don't want natural ight in your closet because it will fade your clothes. Rather than wasting this free, natural architectural element, flip the bath with the closet. It will eliminate one of the doors on the bedroom wall, too. Once you have flipped the bath/closet, flip the bath so that the vanities are on the interior. This puts the water closet and shower on the exterior wall where high windows can provide natural light and privacy at the same time.

@homechef59 The OP has already decided to flip the master bath and master closet.