Bathroom Design Dilemma

5 years ago

Hi All,

We have our basic bathroom lay-out set, but I am trying to decide how to detail the back of the deck tub and the vanity so that they don't look awkward. I wan to avoid the vanity obscuring the tub and looking funny. I would love any input on the following:

*Should we put open or closed shelves at the back of the tub to the area blend better with the vanity or should we leave that space empty with a deeper deck?

*Should we put three inches on each side of the vanity to give it some breathing room from the tub deck or should we let it run from the wall right up to the side of the tub?

*Any other suggestions?

For reference, the room is about 10' X 8'8".

Thanks so much!

Featured Answer

Beth H. :

5 years ago

I'd inset some shelves. this is easy enough to do. you may have to rearrange some wall studs, but not a bid deal.

as for the inset drawers, those would probably have to be a custom add on. a carpenter could probably do it.

or, you could easily do some open cubbies if you have only 6" or so. just do some floating shelves w/the cubbies.

this vanity is right next to the tub (which has some panel wainscot added to it).

loving the shelves.

if you can't to the shelves or cubbies, then do it like this.

tub deck is the same material as the countertop. tub has the panel work done to match the vanity so that everything look integrated.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Ellen Utley Interiors
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Closed shelves to avoid knocking into them and space for breathing room.

A floating vanity would allow for basins to approach the bath.

An interior designer could really help you with this!
newenglandsara2 thanked Ellen Utley Interiors
Beth H. :
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I've seen plenty of vanities right next to the tub surround. the key is designing it so that it looks good, as opposed to something like this picture

you could do something like this. the inset drawers, the built in shelving, look perfect.

or, switch the tub and shower and do a pony wall between vanity/and the shower

few inches between shower/vanity.

opposite of yours. imagine if you flipped the shower/tub. vanity would be next to the shower w/a small pony wall dividing the two. then you could hide the niche in the pony wall.
newenglandsara2 thanked Beth H. :
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newenglandsara2
Original Author
5 years ago
Ellen, I really appreciate the input! Good point about bumping into open shelves!

Beth, thanks so much for these great pictures! I love the first nice pic you posted but imagine it might be hard to find a way to inset part of the vanity if it is only a 66-68 inch double vanity. I am trying to figure out what makes the photos without the shelves still look good in spite of the vanities obstructing the tubs. Any sense of the magic formula? :) I like your idea of flipping the shower and tub, but we can't do that due to plumbing issues on the exterior wall; we would lose 4 inches in the shower by padding for shower heads. It's too bad as that would be a much nicer-looking set-up.

Thanks again for the great ideas!
newenglandsara2
Original Author
5 years ago
Beth, you are so helpful with pictures and ideas! Many thanks for your input: greatly appreciated!
PRO
MAV Design Concepts LLC
5 years ago
PRO
MAV Design Concepts LLC
5 years ago
The low ledge between the vanity and tub is flush with the toe kick vertically and tub deck horizontally.
newenglandsara2 thanked MAV Design Concepts LLC
loobab
5 years ago
Beth's pictures are perfect, I just love that first bathroom, I saved that long ago.

I can't imagine how one would "bump into" those open shelves, they are at the foot of the tub, not the head of it.

And the advantage of the open shelving is that you can easily reach for what you want, i.e. a towel, a bar of soap, a back scrubber, a container of bath lotion, etc, without having to touch a door with wet hands.

After all, it is not like one is storing unmentionables on those shelves.

Those sorts of things need to be stored elsewhere, of course!
newenglandsara2 thanked loobab
newenglandsara2
Original Author
5 years ago
MAV and loobab, thank you for your additional input!