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What layout should we do for our primary bathroom?

2 years ago

We have been a little stuck on our primary bathroom layout as we finalize everything for our new build. We have been encouraged to keep the half wall and that it won't make the entrance in and out of the shower too tight, but I'm not sure I'm convinced. Should we turn the toilet to be on the back wall and get rid of the half wall? I'm also open to other feedback about the layout of the bathroom in general but we need to finalize very soon. Below are the the current layout with the half wall and a mockup of if we turned the toilet. We're considering putting a makeup vanity with seating along the wall between the vanity and shower as well. We appreciate any thoughts and feedback!



Comments (34)

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    I'll encourage you to post the entire plan in a new thread. I imagine it could use a review too.




    Holly S thanked PPF.
  • 2 years ago

    As much as I’d like to, we’re too far down the process and don’t have the time or budget to alter/adjust anything other than this area. Technically we should be done with this as well already

  • 2 years ago

    I don’t mind your adjustments but I also feel like it leaves a lot of open dead space and directs the more “private areas” of the bathroom to be reflected in the mirrors on the vanities

  • 2 years ago

    I’d want the sinks moved over so you don’t knock over someone with the door if they are brushing their teeth. maybe that solves your privacy issue. either way i’m a firm believer of not sharing my bathroom myself…

  • 2 years ago

    PPF's layout is much superior. What you are describing as "dead space", others would see as "turning radius" for someone with a walker or wheelchair. The only change I'd add would be to move the linen closet next to the door, so that it is first instead of last. Putting it there makes it convenient for unloading laundry and saves the toilet user from seeing (much) of their reflection.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    Can the angled wall, that wastes space and your money, be eliminated?

  • 2 years ago

    I’m only asking about the bathroom. The bedroom has to stay the way it is for a hallway to another bedroom and stairs nearby. I am okay with the bedroom as is and don’t have the time or budget at this stage to change anything other than “potentially” the bathroom layout.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    So it is too late to move the bedroom to an outside corner of the house to gain more potential natural light and ventilation?

    Is this a custom build?

  • 2 years ago

    Why does the bathroom get a corner where you can have windows on two walls and the bedroom doesn't?

    Why is there angled walls in the bedroom?

    The bedroom has to stay the way it is for a hallway to another bedroom and stairs nearby. I am okay with the bedroom as is and don’t have the time or budget at this stage to change anything other than “potentially” the bathroom layout.

    Too bad. I can tell you I was in permitting and pulled our house plans out to create a much better plan. Best thing I did because I went from a so-so plan with lots of issues to one that is 98% perfect for us.

  • 2 years ago

    This is our first house and probably not our forever home. We have a good budget but it’s not unlimited. We have limitations in changes due to expense and we did not design this by scratch, of course in a perfect world we’d change a lot more about it. We have already delayed the building process by making other changes to the layout. We do not want to push things out further but would be able to make slight changes to the configuration of the bathroom in the same location and square footage without throwing things off.

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    PPF’s, and swap the sinks and linen. in fact, make the linen a cabinet, part of the vanity, with drawers or cabinet below, and a shallower cupboard on top. Maybe with an outlet inside it for charging shavers and toothbrushes?

  • 2 years ago

    If you don’t like the empty space in PPF’s plan, move the wall between bath and closet a few inches and give a few extra inches to the closet.

  • 2 years ago

    Whatever you decide, don't post your plan. You will open yourself up to opinions that you might not like.

    Now - where will your robe hooks or towel bars reside if you put in a makeup vanity.

  • 2 years ago

    In either layout we’re likely to add the vanity coming off of the “linen cabinet” and would then do towel bars/hooks on either the remaining wall space after it or on the end cap of the shower if it remains the same. Alternatively we’d put it on the wall with the door or a mix of both.

  • 2 years ago

    You could change the location of the door and put the toilet next to the shower with a wall if desired.



  • 2 years ago

    Can you do this instead? Move the door, so that it isn’t directly across from your bed. (Pretty arwork would be nicer to see, right?) Vanity across from the door, all the way across, put the sinks, makeup area, and storage wherever along that stretch. Shower to the right of the door, toilet where it is now. Your bathtowels can go on a bar on the shower door, or move them from towel bars on the wall beside the door to hooks on the shower door when you shower.


    Holly S thanked bpath
  • PRO
    2 years ago

    While considering different layouts, consider this one too.

    Add more windows too.

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Mark’s is better than mine, which I now see doesn’t allow for a 5’ shower.

  • 2 years ago

    I like Mark's layout. The only issue I have with most of the layouts is that the walk in closet door is behind the bedroom door, unless it swings the other way.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    An easy fix:


  • 2 years ago

    Hi @Holly S - Does any of the bathroom mods work for you?

    Holly S thanked shirlpp
  • 2 years ago

    I'm definitely entertaining the idea of PPF's (which is an option I've considered before) and variation of bpath's and Marks. I like the idea of pushing the door to the top or the bottom and getting more free wall space directly across from where the bed will be. In bpath's the full counter wall allows for both storage and a makeup vanity space whereas it seems like Mark's variation of it only allows for additional stoarage but does give a little more "privacy" to the shower area. Bpath's doesn't fit a full 5ft shower, but it looks according to my rough calculations that it would still fit a 4.5ft shower, which is definitely not the end of the world.

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    BPs version has the toilet up against the bedroom wall which should be a non starter because of hearing the toilet in the midle of the night

    I think Marks version works the best

  • 2 years ago

    Here is another idea that might work if you have 18 feet to work with in the closet and bathroom length combined.

    You would have the ability to close off the bathroom/closet to the master for light control when getting ready in the morning.

    No good place for towels, but I hung them on the back of my door in my last house.

    Could put a linen closet in hall between bath and walk in closet or another small clothes closet. I would want the hallway to be 40 inches wide if possible.



    Holly S thanked Karenseb
  • PRO
    2 years ago

    All of the alternatives are better than your original layout. Karenseb's is the best.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    Note that the original layout drawing's dimensions include exterior and interior wall thicknesses, going from the exterior of exterior walls to the center line of interior walls. The dimensions show the total of the bathroom and closet to be 18'-2", but the actual interior finished distance wall to wall will be about 17'-6".

  • 2 years ago

    Agree Karen's is the best with Mark's second best.

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I like the size of Karen's when I click on it. It's a readable size. You could simplify it by moving linen /storage to the near end of the vanity wall and dropping the walls and door to the closet space. Use a pocket door to get into the space from the bedroom. Shelves and drawers at the beginnings of the closet space.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    The only tweaks I would make to Karen's layout would be to make bathroom access easier with a pocket door and eliminate the door from bedroom to hallway. A swing door to a master bath is usually better for noise and privacy reasons, but neither is a factor in this layout.

  • 2 years ago

    I actually love Karen’s and would probably still keep the door on the hall because instead of linen at the end I would put my makeup vanity there and put a 72” sink vanity in the bath which leaves a good amount for a tall cabinet in the bathroom. That way I could close off the hallway if I needed to in order to block light and I’d probably just not put a door on the closet if keeping the door on the hallway. We are between Karen’s layout and alternate we came up with recently that I didn’t post that has a water closet.

  • 2 years ago

    I would still have a door on the closet, pocket, so that it looks tidier. You probably wkn’t close it often, but it’s good to have. And I’d probably keeo the bathroom door, so if you are doing your makeup, spouse can use the bathroom in private. The third door is optional. Do you keep your makeup area tidy?

  • 2 years ago

    Yeah, for the most part it’s pretty tidy and if I had some actual storage below the tabletop there’d be virtually nothing out. And I’d be open to a pocket door but our builder is pretty against them and thinks they’re a pain and can be troublesome down the road since you have to open up the wall if there’s an issue so I’m not sure it’s worth pushing them on. Could always do the external slider door over the closet as an alternate to an actual pocket door if we want to close that up and leave the hallway open. My thought was more being able to close off the makeup area if my husband is sleeping or something and I have the lights on in that space.

  • 2 years ago

    You could also try two vanities and a water closet. You could change it up to make the vanities each 4 or 5 feet long and put the extra space towards the closet.