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Bathroom reno for narrow space

3 months ago

Hi, I'm looking to do a master bathroom reno. I need to optimize a long, narrow space (6' x 14.5')


Could you please provide some feedback on the layout? Is it the best use of space?


Thanks!




Comments (53)

  • 3 months ago

    Also, the walk-in shower is 6'x3'. That seems like a lot of space. The entrance could be open in the middle

  • 3 months ago

    If you value a tub more than a double sink vanity, this is a better solution.

  • 3 months ago

    What about a glass panel shower with an entrance at the dotted line? Also, the tub will be a soaker tub, not rectangular (don't have the right icon)


  • 3 months ago

    " The entrance could be open in the middle "


    Still need to be able to reach to turn the water on safely. Where are you going to hang your towels? The new drawing is better, now only 10 lbs in a 5 lb sake. Do you have to have the tub and a walk in shower? What about a tub/shower combo?

  • 3 months ago

    Believe it or not, we are among the few that enjoy baths more than showers. A small walk-in shower would be fine. What about this?




  • 3 months ago

    I like the rendition with the smaller vanity. You could shrink the shower and have 1.5 ft storage at one end, like open shelving at the top. Consider the entry door swing/size. Perhaps a pocket door or narrow French doors that open in the middle.

  • 3 months ago

    Ok, I've added that in as option as B) as well as C) (the current vanity/toilet combo).


    I would appreciate anyone else's votes on the options as well as their rationale behind their choice.


    My wife likes a double vanity, but could possible be talked out of it. Bathtub is a must as well as a shower. I think I'd rather have a bigger shower than a double vanity but that's a fight I'll need to have later on.


    Thanks again everyone!



  • 3 months ago

    In my opinion, A and C do not work, because you really don’t have enough room to get to your walk-in shower. If you’re not as worried about resale, then I think D is a better plan for me, I prefer showers, so I would not buy the house that has D as its master bath. Remember that as you age, getting into the bathtub is one of the first things that goes away for safety reasons.

  • 3 months ago

    I think your wife has Cadillac taste in a Yugo sized room. Find a part of your house that you can tape off the size of the bathroom and then put boxes or chairs in the areas you are proposing for all of the fixtures and storage. Then try moving around in there. Also, try to find photo examples of all you want in the size bath you have.


    B makes the most sense to me if you take out the storage cabinet. With it you have created a narrow obstacle course and no room for towels.


    Hopefully you don't care about resale. I would never, ever buy the bathroom with a tiny corner shower.

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    I'm getting icked out on options A, B, and D thinking about having a shower mat in such close proximity to a toilet...

    I know it's not ideal, but can you do a combination shower/tub? Solves a lot of issues for you and since you say you take more baths than showers, you'll be climbing in and out all the time anyway (which would be my major issue with one).

  • 3 months ago

    Can you do the toilet and shower as shown, then put the vanity where the tub is and add the tub on the bottom. skip the linen cab



  • PRO
    3 months ago

    After all that, your first plan is the best, except with the vanity and toilet reversed (along with the door) and the storage eliminated.

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago



    They're all awful plans

    A. get a wider TUB/shower combo. "We actually prefer a tub" and there is NO reason you can not shower in this size! which is 36, vs 32 wide










    B...... Adjust as you like, storage and entry. I'm for the more, the merrier, you can use bypass doors, you can mirror the doors.



    By the time you are infirm and can't get in a tub? You can rip it for a shower. Or move.

    Richard O thanked JAN MOYER
  • 3 months ago

    Karenseb - YES!

  • 3 months ago

    Jan, thank you very much for doing the drawing. We are pretty set on having a soaker tub and separate walk-in shower.


    Thanks everyone for feedback. Here's the latest layout based on your input. I'm going to see what sort of shower may work with the toilet to the left of it, but I have seen it done in some online photos for that dimension (3'x5'). I may even extend it a bit more given the space I have for the vanity




  • 3 months ago

    agree with Jan to give on something - For me, a big part of what feels luxurious in a master bath is space -


    I would think about what your experience will be in a room only 6 ft wide, no windows and filled to the brim with fixtures - can you have a skylight or solar tube?

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Considering for most of the 20th century 6 x 14'5" was the size of Two standard three piece bathrooms, I don't think trying to add a separate shower to a three piece bath in a room this size is exactly asking too much of out of 84 square feet.

    The second version with the tub at one end and the shower at the other with the single vanity rather than the double should be fine. I would eliminate the storage cabinet. Bathrooms are not a great environment to store lots of stuff.

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    I Think you should just proceed to do what makes no sense : ) and is too much crammed in with regards to getting clean. I'd start asking myself how often I showered versus soaking in a tub.

    The suggested tub is 36 x 60.!! How do get into the tub you have now?

    Literally write it down.

    Failing that? Show the entire floor of living that will contain this bath - because we are not really seeing any context whatsoever.

    You've no storage to speak of, it all looks heavy . But you know what you want. Were you my paying client? I'd stomp a foot at the spend to get........not great.

    You might also ask..where is all the t. p. the mouthwash, and shampoo, and the rest of what commonly exists in a bath for two people? I know what it is in my own linen and I live alone and am pretty compulsive about no more than I need.

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Whatever you do, if you put in both a shower and a bathtub each at opposite ends, do not attempt to shoe horn a free standing tub in that space. Just put an alcove style tub in there.

    The squeezing of some overwrought free-standing tub into every bathroom that barely has an inch margin around it is one of the biggest design jokes of the 21st century. Except it's a joke that isn't funny.

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    I guess one question I would have is if your wife wears makeup, where will she put it on and store it.

    But in general I don't like a lot of storage for thing right in the bathroom because a damp space is not a great storage space for anything. In our bathrooms we have the toiletries that are actually in use in the bathroom, and the cleaning supplies that get used daily, and the towels that are being used, and a small bit of pharmacy first aid type stuff, especially in the guest bathroom. Prescriptions and medications really should not be kept in the bathroom.

    Everything else, spares and duplicates and multiples, is not stored in the bathroom but is in a different storage space nearby.

    Most people I know who have lots of storage in the bathroom have it crammed with things they rarely use, are partly used, are expired, have never seen the light of day since they were put in there and so forth.

  • PRO
    3 months ago

    The only one that ‘works’ is the first plan but with the storage eliminated. Tub on one end and shower on the other is the best use of a long narrow room if you are insisting on both.

  • 3 months ago

    Ya, I'm leaning towards the first plan, minus storage and with a single vanity, after all this discussion.


    Pamplist: I tend to agree. While the free standing soak tubs look great, I'm having a hard time justifying it over an alcove.


    Jan sent a link of a shower/tub combo but it didn't really appeal. Has anyone had a great experience with a shower tub combo (3'x6') and do have any photos? I like her design a lot but it seems to me that shower/tub combos are the worst of both worlds, functionality-wise (have to step up over the tub to have a shower, and the basin is very wide making for a weird bathing experience).


    Maybe I just haven't seen a great example of how it could work?

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    If you must have it ALLLLL

    SPLIT THE DARN THING!

    If you are floating? You aren't "doing" anything else. Neither of you needs company in there, and if you do? Buy a little stool.

    good Gawd.

    At least you will have decent everything


    Way better, pal.



    Richard O thanked JAN MOYER
  • 3 months ago

    Jan: Ooooooooooooo. I already have a wall there. The section on the left is already a closet with about 6' of width. I'd have to put in extra venting. Could this really work?


  • PRO
    3 months ago

    If you're curios what jogged my feeble mind?

    This.......


    ................................."

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    I am not in your space, but how hard can it be to move a wall.??

    It's the only way I'd do it, and the bonus is "more" on all counts.

    No law that the cozy tub room couldn't have a pocket door, drain and plumbing OPPOSITE END.

    YES......you want a fan. Correct my "typo" it's a SIX foot vanity....duh. Not 7

    And you can STILL forget about a free standing tub. Yeah.....forget it.

    Richard O thanked JAN MOYER
  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Knock yourself out, and put a flat screen tv in the tub room : )

    You can get a nice flat 19 inch for 59.00 bucks.



  • PRO
    3 months ago

    Guess I'm not sure how the overwrought sarcasm and all caps is helping this conversation along, sigh...

  • PRO
    3 months ago

    I suppose we could skip all cajoling, humor and suggestion, caps, and all ; go along with some rather bad baths. But not much fun in that : )

  • 3 months ago

    " shower/tub combos are the worst of both worlds, functionality-wise (have to step up over the tub to have a shower"


    I read this kind of statement on a regular basis, and I am not sure I understand what the big deal is about an able-bodied person lifting their foot up over the rim of a regular bathtub. Or even the curb of a regular shower...I read that too,,, like they don't want a curb because they are inconvenienced by having to step over it.

    But the same person will frequently install a deep freestanding tub that has a higher rim they have to step over and then they have to lower themselves down into it and hoist themselves out of it in the process of taking a bath and that's no problem at all.


    I do get the point that if the tub is either too narrow or two wide it either makes it awkward standing to shower or kind of feeling uncontained in the tub. But there are alcove tubs that are wide enough and flat enough to stand in comfortably, but narrow enough to feel okay bathing.


    I am looking down at my feet right now, and I am standing comfortably with my feet taking up about 15" of room. I am standing on a 12" tile and my feet are off the edges onto the adjacent tile a little bit. I don't think most people stand with their legs all that far apart (?)>

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    What about Jan's design but in one room instead of two and the double sinks rotated 90 degrees so they are on the long wall.


    On the wall across from the vanity you can hang towel hooks and have recessed storage above - either concealed or open shelf. I live in Manhattan where it is pretty common to put shallow storage between studs in bathrooms. We did this above our tile line with towel hooks beneath.



    I have a way narrower and shorter bathroom than you and came across these pics when redesigning. Big tub, nice shower, lots of vanity storage.


    Bathroom Design · More Info



    Bathroom Design · More Info


    Richard O thanked Kendrah
  • 3 months ago

    As a person who has lived in homes with small bathrooms I don't see the issues others are seeing with the vanity or toilet next to the tub or with adding a bit of storage.


    First, the tub is not 6' long - it is 5' long, so you don't need to reach back 2' to get to the controls and most of us have arms long enough to reach around a 1' corner.


    Toilets next to showers and tubs are common. Vanities can be built right up against a shower or tub or shower.







    My two bathrooms in my previous home.


    5' wide master - vanity had both a cabinet and 3 12" wide drawers. Enough storage for my husbands toiletries and a few spare rolls of TP.



    6' wide guest - notice the small storage cabinet. 12" deep - held 4 towels, spare toilet paper, soap and shampoo, conditioner. Not generous space, but solved my storage issues without overwhelming the room.


    Small single vanity, no drawers - decorative boxes on shelves over the toilet held makeup and skin care items. Spare wash cloths were displayed in the small bowl.




    In my current home I replaced the 48" vanity in the master, did not want to move the sink/plumbing, but hated that the vanity had a 7" space between the vanity and the wall and everything fell into that impossible to reach space. The bathroom is in an inside corner of an L shaped home and plumbing is really difficult to access.


    I measured the space, making sure to leave the required 30" for the toilet, 1" overhang for the countertop on the toilet side of the vanity and 2" spacer for the side of the vanity where drawers had to clear the door jam. That left me with 54" for cabinet and drawers. Instead of moving the sink I simply made the drawers different widths. 12" middle drawer holds 6 rolls of TP right next to the toilet!


    The 18" top drawer is ideal for make-up, skin care items. Second drawer holds all my hair stuff.

    Other drawers are largely empty because I have more storage than needed in this house.


    I was concerned about the off center sink, but honestly, no one notices that it is off center and the storage works better.






    Richard O thanked Jennifer Hogan
  • 3 months ago

    "to get to the controls and most of us have arms long enough to reach around a 1' corner."


    I, hopefully, see the reaching issue changing over time as bathroom design evolves. Of falls that happen at home, 80% occur in the bathroom. Having to reach up, down, or across another fixture isn't smart. If you are creating a bathroom from scratch, why not avoid it?

  • 3 months ago

    I think it comes down to there are people on the luxury end of the spectrum (more space and elegance) and some on the functionality end (tightness is a secondary concern because there's more stuff to use). We just have to figure out where on the spectrum we want to be.


    We're currently discussing whether or not our bathing needs could be met elsewhere (e.g. an outdoor hot tub) to simplify the design and make it more luxurious, per Jan's original sketch.


    Thanks again everyone!!! It's such a great discussion!

  • 3 months ago

    Thanks Jennifer, if we do decide to do shower and bath, that's likely the configuration we would use (opposite ends of the room). I think it will be plentry roomy

  • 3 months ago

    I have an inn which means lots of tiny bathrooms. they work. I wouldnt worry about the fixtures being close together as long as they are to code.

  • 3 months ago

    Think about the storage lost to two sinks as well. Once I am showered or bathed, really the only thing I need to do over a sink is brush my teeth (2.25 minutes).


    My mom and dad had this great vanity that was 10' long with just one sink. Dad used it a bit longer than mom cause he had to shave and brush his teeth and he stood to do these tasks and comb his hair. Mom had a space where she could sit and do her hair and makeup after using the sink to brush her teeth. Often my sisters gathered around my mom to do our hair and makeup, try on my mom's jewelry, help each other with braids or have my mom show us how to do different hairstyles or apply makeup. Lots of great memories gathered around that vanity.


    I have an 8' long vanity in my guest bath with only one sink. I love the look of this long vanity without it being split into smaller sections by dual sinks. It just feels luxurious.



  • 3 months ago

    “I think it comes down to there are people on the luxury end of the spectrum (more space and elegance) and some on the functionality end (tightness is a secondary concern because there's more stuff to use). We just have to figure out where on the spectrum we want to be.”


    I think you are a third branch of the spectrum: luxury in a tight space. Free standing soaker tub or hot tub, and double sinks isn’t about function. It It’s 15 lbs of luxury in a 5 lb bag. :) !

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    For the love of heaven...........

    A. Kendrah plan with dimensions - single sink added above the counter storage.

    why? because if you want good looks, storage is more important than brushing teeth together, mirror the doors on the tower, AND between.



    Super at hand storage- electrcal inside hides those ugly toothbrushes.

    This is also a great view from the bedroom...... more luxurious. My clients don't share bathroom time - he takes forever, she is in and out. They both LOOOOVE the storage.



    B. .......A soak ALLL alone : ) Add wine



    C. tub/shower combo



    All three are far better than any of the original. A bath is no different than a kitchen, Minus storage, it's a fail.

  • 3 months ago

    I have always used tub shower combos and can take a bath or a shower comfortably. Standing in a tub you have less room for your feet because of the sides of the tub being wider, but how much room do you need for your feet. You can also close the drain and get a few inches of water in the tub and let your feet soak while you get a shower. They exfoliate better if they have soaked for a few minutes.


    It was a huge plus to have the shower in my last home when my mother-in-law came to live with us. She couldn't step over the side of the tub safely.



  • 3 months ago

    What do you do for grip on the bathtub floor? Bath mat, shower strips? Or are modern combos better somehow in material for foot grip?

  • 3 months ago

    I had to go look, but both the tub that was here when I moved in and the new one that I bought have a textured floor. Not rough enough that I notice when laying in the tub, but enough that I don't have any slip and slide when taking a shower unless I bathed with an bath bomb with oils in it the night before and didn't clean the tub when I was done.

  • PRO
    3 months ago

    If you dont need to shower in the tub? Then you have no worry?

    So… are we conflicted?

    You wont get 100 % on any plan.

  • 3 months ago

    Having at least 4’ for your aisle will contribute to making your bathroom feel luxurious. I suggest flipping the locations of the bath and shower from your original design and then relocating the storage behind the shower and door (as Jan did in her Option A). This layout gives you the option to section off the toilet/bathtub from the rest of the bathroom. For the storage, you might want to consider using a pull out pantry mechanism. Also, I usually don’t like pocket doors in bathrooms (soundproofing), but if you section off the toilet bath area, this would be a situation where it might be appropriate.

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    While Option A appears aesthetically pleasing, it would be inconvenient to me 99% of the time because I would likely need to use the toilet before using the tub or shower......so that plan requires going into one room then to another. Yep, convenience matters :) I think OP has enough information now to decide on what works best for their needs.

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    LOL....... a whole lot better than being stuffed into the all too common "toilet room" within the bath?

    For many of us? It's use the loo, and head for the coffee pot : )

  • PRO
    3 months ago

    How lucky are you that Jan popped in here and gave you LOTS of different configurations, all of which are better than yours. Pick one and move on!

  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    A million years ago, I dated a guy with a two bed apartment, and it had a Half bath, backed up to the full bath, just outside the bedroom.

    I can not TELL you how nice it was to grab a shower, go right around the corner, and have the half bath all to myself. No steam on the mirror, no man in the way. Also free of the scent of......whatever! Frankly, it was nirvana. If you ask a 100 couples their idea of heaven on earth? It is my bet that 99 of them will say "my OWN bath". His/hers and tata: ) That toilet room concept is as close as you can get.