I'm looking to renovate a first floor main bathroom in a UK mid terrace 1890 house. It's a family house with 1 adult and 2 children; one SEND who refuses baths. I'm trying to remodel the bathroom so there's a decent shower, but the bathroom is frustratingly tight.

It's 2990x1940mm. North facing, with one window, and pipes on the external wall. I want to box out the external wall with insulation to reduce risk of mould. There is an existing mechanical vent adjacent to the window.

The existing layout has the whole suite along the one wall, with WC nearest the wall, then whb, then bath. The external waste stack is immediately to the right of the window, so there's currently one bend in the WC waste pipe externally before connecting.

My options are:-

1. Save cash, simple renovation of new floor, tiles, paint, and new suite in existing layout.

2. Go for the moon with the best that can be done with the space.

I'm torn between these two, in particular I'm partial to a traditional refit with timber panelling and only tiling where absolutely necessary, along with fittings in-keeping with the period of the property. I'm also drawn to a modern fit-out with a layout my kids might better enjoy.

I'm not sure how long I'll remain in the property, so that also lends itself to the economical, neutral approach; that being said, if I can, I've not plans to sell.

Existing layout

External wall details.

Simple refit : Timber or tile half-height around room, full height around bath. New box shelf to conceal plumbing under basin. New storage and radiator opposite basin.

Wet Area Option :

Pros: clear wet/dry zones. Lots of potential for storage and neat detailing along the main wall.

Cons: Unsure if WC is too far from the waste stack. Possibly too busy (could make the room feel small). Would need shower controls in half-height wall to allow operation of shower without getting wet. Difficult access to window.

Shower cubicle option :

Pros: Shorter reach for WC waste. More space, less clutter.

Cons: Very tight space between bath and shower for wc and basin. I could put the basin opposite the WC, but then routing the waste may be more complicated; joists run front to back. (waste in this drawing is incorrect, it should be further to the right not clashing with the window cill!)

I've spent a good few hours going through posts here, but haven't seen this particular connundrum come up, so I'm curious to hear some thoughts. At this point, I'm thinking I should keep things simple and keep the original layout and replace with traditional suite, with some carefully chosen materials... but I have the nagging feeling I'm missing an opportunity for making something quite special.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!