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jpitoukkas

help needed for unique primary bathroom

last month

We are buying an older house with a primary bath that was remodeled in the 70’s. It is currently laid out with two stools and two tubs. We are trying to remodel cost efficiently. A couple ideas we sketched are shown. We would love to hear your thoughts. Our ideas are the colored lines overlaid on as-builts. A

Comments (13)

  • PRO
    last month

    WOW the 70s pretty sure drugs had something to do with some of the crazy designs . I think the best would be a gut and start over . Do you need all that space ? I dislike huge bathrooms they serve no real purpose , take a ton of time to clean and honestly you spen the least amount of time in thta space . I need a lot more info from you.Do you need 2 bathrooms at all? Do you have afab walk in closet already? I hate toilet rooms always and 2 of thme in one space really all I can do is shake my head. A shower in a toilet room even goofier. I find the space huge for no reason but I need info . The plan makes no sense to me so maybe more info will help. All I see is a cleaning job that will take 2 hrs min and for me that would not work since I clean my bathrooms every day

  • last month

    Thank you for your comment. The renovation plan was driven by the available existing plumbing, windows, and our wants/needs, we were trying to be efficient with plumbing. We acknowledge this may not be the best approach. I'll share our wish list and thoughts.

    • walk-in shower approximately 4x6
    • soaking tub
    • two vanities (prefer to have them separate)
    • there is much existing reach-in closet space (the 21'6" strip along the bottom of the path to the primary bath is all closet space) and built-in drawers. This being said, a walk-in closet would be very nice (we like having one at our current house) but I do not know that it is a must
    • we want the stool to be in a separate space

    Since the plumbing already exists, we opted to place the stool with a second vanity and shower in the separate room to the right of the soaker tub. The idea is I will use that vanity, and my wife will use the other. The house has 3 br/2ba upstairs. We have 3 children. In times we need more than 2 baths at the same time, one of the kids could also use the private shower in the primary bath.


  • PRO
    last month

    I would need to see the whole floor plan of this level but honestly way too much bathroom . I need to see ho this space relates to the whole layout of that bedroom level. I think you need another bathroom more tha trying to make this ridiculous one work.

  • last month

    I would assume this would be a gut with free reign inside the exterior footprint. But your proposed plans are not. You are staying with the same concept - mostly just removing the bidet, keeping the same conflict with windows, etc.

    If you want to eliminate the 70s, it seems to be a waste of effort to do anything at all if you are not going to completely rethink all of it - closets included - and deal with circulation, flow, the windows, plumbing opportunities.

  • last month

    As long as the plumbing isn't in a slab you can move it. I won't say easily or cheaply because that depends on things we can't see, but the current arrangement is so dysfunctional I don't see the point in keeping it. I agree with Patricia that you should probably be thinking of a way to split this into two baths instead of keeping this extra large footprint. Ideally you should engage an architect to rethink the floorplan entirely. Granted this will probably be more expensive than what you were planning, but this was a misfire from day one. Don't restrict yourself to this crazy design.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Carpeting bathrooms is IMO the single worst décor/design idea spawned in the 1970s. PULL THE CARPET and replace it with flooring that is slip-resistant and easy to keep clean and sanitary.

    I'd keep the bidet unless you plan to add bidet seats to both toilets.

    Other than that, you can go ahead and lean into the glorious insanity of the 70s design if you like it. You've got an amazing time capsule if you want to look at it that way.

    OR!

    Be guided by the design pros here and rethink the space entirely. That's above my pay-grade, but you'll get great advice from others.

  • last month

    Did you consider having two bathrooms? One with a door to the hall so a kid in need can get to it?

    But if you want one space, consider how you use your vanity areas. Do Mr and Mrs need the same types and amounts and placement of storage and counterspace?

    Also, consider creating a dressing area, as opposed to a closet in the bathroom.

    Are you keeping the washer and dryer in the closet?

  • last month

    How about something like this? Gives you the large walk in closet, large shower, room for a soaking tub a huge vanity and doesn't require the windows move



  • last month

    Thanks for the thoughts!

    @kandrewspa and @Patricia Colwell Consulting, I like your idea of creating a separate bathroom but there is no way to connect it to anything other than the primary bedroom. To get to this space you must walk through the primary bedroom.


    @Jennifer Hogan, we considered a similar layout with the 10' vanity on the opposite side. We would really like to have the toilet in a separate space, though. That is where we were stumped.

  • last month

    You have enough length to do both the tub and shower along the wall and place the toilet at the end where the shower is in my sketch. I preferred the layout as I sketched it and envisioned a wall on either side of the toilet no door similar to how this bathroom is set up

  • last month

    Gut and go for the walk in closet. That is a much better use of sq footage than a monsterous ensuite. Any plan that assumes dual use of a bathroom is beyond my ability to comprehend. The shower/tub separate is enough of a space waste extravagnace for one bathroom, forget the double sinks. Maybe that is why these silly thrown rooms exist--people can't wait their turn????

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    Can you show the ENTIRE living floor? Primary bed bath and all around it?

    This IS A MASSIVE reno, no matter what, so don't get hung up on plumbing relocation.

  • last month

    Following along but my first thought is if either of the toilet rooms is adjacent to another living space in your house, it could be turned into a 1/2 bath for guests. Of course, that is provided you don't already have a 1/2 bath on the 1st floor.

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