Creating a master bath in older home

25 days ago

Title: Layout Help: Splitting 11x7 Space vs. Adding a Second Bath in a 4BR Renovation
Body:
Hi everyone, I am renovating an older 4-bedroom home and looking for some creative layout advice to solve a classic "one-bathroom house" dilemma.
Currently, there is only one main bathroom (11.4' x 7') that services three bedrooms off a central hallway. My primary goal is to create a dedicated primary/master bathroom while still ensuring the other bedrooms have a bathroom to use.
I’m weighing a few options and would love your insight on resale value, flow, and spatial reality.
The Current Space & Options:
Option 1: Split the existing 11.4' x 7' bathroom. Can this space be divided into two smaller, functional bathrooms (one primary en-suite, one hall bath)?
Option 2: Steal space from the primary closet. If I sacrifice a 2.5'-deep closet in the primary bedroom, it changes the puzzle pieces. It would give me one space that is 7' long, another that is 9.5' long, and then however I decide to split the 11.4' width between the two rooms.
Option 3: Annex space from the "Twin Room" across the hall. I could potentially build a brand new bathroom on the other side of the hallway by taking space from the bedroom we call the "Twin Room."
The Layout Constraint:
This is a 4-bedroom house, but the layout is unique: the 4th bedroom is technically accessed through the kitchen. Because of this layout, I want to make sure the remaining bedrooms upstairs are properly serviced without making the floor plan feel like a maze.
I’ve attached a rough sketch of the current layout showing the bedrooms, the hallway, and the closet.
My questions for the group:

Is an 11.4' x 7' space truly large enough to split into two comfortable bathrooms, or will it feel too cramped?
Which option makes the most sense from a flow and daily-use perspective?
If you've split a similar space before, how did you handle the plumbing/window alignments?
Thanks in advance for your design eyes!

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Comments (5)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
25 days ago
last modified: 25 days ago
I see 2 bathrooms in the plan so what exactly is your plan. I do not think you can get 2 full baths out of the one by the master without stealing the closet space but then doable if just showers in both . Then the other bath can handle a tub/ shower easily. Not in a perfect spot but doable.
Lyn Nielson
24 days ago
11.4 x 7 is too tight to split for a full bath.

Is this a interior gut? can you replace swing doors with pocket doors?

can you make a powder room access from the living room? rather than a private bath to a bedroom? Have you considered moving/changing the configuration of the kitchen?
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katinparadise
24 days ago
11x7 is too small to split. If you took both closets from the main bedroom, that would give you 5 1/2 x 9 1/2 per bath, minus wall thickness of 4.5" in the center. The minimum you want for a bathroom is about 5x8 - 30" for vanity, 30" for toilet, and the remainder for the tub or shower. Depending on how wide the window is opposite the closets, you may be able to build custom reach-in closets on either side of the window. That would give you 12.5 by 11.4 for the primary bedroom.
PRO
JAN MOYER
24 days ago
last modified: 24 days ago
"This is a 4-bedroom house, but the layout is unique: the 4th bedroom is technically accessed through the kitchen. Because of this layout, I want to make sure the remaining bedrooms upstairs are properly serviced without making the floor plan feel like a maze.
I’ve attached a rough sketch of the current layout showing the bedrooms, the hallway, and the closet."

"Properly serviced........" Upstairs, without creating a maze

You're only showing ONE living floor

You haven't said "technically" how many bedrooms you must have

You haven't said how many in the house, how many kids etc

You can't do what you want/ make two from one bath. .....yes, impossible!

I can't even discern where you enter the home on the first floor.

What is the budget for reno to get what you want?

Thus????

Come back with a drawing of the entry, is there a garage? I assume there is a basement?

Show the second Floor with the remaining three beds-

Bottom line ? Without a lot more context, despite the measured drawing for your ask?

More context. A lot more, or an architect at your site: )
PRO
CAGE Design Build
24 days ago
The bathroom that serves as the main bathroom should not be split. As others have suggested, can you redesign the bath off the den so it could be accessible off the kitchen?