How to Lay Out a 5-by-8-Foot Bathroom

Meg Escott is an engineer by training who runs the website House Plans Helper, where she uploads her favorite — and free — layout ideas that she’s gained from living in 26 homes. In this example, with a door on the 5-foot wall, she shows how the preferred arrangement would be sink-toilet-shower because the sink allows more space for the door to swing in.

If the sink and toilet were switched, you’d have to step around the door, or you may bang the knees of your partner or family member when entering, she says.

The shower could be swapped for a bathtub or shower-tub combo, but this layout accommodates a shower large enough for drying off, preventing water drops on the floor that others could step in. “Also, there’s less opportunity for water from the shower to reach a wood cabinet box vanity,” says designer Sarah Keane of One Week Bath.

Keane says she doesn’t see much benefit to having the toilet first, but if that’s how your bathroom is already laid out, it makes sense to keep the toilet there to avoid the cost of moving it. There could be some benefits for people with mobility challenges or who need to get to the toilet quickly.

If you’re stuck with a toilet-sink-bathtub or shower arrangement, a pocket door, as shown here, can save space by eliminating a swing-in door. But just be conscious of selecting pocket door hardware. Many designers say the tracks are a hassle to deal with if you want to change them out, and moisture does a number on them. If you have your heart set on a pocket door, don’t skimp on the hardware.

Also, pocket doors don’t insulate sound very well because you can’t insulate the wall space in which the pocket door mechanism is housed. Nor can you run electrical through that space. “Even though they seem like a good idea, you’re actually losing in other areas,” says Renewal designer Jaime Milo.

If you don’t need a bathtub, a shower provides more flexibility because you can reduce its size to gain a small amount of storage space. This is something you may want to consider for a hall bath, but maybe not for a master bathroom, where a spacious shower can be more welcome.

If you need a bathtub, your options are a bit more limited. “You’re not really going to find a bathtub smaller than the standard 60 inches,” Milo says. “Especially not one that would be useful.”

This is Escott’s favorite layout for an 5-by-8-foot bathroom. With the door on the 8-foot wall, the desired arrangement is to have the sink directly opposite the entrance. That way if the door gets left open, guests — or you and your family — are looking at a nice vanity rather than a toilet. “You don’t want the door opening on the toilet,” Milo says. “A vanity gives a little bit of privacy.”

If you do keep a bathtub, this configuration allows a parent to sit on the toilet lid while bathing a child. The only thing Milo finds tricky with this layout is where to put the toilet paper holder. “If you want it on the wall, you have to reach behind or mount it to the side of the vanity,” she says. “If you have a pedestal sink, then you have to put it behind you or get one of those freestanding holders with a rod.”

In this example, Escott has incorporated a small shelf over the sink and toilet for extra storage space.

If your morning routine conflicts with your partner’s, Escott says this is a great layout to consider for an 5-by-8-foot bath. You can separate the toilet into its own water closet accessed with a separate door. That way someone can use the toilet in private while the other person showers. Where to wash your hands becomes an issue, though. You could also create a pocket door between the water closet and sink and tub area, but Keane says that for some homeowners, the water closet will end up feeling very small. “But it is an option,” she says.