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RenovatingDesign DilemmaBathrooms
bobchalmers

Any advice on a bathroom layout in a small space

Richard G
6 years ago

We've been renovating the house and despite our best efforts moving walls etc. we haven't been left with a great deal of space for what should be the main bathroom of the house.


I'd ideally like a bath (to bath the kids in) and a separate shower cubicle of some sort but looking at the space it's perhaps wishful thinking to get both??


I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions?


Many thanks as always for any help.


Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Opun
    6 years ago

    Hi Richard,


    What an exciting project. I am one of the Bathroom experts at Opun and have sketched out two possible layouts for you. The first includes a 1500 x 700 bath tub with a 760 x 760 shower enclosure, separated by a stud wall. The second option includes a 1800 bathtub with a 800 x 800 shower enclosure. The latter allows for the option of a larger bathtub and shower enclosure but I, personally, find the layout on option 1 to be more visually appealing.



    If you are looking for a company to finalise this design, build, and fit this for you, please do reach out!


    In the mean time, I can also suggest you play around with this FREE bathroom design tool Opunplanner. It will create your design in 3D and bring your ideas to life.


    Hopefully this helps.


    Opun - your home improvement experts

    • Comments (29)

    • A S
      6 years ago
      Hi,

      You could have both but at a slight compromise, with a smaller shower (800*800) and shorter bath length (1500), these could be positioned on the shorter wall measuring 2.32m. You could then have the WC on the window wall and the sink on the 2.7m wall. The only issue with this layout is seeing the WC as soon as you walk in.

      An alternative could be switching the bath and toilet but you wouldn't be left with much floor space.
      Richard G thanked A S

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    • A S
      6 years ago
      option 1 from the above illustrates what I had in mind (but with WC on window wall).
      Richard G thanked A S
    • Monica
      6 years ago

      I think I would prefer the 2nd option, where at all possible avoid placing the toilet opposite the door, you don't want that to be the first thing you see when you enter a room.

      Richard G thanked Monica
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Many thanks everyone, all the replies are greatly appreciated and it looks far more viable than i thought to have both the shower and bath. Thanks again!

    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Can i just ask, does anyone have a 800 x 800 shower enclosure as i'm a little concerned this will be quite cramped (as i'm never stood in one before)?

    • Emily
      6 years ago
      It wasn’t that many years ago when showers were 60 or 70 wide if there was a separate shower at all! It’s just that we all have a spacious shower on our wish list :)
      Richard G thanked Emily
    • J
      6 years ago
      Something different. How about swapping the WC and shower locations in option 2. The bath could be a free standing one. the shower open with just one glass wall on the WC side.
      Room needs to be waterproofed creating a wet room.
      Richard G thanked J
    • J
      6 years ago
      like this: Check out this photo from Houzz - https://ml.houzz.com/AzGf/Cwaqz40GiK
      Richard G thanked J
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Ooo, very interesting idea! Thank you for that, i'm off again with my tape measure & pencil! Thanks everyone for your input, greatly appreciated.

    • Emily
      6 years ago
      Really like J’s wetroom suggestion. But if this is a renovation you are going to need a step to accommodate the shower tray I think. But you can have just part of a bathroom tanked, I’ve done that myself.
      Alternatively a shower bath would be easier and cheaper. And the other option is a deep sitting soaking tub which can be only a metre wide but much deeper than normal. I think you could fit one of them and a shower next to it across the back wall if you tile your window surround?
    • Emily
      6 years ago
      Omnitub and the one from bathroom express were the ones I was considering last year when I renovated.
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Thank you for the suggestions. It's quite likely we would sell the house in a year or two so i'm just trying to think what would appeal to most buyers rather than maybe just to my personal preferences. Can i just ask that if it was being done up for sale do you think a shower bath would be best as it would give more of an appearance of space? Sorry for all the questions!

    • Emily
      6 years ago
      Tbh, I don’t think the bathroom is the most likely candidate to “sell” a house, as long as it’s clean attractive and clearly problem free I think that’s enough?? Others might disagree?
    • andrewbooton
      6 years ago
      It's a bathroom. Why shouldn't the bog be the first thing you see? You're going to see it anyway, and the likelihood is that you've entered the room to use the sodding thing!
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      I'm sorry to bring this topic back up but i'm unfortunately still struggling with the layout and sizing for the bathroom and i was hoping someone might just be able to help or at least give me a slap!

      I'd originally wanted a separate shower and bath but as the room is small i'd certainly have to make concessions somewhere on their size.

      I loved the idea of option 1 outlined above (kindly by Opun) but my main concern is that fitting in a small bath may just be counterproductive in that a 1500 bath would simply be too small for most people and similarly a 760 x 760 shower is also a little small.

      Fitting a 1700 or 1800 bath and separate shower i would love to do but it would really minimize floor space.

      As option 2 (again thank you Opun) is laid out above we would have to have the toilet and basin on opposite walls and i think it would perhaps feel a little cramped also given the bathroom is only 2m across?? I'm just having a very hard time visualizing it.

      Finally, I again loved the idea of the Omnitub (deep japanese style tub) but we will be looking to sell in the next 18-24 months and it's an area which seems to attract a lot of elderly people so i think the deep tub may be off-putting for some

      That then brings me back to the option of a shower over the bath which i've never really liked the idea of but i think it might be the most sensible option given the space.

      With that option i would have to have the bath and shower down the left hand wall but assuming the bath is 1700 x 800, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fill in the 500-600mm space i'm left with? Just seems like it would then be a wasted space in the corner of the room.

      Again, my apologies for the stream of nonsense, i'm just really struggling to get my head around it all.

      Thanks everyone as always.




    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Hi again, sorry to come back on this again but i was just wondering if anyone has any further insights as i'm completely stumped as to what is best. I'm now looking at a shower bath or p shaped bath but I think i might struggle to bath my kids with the large shower screens they all come with.

      As the old saying goes "i thought i was indecisive but now i'm not so sure".

    • A S
      6 years ago
      In my opinion, trying to get both in will be difficult and at a compromise (small bath and shower). If it's both you need, I would consider an over bath shower.


      if you go for a straight bath (you could opt for one which is wider than standard) you can use a folding concertina as opposed to one glass panel; if it can fold flat against the wall, it'll provide you the required ease.
      Richard G thanked A S
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago
      last modified: 6 years ago


      Thank you for the reply.

      I agree, I think the shower over the bath is really the only option given the floor space.

      That said, where do you think the bath would be better positioned?

      In option A below the shower would be positioned on the bottom wall and in option B i suppose i could position it on the side wall (trying to keep the shower away from the window).

    • Sonia
      6 years ago
      Hi, I’ve come in a bit late here, but here’s what I did in a very small bathroom (no room for both a bath and a shower). We had the over bath shower with a glass screen. The screen was hinged, so could be opened outwards at a 90 degree angle against the wall, giving us complete access to the bath for bathing our granddaughter when she stayed over. Then a couple of years ago we decided to remove the bath and install a shower cubicle instead, as I have severe arthritis and clambering in and out of a bath was too difficult. We decided on an 80 x 80cm cubicle with a sliding door. We bought a good quality one from our local bathroom specialists, not one of the rickety diy store ones! I must say it is plenty big enough for us and we’re not dainty little things! I found that you also got a much better range of sizes there. If you hope to be moving out in a few years, then I would suggest a bath with overhead shower and glass screen (Wickes do a nice one and it’s not expensive). I think you are “overthinking” this all a tad too much. It’s just a bathroom and all people want is the basics.......hope you come to a decision soon. Good luck.
    • A S
      6 years ago
      Is this part of a complete house renovation? or will the position of soil stack determine where the toilet can be positioned?
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Sorry, i just realized i didn't attach the images in my last post - i have added them now.

      I really hope i can move the soil pipe as i've moved the right hand wall 30cm to open up the space a little and the soil pipe & toilet is now in a bit of an odd spot relative to the rest of the room (image attached shows position of the soil pipe on the outside wall).

      I think it would be safest certainly to keep the toilet on or next to the outside wall (with the window) - i still don't know how much of a hassle moving it even a short distance will be but i'd really like to make it work even if i have to box in a length of pipe.


    • A S
      6 years ago
      I wonder if you could move the door to the wall 0.8m (may need to have narrower entrance with 27" door), then have shower and bath along the 2.7m wall... Toilet and basin/vanity on the opposite, 2.3m wall...

      That way you could get a standard bath and a decent shower.
      Richard G thanked A S
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Thanks again for coming back.

      Unfortunately the door would have to be on the wall it's currently on as the 0.8m wall backs into a cupboard which we can't remove (as it's got all the meters, electricity supply etc.)

    • Tani H-S
      6 years ago
      Not read all the posts but I have seen a company now making shower baths that have the shower door opening to the floor so you can step in and out like a proper shower.

      I know they did similar ones for disabled/elderly people but these are very modern and stylish with a glass screen.

      Might be a good alternative - especially if you get the D shaped bath so it's like a cubicle ....
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Hi everyone,

      Someone had touched on the idea before but assuming i can move the toilet soil pipe what do you think of this layout? It would be part wetroom but i thought it helps get round the additional floor space taken up by the traditional shower tray.

    • Sam N
      6 years ago

      Hi Richard, My thoughts, (and I'm not an expert, so just a personal opinion), but I think the wetroom idea will be a total nightmare to keep clean. I would also be concerned that it not would be the safest option with young children in the house. Unless you are going to meticulously dry the floor down after every shower, anyone using the room afterwards, washing their hands at the sink for example would need to walk on a wet and possibly slippery floor. Also not ideal if you walk around the house in socks.... wet feet.. :-/ Even with really good drainage the floor would remain wet for some time after each shower. These concerns may only bother me though, these things are so subjective, but I always consider how much work will be involved in keeping a room clean and looking great....and the fact that the bath would get wet and no doubt splatted with shampoo and shower gel every time someone showered would have me in there constantly cleaning. This option is definitely also the more costly option as tanking would be required, and I you plan to sell in a year or so, I am not sure it would add value equivalent to your spend on the room. I would go for a nice shower over bath arrangement, this can still look lovely and high end. For example:

      Richard G thanked Sam N
    • Richard G
      Original Author
      6 years ago

      Thank you for that Sam and appreciate what you are saying, it does make perfect sense and i hadn't really thought about the upkeep especially.

      My only concern with the shower over the bath is that i think i would be limited to have the bath down the left hand wall and i'm a bit stumped what to do with the bit of left over space and then the need to have the toilet and basin either on the wall with the window or on the right hand wall.

      Any suggestions as to how to plan out the room if it's an over bath shower?

    • innovation999
      6 years ago

      Hi, nothing to add. Wanted to ask Tani for the name of the bath company she referred to in her post. Thanks

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