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Design Dilemma
jane_gartlon

Squeezing separate bath and shower into small bathroom

Jane
last year

They said it couldn't be done but I have been rattling my brains and come up with a design that looks like it could work? The bath is only 1500 and will be mainly used by one child.


I would plan to place the bath and shower on a higher level so there will be a step up at the diagonal line. Vertical wood strips for both screens.


The toilet area will be 80mm which is perhaps the absolute minimum.


Any critique welcomed!





Featured Answer
  • Leonie
    last year

    80cm for a toilet is definitely enough. How about something like this?




    Comments (23)

    • Jonathan
      last year

      Alternative

    • Jane
      Original Author
      last year

      Thanks it’s a good design but interested to know if you can see issues with first design?

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    • User
      last year

      Definitely need more than 80mm for the toilet ὠ0

    • PRO
      Carla / kolours.space
      last year

      As long you are not planning to sell then diagonal is about what you like. Classic lines alway better in my opinion

    • Jonathan
      last year

      I think the first design is ok. I think the step up in unnecessary and the shower screen should be glass as it will be easier to keep clean and probably cheaper, and require no future maintenance. You should also consider if the position of the screen will be in your way if you bath your child.

      I don’t think it’s necessary to have a screen at the end of the bath and extra elbow room on the loo would be useful. For this reason you should place the wc closer to the bath too.

      You might want to think about elbow room at the basin and you could consider putting the towel rail above the bath (assuming it’s a central heating rad and not electric).

      You might also add storage too- you could have a drawer under the sink counter. You could also add a cabinet over the sink and one over the wc.

      You should also consider the door- perhaps it would be best to open outwards.

      Jane thanked Jonathan
    • Mandy Ryan
      last year

      Could you not have it as a wet room, thus doing away with a shower tray? Is there enough space to open the door free from basin and knees? 🤓 thinking about the comment from Jonathan of moving the towel heater above the bath, but if your child grabbed at it accidentally, they could burn themselves, so could put it above toilet? Please post some pics of the end result.

      Jane thanked Mandy Ryan
    • Jane
      Original Author
      last year

      Some good points here. The door is a pocket door so that removes the opening issue. The idea for the wood screens and the step us was to allow the whole of the bath/shower area to be a wet area so no shower tray as Mandy suggests. Also the screens and the step up might make the diagonal look like a design feature vs just a bit odd?! The plus points seem like there will be a lot of room to the side of the bath and in the shower area. Also I like that the bath is quite small as its seems wasteful filling a massive bath for my small child every night. The towel rail will be hot water so yes it might be an option for over the bath to free up the sink area.


      The 80 cm toilet area seems to split opinion but might be better with no screen as Jonathon suggests.

    • Jonathan
      last year

      The step up….. it slips an already small space and it’s a hazard. Don’t do it

    • K OB
      last year

      On a side note I think people mentioning that 80mm for a toilet is insufficient are absolutely correct (that's only 8cm- and is what the original poster has written by mistake !) However 80cm is fine! :)

    • Jane
      Original Author
      last year

      Thanks Leonie. This was my exact original layout! However the plumber persuaded me it would be too cramped. I will look again. Good to know 80cm is OK for toilet.

    • Lorraine
      last year
      last modified: last year

      I also think that the diagonal step isn’t the way to go and agree that it would be a hazard in this limited space. At best, I think you will quickly find it jarring as you try to negotiate the limited floor area.

      You will of course have your reasons for wanting the separate shower/bath layout so dearly, but do also take the time to assess the sacrifices born of its inclusion.

      You are a busy, hardworking mum and as a such you deserve a bathroom that is going to work just as hard as you do. My advice is, park this idea for a bit and really think about what a ‘shower over bath’ layout will give you in terms of its inherent spacial, functional and mental wellbeing gains. For example, you could build in storage features to ensure your child’s belongings aren’t overwhelming the room, create a lovely vanity area tailored to your needs, have a little space to move around and feel comfortable (have you thought about the sense of claustrophobia the shower screens may cause), and once the little-one is in bed, at least have the option of really enjoying a stress-busting bath in a tub you can luxuriate in.

      How a space makes us feel as we are experiencing it is key to measuring its success. In a shared family space it is never easy to keep everyone happy, but given that challenge, it’s even more important that the choice of intervention doesn’t contribute further to its detriment.
      Best of luck with ‘cracking that nut’ ;-). L

      https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/noe-valley-residence-modern-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~2316972

      https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/oakhill-court-victorian-bathroom-london-phvw-vp~23668931

      https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/small-space-bathroom-contemporary-bathroom-toronto-phvw-vp~673257

      Jane thanked Lorraine
    • Jane
      Original Author
      last year

      Thank you Lorraine for the detailed answer. Out of interest why do you think the step is a hazard? I have seen lots of layouts incorporate this. Is it because mine is diagonal?



    • Lorraine
      last year
      last modified: last year

      So in all fairness you are in a better place to analyse the risks/drawbacks than I am as I don’t know much about your family set-up, how much support you are giving your child and who else will be using the bathroom and how often and for what tasks and even how much storage you require. These are all questions you should ask yourself when appraising any layout option.

      In basic terms the step splits the floor into two very small, quite irregular areas to negotiate. These will feel clumsy for an adult but when there is two of you (i.e. you and your child) its going to become very awkward indeed, increasing the chances of a trip or stumble backwards. Its impossible for me to risk assess every scenario but what I do know for certain is that bathrooms are made up of very hard, unyielding surfaces if the worst occurs. Additionally, I also see a whole world of mental pain in this layout too. When you come down to it bathrooms exist to be functional and if the design inhibits or makes those tasks awkward to carryout you are going to resent that space very, very quickly.

      Although the type of layout you have posted in the photo is a great idea when space allows, it probably won't deliver in your case. At the end of the day the area that is left outside of the enclosure has to perform its function too and all I can see (spatially speaking) in your proposal, is a mean and vexatious layout to live and experience.

      Hope that helps and I do wish you all the best, I know how this sort of dilemma can melt the brain :). L

      Jane thanked Lorraine
    • PRO
      Happybeams Interiors
      last year

      Hi Jane,

      Have you considered a Japanese style tub - Omnitub do a great range - they're much smaller, but deeper so often work well in smaller bathrooms, when you're looking for a separate shower area. I don't have children so of course can't comment on the practicality of bathing a child in a deeper tub, but thought I'd mention it in case you'd not seen these as an alternative option.



      I also really like Leonie's suggestion above - I've designed a bathroom with this layout before, and it works really well!

      Good luck with your project!

      Jess

      Jane thanked Happybeams Interiors
    • Little Jem
      last year

      This is an intriguing problem ! In your original plan, is it the case that the wall end of the bath is wider than the toilet end, or is that just the way the perspective works here ? If so, that is one of the things making the layout looked cramped and 'weird'. How deep a step did you have in mind ? That, too, could make a difference. The problem with steps in bathrooms (those that are designed for 'real' everyday living, not just for a magazine spread) is that they can get wet, and hence slippery - an accident waiting to happen. Careful choice of flooring might help minimise that. Something rubbery, or like hospital bathroom floors.


      Japanese tubs have been mentioned. I believe there are also 'small' toilets available, and space-saving sinks, for very small spaces, understairs cloakrooms etc...), though I think there's enough room there in the design. (And for the main bathroom, you do need a decent sized sink.)


      The screens you describe: I would definitely go for a fixed, clear glass one near the towel rail, simply for letting light through, and not feeling further cramped. Alongside the toilet, it might be better to opt for a half-wall screen (illustrated above in Jane's comments) - again, on grounds of not feeling cramped, but also letting maximum light in - you could adorn it with wood battens if you like.


      How young is the daughter ? How much longer is she going to need bathing as opposed to showering ? Could you have all that room devoted to a large shower enclosure, and keep something temporary to one side (like the old bathtubs hanging on the wall !!), which you could move across to nearer the shower for filling purposes. Once she's old enough, you can dispense with the moveable tub.

      Jane thanked Little Jem
    • Jane
      Original Author
      last year

      Thanks for all of the comments! I have taken on board the advice re. the step and removed it. But I still really, really want the small bath and separate shower so I am going for it. This is the new design. Towel rail now above bath. Under the basin and along the right hand wall will be a long wall unit for storage. No step!




    • PRO
      Carla / kolours.space
      last year

      Are you in south east?

    • Lorraine
      last year

      Hi Jane, I’m glad you have finally cracked that nut, I think this is definitely a better way to go. You have gone on quite a journey with this design, we certainly gave you a lot to think about!! You can now rest in peace knowing that you have dug deep to understand what is going to work best for you. I’m a bit of a champion for interior design that supports our daily mental well-being which is why I pushed you to consider and evaluate the design from every angle. But as a such I also appreciate that the right resolution should also bring ‘moments of joy’. Sometimes they are created with innovative and aesthetically intriguing design and at others it’s as simple as a parent giving themselves their own showering space so they don’t have to dodge the bath toys and baby shampoo every morning. In a way these are the hardest interventions to measure in terms of ‘bang for buck’ because the payoff lies deeply and personally within us and won’t necessarily be valued in the same way by every person. So have confidence in your design, you have now created something that is truly bespoke to you! Best wishes with your new bathroom, you deserve it! L ;-)

      Jane thanked Lorraine
    • Jane
      Original Author
      last year

      Thank you Lorraine. You have summarised my thought process very well and really helped me to think through the design. In terms of layout I am sure it is a little 'marmite' so I look forward to updating when complete.

    • Rachel Sexton Phillips
      last year

      You can get toilets with a sink on the cistern. That will be space saving

    • K OB
      last year

      What the the distances from the shower corner to edge of Bath and in the other direction to edge of vanity unit?

    • Wumi
      last year





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