Is this a decent bathroom layout?

[imabusybee]

Finally have a few moments to myself so what do I do? Start measuring up the area we'll have as a bathroom once our extension is done and we've moved the bathroom upstairs. It'll be roughly 300 x 184cm with no windows (sob) and the door can either be there or 90cm further to the right on the same wall.

Are we better off with a bath with shower over or the freestanding rolltop I've put on the plan? I've always wanted a freestanding bath. Want the bath to have a bit of a 'wow' factor as it'll be the only toilet in the house and we're spending a lot to get it upstairs.

As plotted on the plan will it be too pokey? Ideas please! Thank you :)

[MrsTaraPlumbing]

Some thoughts that may be helpful:

Is there an option for the door to open outwards instead of into the room? - unusual but will gain valuable space if yis is possible.

To get all 4 of these things in the room will be a squash, though of course it is possible.
If you want to max the wow factor of roll top bath you could buy the roll top free standing against wall bath with a shower screen - so the shower is above the bath & you have more floor space.
If you must have a shower cubicle you could consider a different shape such as a pentagonal shower tray.

Have you considered - moving the door in the way you suggest (and open outward if possible) then putting the bath along the wall where the door currently opens.
The basin could then be in the space between shower and bath on opposite wall to where it is on your current layout.
And the toilet could be swivelled to face in the other direction, into the centre of the room.

[Kiwiinkits]

I have a similar sized bathroom and I really think what you've proposed is too much of a squash. Put the shower over the bath and move the loo to where the shower cubicle is. Otherwise you'll have no circulation room. In practical terms, no circulation room means that only one kid can brush their teeth at a time.
Also, have you considered how your shower door will open? Not much space for opening the door.

[PerspicaciaTick]

Don't squish the toilet against a wall. People will sit on it from the side and knacker the hinges, and if anyone's arse is wider than the toilet they will end up perched on one edge.

[Kiwiinkits]

I wouldn't centralise the bath. Push it up against the wall. Plumbing will be easier and cheaper that way.

Also, consider a custom vanity that extends all the way to the wall (assuming you're moving the loo to the space freed up by removing the shower cubicle). A large vanity is FANTASTIC because you'll have lots of bathroom storage. And storage makes for a tidier, happier home.

[imabusybee]

Thanks everyone for your posts really helpful! Unfortunately I don't think it would be a good idea to have the door opening into the hall instead of the bathroom as it's very very narrow and only as wide as the width of a door anyway.

[FishWithABicycle]

I agree with others that this layout is too crowded. As well as having more space around the loo you need to think about ease of access to the loo if it's the only one in the house. If someone is desperate they want to get to the loo as quick as possible and tucking it into a corner beyond all the other things isn't user friendly. I would put the bath, with shower over, along the short wall furthest from the door, the loo along the long wall between the door and the bath, and the sink in the corner in front of the door.

[mandy214]

I think it looks crowded now, but I think with a bit of re-jigging you can still get all those elements in. I agree with Fish that I would move the bath to the short wall (right hand side of your plan) and have it along that wall. You can make that wall behind it a kind of feature wall with lovely tiles, maybe wall mounted taps into a double ended bath. The width of the room is 183cm so you'd just have to be careful with the length of the bath.

I'd then put the shower opposite the door in the left hand corner - pick an enclosure that is as much glass as possible with no ugly frame, and it will not seem overpowering when you open the door.

Toilet can then go between the shower and the bath on the back wall, sink where it is now (although what is the shading around it - would lose that).

[BakeItOff]

I also agree this is too crowded. We moved into a house that had a gorgeous roll top bath in a tiny space and it was just daft - a bit fur coat no knickers IYSWIM. I'd go for a standard bath that maximises space, but spend money on food taps etc to get a higher spec feel.

I'd rather have the shower over the bath than have a pokey shower cubicle where my arse hits the door every time I bend down to get the shampoo or whatever, and have as much floor space as possible for bathing/dressing children.

[Kitsmummy]

I'm with Mandy...shower opposite the door, bath along short wall on right hand side, but I'd put a smallish basin between shower and bath and a toilet just to the right of the door

[imabusybee]

Honestly so grateful for all your comments this is invaluable. Will have a rejig later on the planner taking on board some of your comments. It's easy to ram things into the planner but not know how it will look IRL!

[imabusybee]

OK I did it just now... 2 other options attached!

[Merriboo]

where does the soil pipe comes in, surely that will determine where the best place for the toilet to be located?

[PerspicaciaTick]

Personally, I prefer the second option with the shower over the bath. Mainly because the gap between the corner of the cubicle and the corner of the sink unit looks a bit tight and I'd be forever catching my hip on the corner.
But both designs look better than your original.

[Merriboo]

Access into the room could 'feel' a squeeze with the freestanding shower option. Plus where will storage for bath towels/toiletries be?

Have you considered the loom of a free standing/roll top bath but with an over bath shower?

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

Do you need a heated towel rail and a rad in a room that size? we have a large heated towel rail in two of our bathrooms (which are larger than yours by quit a bit) and they give off plenty of heat.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

Quite*


I'd get rid of the rad and have a bigger heated towel rail put in.

FWIW, I prefer the first option in your most recent post. I'd have a wider console basin unit fitted in the space you've freed up by losing the radiator. I would go for a freestanding shower instead of an over bath as I find they are often feeble and/or uncomfortable/messy to use.

The big shower curtain / rain head / roll top option sounds v romantic but a soggy shower curtain is never fun, the voluminous damp/wet curtain will be impractical when you want to lift it out for a bath (and then it sits on your floor, leaving puddles, watermarks and hidden places for mould & mildew) and when in use, the shower curtain will do that annoying thing of instantly trying to stick to you.

[wowfudge]

You could put an offset quad shower in your second scheme to allow more clearance between the shower and sink. Also think about the actual usable space once walls are tiled, etc. If you are already tight for space it can make a difference. As we have just learned - ended up taking one wall which bowed out back to brick and plasterboarding tightly to the wall. It means we can put an 80cm wide bath in instead of a 70cm one.

OP have you looked at something like B&Q's double-ended Helena bath? It's a back-to-the-wall one with round front corners and the wrap around bath panel goes in towards the floor. This means you get a generous sized bath without it being too imposing. Taps can be wall or deck mounted or floor standing. Just a thought.

[MehsMum]

I think you're better off with no shower cubicle - makes for a lot more space - and second the suggestion to replace the rad with a heated towel rail (though these are buggers to dust...)

The only thing I'd add is to think about having a cupboard somewhere e.g. under your sink. It looks as if you are planning to do that anyway, which will give some surround to your basin to put things down on e.g. contact lenses, make-up, and somewhere to keep the cleaning stuff, spare soap, extra bog roll etc etc. We once had a minute bathroom with just a small cabinet on the wall and it drove me MAD.

[CanYouHearThePeopleSing]

I've got a bathroom with almost exactly the same dimensions as yours, and I have one of the layouts you're looking at - with the bath on the right hand wall, and the shower in the corner opposite the door. We have a 900mm quadrant shower, which makes a massive difference - the feeling of space as you enter the room isn't compromised (you're not faced with a sharp corner as you enter), and you still have plenty of elbow room in the shower.
We've also got plenty of storage with a sink like this victoriaplum.com/product/odessa-wenge-floor-mounted-600-door-unit-amp-basin-od01, and a cupboard like this : victoriaplum.com/product/odessa-oak-wall-cabinet-wc04 (on the same wall as the door, next to the bath.

There's plenty of circulation space - it works just fine. We do have a big window, which also makes the room feel bigger, but I guess there's nothing you can do about that!

We have a big (1.6m ish I think) towel heater behind the door - it's more than enough to heat the room. With hindsight, i'd get a taller one, just so that I could put more towels on it if I wanted to.

I'd never had a free standing shower before, and I LOVE it. If you shower a lot (rather than bathe) it makes a big difference - it's so much nicer to shower in, and means you don't need a shower screen (which can get in the way for bathing children) or curtain.

[imabusybee]

Thank you everyone - the soil pipe will be being put in for the first time so the location of the toilet isn't dependent on where it is already (we currently have a downstairs bathroom which we're moving upstairs but soilpipe will be relocated to do this - which is a big expense but neccessary).

canyouhearthepeoplesing really pleased to hear from someone who has the same dimensions in their bathroom! I have looked at quadrant showers but worried it would feel too cramped whilst you're in the shower?

I'm not a fan generally of shower curtains - I know screens are tricky to keep clean but I hate soggy mouldy curtains with a passion after many years spent in rented digs with them!

[imabusybee]

Oo also wowfudge I will look at the B&Q bath you suggested, thank you!

[BrianButterfield]

How big/tall are you all? We got a 900mm quadrant shower as when DH stood in an 800mm one he could hardly move his arms!

[yomellamoHelly]

Your third option with shower bath is the option I was going to suggest. An overly full cramped bathroom would be lacking in wow factor for me. Am sure if you go to a decent tile shop they can suggest some ways of adding a bit of vavavoom. Don't forget to think where you can add a bit of storage in either.