Should we reverse bathroom door? (With diagram)

[LeafInSoup]

We have a very small bathroom) for a family of 4) and are just about to have it renovated.

One very annoying thing is the door opens into the room and ends up almost cutting it in half making it very difficult for multiple people to come in and out. Often we are in there with the kids brushing teeth etc.

We were thinking of reversing the door (see diagram - dotted line and question mark). But this means the door will open onto a narrow corridor in front of another bedroom doorway which might also be annoying? We will also have to actively leave the door fully open or closed, to stop the hallway being blocked - instead of what we do now which is just leave it constantly ajar.

What would you do?

What is the thing on the left hand wall? Could you hinge it from the other side so it still swings in but bit more space?

Reverse the hinges so it swings in front of the towel rail

If you’re renovating anyway, could you switch to a sliding door (there’s lots about at the minute) if there’s room behind the bath (tap end) or does the bath go right to that wall?

That's what we did. Can you move whatever is on that wall so there is enough clearance for the door?

Yes my bathroom door would be the reverse of your diagram and it works better that way.

Do you really need the door? It sounds like everyone is in and out of there frequently. You could buy a curtain to replace the door when you have guests?

Sliding door for sure

Sliding pocket door. Will fix this

I wouldn’t have it opening outwards. Either switch the hinge to the other side so it opens in front of the towel rail. Or replace with a bifold door, but that can feel less private.

I would look at this it can be moderately expensive but it would be very worth it

Ha ha, thing on the left hand wall is a towel rail/radiator! It is moving closer to the corner in the new bathroom. If we switched the door so it covered the radiator it feels a little better space wise but would then block the heat from the radiator and would also end up smashing into it when the children are not being careful when they open the door. Plus there will be a mirror on that wall next to radiator and it will cover the mirror.

No room for sliding pocket door. Bath in the way and pipes for shower on one side, and bedroom on other side.

agree, this could be a solution, do you think it would work for you @LeafInSoup

It'd only block heat when you have the door opening. Add a door stopper on the floor so it can't smash into it.

Mine opened outwards blocking another door. I have put a folding door in!! Was only £65 from BnQ and looks great

Yes!!

Mine opened outwards blocking another door. I have put a folding door in!! Was only £65 from BnQ and looks great

My bathroom door opens outwards, it makes good use of the dead space it opens onto and it means it doesn't hit against the bath if it were to open inward. It felt a little strange at first but now I don't even notice that it opens into the hallway and not the bathroom.

We had a door that folded into two when we had a very very tiny shower room. Might be worth considering, though they are never as satisfactory as a non folding door I feel.

Id have it opening onto the towel rail. Move the mirror down the wall a bit. Get a good doorstop installed.

Hmm maybe opening against the left wall is the better option.... Just if the door is ajar you can see right into the bath/shower. Which you couldn't with any other configuration.

With kids we tend to leave the door ajar rather than closing and locking.

But opening out will seem weird.

No idea if this is even a possibility but a door that can swing inwards OR outwards, does that exist?? Then it could be inwards when no one is using it, so not blocking the bedroom door, and outwards when someone is.

We had the same bathroom layout as you. We swapped the door to open onto the towel rail. We chose a narrow towel rail and moved it as close towards the sink as we could. The door doesn't fold fully back onto the wall because it's still hindered by the towel rail. However, the useable space in the room seems better because the door isn't in the middle of it anymore.

My bathroom door opened out into hall. After two years, I had it changed back to inward opening. Feels more normal.

My mum has a folding door. Looks and works great for her space. Some great options out there now