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?

could you hang the sliding door outside the bathroom on the corridor side, there are loads of options available

This - it wont block heat at all. Another alternative is splitting the door down the middle to have a centre opening door (seen this in lots if en suites) double - Also you could do a folding bi fold door?

This is single door split in the middle idea - I’m sure there’s a fancy name for this put it’s actually lovely in real life.

Not worked out your diagram sorry too early still for me but I changed my bathroom door so it opens out onto the landing. Works fine and made all the difference within the bathroom. I thought we might have accidents with opening the door onto someone in the hall but there’s just us two adults and it’s only happened or nearly happened once or twice

Those are not reasons not to do what is suggested. Those are excuses.

Can you move the bath to the back wall and toilet /sink where the bath is, then switch the door hinges?

you don’t mention your kids ages but before you know it they’ll want bathroom privacy and you won’t have multiple people going in the bathroom.

I had a door like this to the bathroom in my room when in hospital, it opened both inwards and outward. I assume it’s to gain access if someone has fallen but also for wheelchair access.

you need another bathroom by the sounds of things. is there an airing cupboard or something next to the bathroom that could be made into a loo and wash hand basin? do any rooms lend themselves to having a bit cut out to make an en-suite?

In building regulations, all non-domestic toilet cubicles and rooms have to have doors that can, in an emergency, open outwards or be lifted off their hinges. It’s because so many fall onto the door.

I was just going to mention this. My mum fell in her bathroom against the door (door opened inwards) and we couldn't get to her or open the door enough to get to the hinges - she couldn't move as she had had a stroke. Paramedics ended up calling the fire brigade who had to break in through the window. I know it could have happened in any room with an inward opening door - but the bathroom does seem most likely. We've now got an outward opening door in our own house to future proof...!

Wtf 😂😂 The OP doesn't even need reasons not to do what is suggested, given that it's her house 🤣

@LeafInSoup we have a very similar situation and we've moved the door to open on the left as we didn't really want an outward opening door for the same reasons. Where's the window in your bathroom? Could you have the basin on that wall, but further away so the door doesn't foul, and then the towel rail on the same wall as the toilet?

Thanks for all the suggestions, most of them I had already thought of and discounted. I think I might ensure that whatever we choose we can easily change the door to a different configuration if it doesn't work out the way we hope.
I'm glad at least one person has an outward opening door and finds it OK!

Yes

much better opening up against the rad

Not outward opening though with all those other doors there