It’s been almost a year since we wrapped up our kitchen renovation and I think I finally recovered enough from the stress and time-suck of that I-never-thought-it-would-be-finished project to finally start planning our master bathroom addition! When we bought our house six years ago, one of the biggest reasons it hadn’t sold is that the master bathroom is super small. As in ‘I can spread out my arms and almost touch all four walls’ small. Not too surprising since our house was built in the 1940’s but definitely something we want to change before reselling it to get our money’s worth out of the rest of our home. Luckily our master bedroom is on the first floor and there’s space for a bathroom addition right off of it where, until we removed it last year, there was an old wood deck. Our bathroom addition won’t be anything incredibly big (we’re adding about 140 square feet) or fancy but it will absolutely be 100 times better than our current bathroom situation:
Right now, we have this lovely ornate pedestal sink (that doesn’t even have any flat edges to rest toiletries on), a curved Mork from Ork shower jammed in the corner, super dated tile, and of course that lovely overhead boob light that has the loudest bathroom fan in existence. And for some reason the ceilings are only 7 feet tall (it will be interesting to see what we find when we open them up!) so the shower head is an ok height for me but way too low for my husband. It’s basically impossible for two people to coexist in this tiny space at the same time so this little bathroom is all mine while my husband uses our powder room (which strangely is bigger than our master bathroom). Here’s our current layout so you can see how it connects to our bedroom:
and here’s what I’ve schemed up so far for the addition:
Unlike when I first shared the layout for our kitchen renovation with you guys (it was in it’s final phase at that point), this is my first draft of our master bathroom layout so it’s definitely subject to change. You guys gave me so many helpful ideas and input for my kitchen when I shared those plans that I wanted to get your thoughts and input a little earlier in my planning this go-round! I think I have the size of the master bathroom addition in my plan at the max that I can make it due to a few things we have to work around but my contractor is coming out next week and there’s some chance I might be able to make it just a little bigger depending upon what he has to say. Here are a few of the must-haves, ideas, and plans of what I have in mind for our new space:
A Separate Toilet Room
Both of our previous homes had the toilet behind closed doors in its own space and I miss it! Leaving the toilet/septic line near its original location in the old bathroom will save a bit of money and if for some reason we can’t raise the ceilings of our old bathroom space above 7 feet due to something in the ceiling, I’d rather have the toilet in that space than anything else. I LOVE how Kelley Nan made her little toilet room such a stylish space instead of leaving it drab and boring like most people do (it’s such a huge difference from the “before’ – check out the full makeover of her space {here} to see!).
I definitely don’t need to use the entire space of my old bathroom for just a toilet so my thought is to leave a nook in the toilet room for a double door storage cabinet to keep extra toilet paper, toiletries, etc. Then I’d also portion a little piece of the old bathroom into….
A Vanity Nook
Yep, a little vanity nook off of our bedroom with a chair and built-in desktop and shelving. I envision this little nook being a spot to keep my jewelry on the desktop area with purses and other accessories on shelving above. This super cute desk nook from Alicia of Burst of Beautiful is the perfect inspiration:
Alicia’s little nook is off of her kitchen and used as a desk so it functions differently than mine would but I think the design of her space is so smart! The rest of Alicia’s modern farmhouse kitchen is just as beautiful – check it out {here}.
A Walk-In Closet
Having a small walk-in closet might be the feature I’m most excited about in our new bathroom! Right now, my husband and I share this closet – while I glammed it up a few years ago (you can see the “before” of my closet {here}) so it’s both prettier and more functional, it still isn’t a ton of space for two people.
This closet will stay as-is plus we’ll have the small new walk-in closet off the bathroom. Can you guess my plans for which one of us will get which? 🙂
Windows to Show Off the View
The side of our house that the master bathroom will be on has a private wooded view so I definitely need to find a way to work some windows in to take advantage of that. I was thinking about installing a pair of tall, thin windows to flank our vanity but wasn’t sure how I’d like that look. Then I saw Shauna of The House of Silver Lining’s bathroom where she used similar windows to flank her bathroom fireplace and tub and it looks amazing!!
Actually everything about Shauna’s bathroom is amazing – be sure to check out all the details of her space {here}. And if you’re wondering about privacy, Shauna installed black remote controlled shades that blend in with her black window frames – smart! I’ve also considered bringing in more light with a long, narrow window up high in the shower but haven’t decided what I think about that just yet. Any thoughts?
Open Wood Shelving
If you’ve seen our kitchen renovation, you know that I added open wood shelving in one corner of the kitchen and it’s one of my favorite things about the space (all of the details of how the shelves were built and hung are in {this post}):
I’d love to add some open wood shelving to our bathroom too to help warm up a space that’s full of cold, hard surfaces. These thick wood shelves that Mollie of Design Loves Detail has in a recessed nook in her master bathroom have such a beautiful, natural simplicity – love them!
Mollie’s master bathroom is filled with many other elements of simple beauty too – take the tour (and check out her killer closet!) {here}. If you look back up at my master bathroom design plan, I think I’ll have space for some recessed shelving like this on the wall to the left of my vanity.
A Freestanding Tub?
I’d love to get your opinion on this one! You might notice that the possible layout of our master bathroom doesn’t include a bathtub. That’s because adding a bathtub would make everything in our bathroom a really tight squeeze and significantly decrease the size of the closet we’re able to add. Having a tub isn’t important to me or my husband but we’ll be reselling in a few years and would love to know your thoughts about buying a house without a tub in the master bathroom (we do have two other standard tubs in our house). Is having a tub in the master bathroom a must-have for you or are you ok with just a shower and more closet space?
I honestly didn’t think there was even an option for having both a tub and shower in a bathroom the size of mine without it looking was too crammed but this stunning bathroom designed by Nicole of Eye for Pretty proved me wrong:
Love everything about this space so much! Nicole is one of my favorite designers to follow on Instagram – everything she touches is gorgeous! You can find her on Instagram at @eyeforpretty {here}.
All of the Pretties!!
My favorite thing about designing a new space is finding all of the beautiful things for it. I haven’t gotten too far with that just yet since I’m focused on nailing down the layout first, but these are just a few of the pretties I’ve saved as possibilities for my space:
Click for Sources (affiliate links): Double vanity | Faux tangerine branch | Marble & brass canisters | Marble & brass soap dispenser | Tile (I also love {this one}) | Woven tray | Striped Turkish towel | Woven wastebasket | Bath brush | Striped trays | Planter
None of these choices are set in stone but they at least give you an idea of the look and feel that I’m going for! Do any of you happen to have this vanity? Would love to know if it’s as pretty in person as it is in the online image.
Update! Our master bathroom is DONE!
Come on over to {this post} to check out my master bathroom reveal!
Enjoy your weekend,
Hi Kris: In re to window in shower area, take it from one who knows…DONT DO IT!!! More trouble than its worth!!! Your idea about the slim windows flanking you vanity is fantastic!!! As regards the tub and the concern about space, if you have . a tub in your other bathroom, this should suffice for resale purposes. The money that you save on the additional tub can go towards some other project in the remodel. Finally, good luck with your new addition and please post before and afters.
Thanks so much for your input Corinne!!
great lay-out Kris, very thoughtful & user friendly. I would kill for such a space in my 1860 house!
the tub? I would not, it seems as though it is a necessary feature in design images but for usage, not as much
will enjoy watching from afar!
xo
Debra
I had no idea your house was built in 1860 – I bet it’s oozing with charm!
I would use pocket doors for the closet and toilet rooms, also change the door swing in the bedroom. Like the windows in the bathroom, why not put a port hole window in the toilet room.
That’s a great call with the pocket doors! Unfortunately that toilet room backs on our family room so no option for windows there 🙁
This is a gorgeous addition to your home – very well laid out plan. If you don’t use a bathtub, the shower should be fine. However, you might check the other homes in your area to see if they have a tub or just a shower in the master bathroom. This could make a big difference in selling your home – although as pretty as your home is, you’ll probably have no problem. I myself, am a tub person. There is nothing more relaxing than escaping to my master bath to soak in the tub and getting away from it all.
Thanks so much for your input Barbara! While I don’t need a tub for myself, resale is definitely a concern…
This was a fun read. I’m going back to check out the other blogs you showcased.
I love the look of the vanity you picked out. I hope it looks good and functions well for you ( doors & drawers).
I love the look of the two tall slim windows in the bath pictured. I think that would bring in lovely light into your bath.
As for a tub in your master bath, go for the bigger closet. Your closet as is would be a no go for me. A bigger walk in is a “ must” when I’m house hunting. I’m going to do a bathroom refresh and have decided to take my tub out and make a big, beautiful spa like shower. Both my husband & I would enjoy that, whereas a tub is taking up valuable real estate. We have a generous tub in our main bath, so that should suffice,
I’m with you Joanna – I can definitely live without a tub but having the small closet we currently have is rough!!
Having re-done our Master Bath in the last year (and love it!) here are a few suggestions I would make. Checking with Realtors and contractors, we were always told a tub in Master Bath is not necessary unless you want one. As long as there is a tub on the first floor of your home, it will not affect the resale value of your home. And windows, no! They are a nuisance to clean in a bathroom and then there is the expense of covering them. If you need or want them for light, put them high and with some kind of non-see through glass. You’ll get your light but not have to deal with cleaning or covering them.
Everything you do always looks lovely and I’m sure your Master Bath will end up that way, too. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for your input Sharon! I do think I’m going to have some windows in there because we have an insanely beautiful, private view that would be a shame not to showcase but I think I’ll skip the one in the shower. Congrats on your new master bath – that’s awesome!!
I had a freestanding tub in my last house and I never used it. I think they look pretty but if you aren’t a bath person, they can be big waste of space. I don’t think it’s a deal killer for resale either. I think big showers are more practical and if I had to choose between closet space and a big bathtub I would definitely choose closet.
I think your plan looks beautiful. I love how you broke up the bathroom. Would you share the app you used to create the floor plan? I’ve been searching for a good tool.
Thanks for your input Andrea! I used a free trial of SmartDraw thinking that I would pay for a month or two of it if I liked it but then I found that you can only buy it for a year at a time 🙁
Skip the tub. It is a space-waster in my book. When we built our house last year, I put in a bigger shower and a longer vanity instead of the tub. I don’t miss it a bit. One less fixture to clean.
Great to know – thanks Suz!
Hi,
So I have a new master bathroom with similar features. Big fat yes to the separate toilet room. Now I can be using the sink and someone can be in there without polluting my experience. Our electrician suggested a timer for the fan in there and it is great addition. We have room for a big soaking tub but I haven’t yet been in it since we moved back home in October. My kids have, but not me. Maybe for Mother’s Day? A girl can dream…
I have similar open shelves with baskets from a the Container Store. I like having the extra storage, but to be honest at this point I’m not really using it all. It’s more decorative than anything. Not a bad problem to have I guess. I wish I was as good at thinking through the actual decorative touches because it’s pretty stark in here, but I’ll get on the ball sometime.
Good luck with your project!
I was laughing out loud about “polluting my experience” – perfect way to describe it 🙂 And I love the idea of the fan timer – never would have thought of that!! Thanks!
Pocket doors are space saver and I used that for toilet room. I have two big windows in my shower. we are on 5 acres and have no one around so no worries about that. I won’t cover them and it’s great light. My electrician said no for chandelier about our tub. I put one outside in the master above the bed. I bought a soaking tub from wayfair or joss and main cant remember. It is not hooked up yet or is shower plumbing in bit I’m prob would leave tub out next go around. I would also next time put a window above the Sinks for light and view and not mirrors. Looks great ! Can’t wait to follow along. I also did barn doors every where else in master for space saving too.
Your house sounds amazing! Thanks so much for all of the ideas!
Windows by vanity to let light in would be good. In a shower ? No. Not unless it is high and away from any water spray. Tub? Would be ok, but why waste space when a nice large shower is much more functional? Agree with others that a tub is not a necessity as long as there is another in the home. All I can say about a stand alone tub is that they are a pain to clean – you aren’t just cleaning the inside and front, you are cleaning all around it on the outside as well. If you have hard water, then you will really not be happy with all that scrubbing. So, for me, just for the look….I wouldn’t do that one at all. Showers and clear glass doors are enough problems to keep pristine. Love all your ideas and your style is just beautiful. This will be fun to see the end result!
I never actually thought about cleaning it when it’s jammed in the corner – such a good point!
I built my house four years ago and went for a large shower in the master and no tub. My builder said as long as you have a tub in one of the other bathrooms it wouldn’t hurt resale values but then he was a builder and not a realtor. I love my big shower. I’ve owned an older home with a window in the shower and it was a constant worry trying to keep water off of it so I would say no to that idea. My master bathroom doesn’t have a window at all unfortunately but with white subway tile and white marble floors it’s bright and I don’t miss a window.
Your plan looks great!
Thanks for sharing your experience with the shower window – so good to know!
This weekend, we installed the same corner shower treatment in our shore bungalow. It’s now tainted with the ‘Mork from Ork’ description. Sigh
I thought the before was quite lovely for a small space.
I’m not against corner showers at all! The frosted glass doors and hardware of ours is just incredibly dated!
A free-standing tub is pretty but a tub with a surround is more practical. Unless you have super long legs it’s so much easier to get in and out if you can sit on the tub surround. Also gives you a place to put more pretty things.
Good points! Thanks Jeanne!
Although the long windows to the floor are pretty they take up precious wall space. Personally having remodeled my master, I would use that wall space for a longer vanity that includes a sit down space and many more drawers. You will find valuable storage with a stack of several drawers and not regret it. Place the windows up higher and extend the vanity to the left for the make up area. One window would be over the sit down space. I would have a carpenter make it to your specs and not buy a ready made vanity . The vanity you show has hardly any space on the counter. In the toilet room, have the storage cabinet built in for linens and toiletries.
Install a great LED light in the shower. Also Solatubes are a great way to bring in natural light
Thanks for your input Nanci! I’m definitely going with ready-made instead of carpenter built-ins only because the cost difference is huge and we aren’t going to be in this house more than a couple of more years. Love the advice about the LED shower light and Solutubes – thanks!!
I don’t require a bathtub in my master bath. I have a soaking tub but never use it. I think you’re very smart to eliminate a bathtub. I would like to suggest a zero entry shower — I’m getting ready to renovate my master bath and will be including this in my design. Good luck with your master bath addition.
Jennifer Tichacek
Thanks so much for your input and good luck with your renovation too!
Lovely, indeed. And I like your vertical windows idea. The two things I’d change, and this is just personal preference, is the walk in closet and the vanity area.
1. Walk in closet: I’m not a fan of having to enter the bathroom to get to my closet. I feel it reduces privacy and, to me, privacy defines a bathroom.
2. Vanity: while great on paper, I fear it will begin to look visually cluttered, adding to the business of a room where serenity is king. Perhaps narrow double doors that open all the way to the vanity?
Anyway, that’s my two cents worth!
Best of luck!
Cynthia
Thanks Cynthia! We actually had our closet off the bathroom in our old house and I loved it – my husband is a super early riser so it was nice that he could rummage around in there without waking me up! I’m kinda torn on the vanity – you make some good points. Thank you!
One thing I wish we had in master shower is a larger built – in nook for shampoo soap. Maybe two! Also wish the shower had a built in tile seat.
Yes! I definitely want a big nook in there! I actually had a built in seat in our last shower and never once sat on it but maybe I should for resale… Thank you!
Kris, no word from the senior crowd, so here goes. When we built our big house, we were in our early 40’s. Now we are in our 60’s and the back, hips and knees are going out and it is hard to get up and down into a tub as well as being a safety issue for falling. We are looking to down size and are trying to find a place with a nice spa shower. No luck so far. If you have a tub anywhere else in the house, I vote no tub. It might appeal to young buyers, but not so much to aging Boomers and up and that is a pretty large segment to possibly cut out.
That’s a really great point! Thank you so much for the input!
New floor plan looks great, you’ll have all the space you’ll need with the walk in closet and all the added square feet in the bathroom.
Thanks Debbie! I’m really looking forward to it!
Am so excited for your new bathroom plans!
My input: I’d never ever live without my soaker tub – so a tub in the master is a must for me – and for resale. How do folks not let Calgon take them away every chance they get???!!!!
Personally I wouldn’t use wooden shelves in a bathroom cuz I am a germaphob and am always bleach water cleaning services in the bathroom. Just saying – love the look in kitchen, but whew for me I’d freak if I had to worry about permeating germs on wood surfaces. Yes, I am a weirdo.
Get the biggest closet you are able to conjure up…..I am so grateful both my hubs and I have huge private walk-in closets. Seriously the back yard and those closets sold us on this house. Now if I could just get hubs to let me straighten his closet I could actually blog about them – but he won’t let me and he refuses to do himself, so there’s the rub, haha.
Good luck – and happy Mother’s Day to your mom – she sounds like a sweetheart.
Thank you Michelle!! Unfortunately I can’t have both a soaker tube and a good sized closet – gotta choose (which makes it hard!!). And good point about the wood shelves – I’d definitely have to polyurethane those to be really cleanable. Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
I thought that I wanted a free standing tub until I tried getting in and out of one. Then I quickly changed my mind. They are beautiful to look at but not practical..
I’ve actually never used a freestanding tub so you’ve given me something new to consider – thank you!
I am a bath person and appreciate having one in my master bath. But if you aren’t and already have another in the house, don’t waste the precious space. I wouldn’t do a window in the shower but you may want to consider a skylight since this is a one story addition. We put one in when we remodeled our master bath in our previous home. The bathroom was always bathed in light even on gloomy northeast days. I love that you added a vanity area. I had one in our previous home and miss sitting down to do my makeup away from the bathroom vanity. Your plans look great so far. I’m looking forward to seeing it progress.
Love the idea of the skylight!! Thanks!
Beautiful plan Kris! I vote no tub. My master bath tub was replaced with floor to ceiling white 12″x4″ subway tiled walk-in shower last summer. It has a built-in tiled bench at one end. It has a subtle putty colored pencil trim at the 6′ level and niche for shampoo and shower wash above the bench. The guest bathtub is available for a relaxing bath, but I never use it. Did you consider a sink/vanity for the toilet room? It would also give you storage underneath. Excited to see your masterpiece bathroom!
That sounds beautiful!! And I hadn’t thought about a sink/vanity for the toilet room but that’s definitely a thoughtful idea I should think about!
Kris,
I always love your projects. They are always well-thought out and beautifully designed. I don’t believe a tub in the master is a requirement as long as there’s a tub in one of the other bathrooms. Your house has so many great features, I wouldn’t think a tub in a master is a deal breaker for anyone. But you never know. Your home will sell quickly and it will be the buyer that insists on a tub that loses if they walk away. 🙂
xo,
Karen
It’s definitely a tough call! Luckily almost everyone around here lives in an older home so buyers are used to not getting everything they want. Still – you never know what will be a deal breaker! Hope you had a nice Mother’s Day Karen!
Hey Kris… am undergoing a bathroom renovation myself so this post is timely! I believe a tub is a must although neither myself nor my husband have ever use our 6 foot jacuzzi. Resale is always eminent in our plans.
Do not overlook Amazon for all your needs! i just bought a bathroom vanity..ALL WOOD construction, cararra marble countertop, sinks, and mirror through Amazon. Also!!.. do not overlook buying used faucets. We got Kohler faucets that were at a used price only because the packaging was somewhat damaged. Faucets themselves were perfect!! Something to consider…
Good luck with the project. You will enjoy the process…at least I did!
Love the tips about Amazon and the faucets! Thank you!
What a lovely plan! I’m with all those who favored a bigger closet over a tub. I also second Cynthia T’s comment regarding visual clutter generated by a vanity in the bed room. I don’t think it’s a practical location. What if you want to wash your hands after applying makeup, or you want to get ready while your husband is asleep? I’d suggest moving it inside the bathroom in essentially the same space. You’d extend the wall on the bedroom side near the door and open it inside the bathroom between the toilet room and the bathroom door. You’d need to change the swing of that door., but it could work.
I actually think the vanity would be for my jewelry more than makeup so I think with some pretty jewelry storage it could look quite nice. But I hear you on the visual clutter – I’m definitely going to give that part of the plan some more thought. Thanks!
Looks really great. My recommendation would not be to have the make up vanity open to the master bedroom, especially straight across from the entrance. There is always going to be a mess and you don’t want to have to look at it. I would open it to the hall and make it more functional than on display.
Thanks so much for your input Jennifer!
Kris:
Agreed on no window in shower. Ledge just stays moist and gunks up with “stuff”. Not worth this bit of light gained. Also, I don’t feel it’s necessary to have a tub in a master. Larger shower (perhaps steam shower and small bench or teak stool or multi jet or dual shower heads to fancy it up) is better option, as allows you to keep the walk in closet reasonably sized. Have fun with this project and try not to stress! Lucky you – a brand new master bathroom space soon!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts Keri!!
Forgot to mention….agree with multiple comments about trying to incorporate the vanity area as part of the bathroom. The idea of a vanity area in the bedroom sounds romantic, but think if you really will use this as a dressing/makeup application area it would serve one better as part of the bathroom, ideally not far from the sink area. Perhaps a licensed bathroom designer could offer the most efficient use of the space you have drafted? Finally – consider using pocket doors instead of traditional hinged/hung doors. Will save you lots of space – you might even have room to place those built in recessed shelves on the wall near the doorway if you don’t need to worry about the door swing.
I think you’d enjoy pocket doors, especially in the toilet room. Looks like you have room and space to accommodate light switches and plugs. Not barn doors.
Thanks Liz – love the idea of pocket doors for the toilet room!
Hi there love, love your ideas! I would definitely forget about the bath tub. A free standing tub in a small area is a nightmare to clean around. You have to be on your hands and knees to get to all the corners. Time consuming and lets face it, FREESTANDING bath tubs need to be that, to show them off.
Can’t imagine how Nicole must struggle to clean the floor area between the bath and window…. probably has to be in the bath to accomplish that.
I had never really thought about cleaning it but that’s so true – it would be tough to really clean all around it in the corner!
Love your design ideas! Regarding a tub in the master bath, DO IT!!!
Thanks so much for your input!
Love your current plans. IMO a tub is a must have. We recently installed a freestanding slipper styletub purchased at Wayfair and I love it. I am sure whatever you do will turn out great. I based my kitchen update on many a few of your selections and thank you for that.
Thanks so much for your input. And I’m so glad you found a little inspiration from my kitchen! XOXO