Squaring up a small primary bathroom + closet

Project scope: space planning, construction documents

Home: 1952 Ranch style

Problems with the existing bathroom + closet:

• Bathroom lacks storage

• Inefficient use of closet space

• Small shower

• Dislike jog in sink wall

Client goals:

• Make more efficient use of closet and bathroom space

• Larger shower

• Move as little plumbing as possible

Existing Floor Plan

Revised Floor Plan

• The back of closet converted to shower, where a built-in shower seat was designed.

• Bathroom wall return was pushed back to be flush with the shower, opening up the floor space and providing more light in the shower.

• The jog in the sink wall removed.

• Clothes hanging rod reoriented to provide accessible hanging space and allow for more hanging space.

• Portion of closet reallocated to built-in bathroom storage.

• Bathroom outswing door was replaced with a pocket door and widened.

Shower + sink wall elevation sketches

Final Thoughts:

I love reconfiguring bathrooms into functional, efficient and clean spaces. This project was fun because there was a funky closet to borrow space from. This allowed for an overall larger bathroom without expanding the home’s footprint. I also want to call out the pocket door; they are great space saving solutions in small primary suites. In this case, a little more privacy is added by switching the side the pocket door opens.