The other option is a more 'Traditional' bath layout, about 10 x 20' overall. The only window is by the freestanding tub, but we'd probably add some skylights. This design uses the 'His' space in the other design for a second master closet. The vanities here are 42" and 60". For various construction reasons, the fixture placement in this one is pretty 'set'.

I'd really love to hear your preferences and reasons for those preferences. My question is really mostly about resale value as either design will work well for us functionally.

I find the shape of the floor area, and the relationship of the tub and larger vanity to the entry door kind of unpleasant.

I prefer the first rendition, except that I would relocate the âÂÂherâ entrance door to opposite his in the hallway, and rearrange the sink location along the wall where the door formerly was. That way you wouldnâÂÂt have any doors on the bedroom walls that lead directly into a bathroom.

For practical reasons, I'd vote for a single larger master bath. Also, at least in my part of the country, it has better resale potential. Unless you can have two huge his and hers bathrooms, a buyer will prefer at least one big master bath. I will personally miss the space of a bigger bathroom unless you have some specific reasons to have separate bathrooms.

I agree with Nanny2 to move the entrance to her bath to avoid having a door to the bathroom on your bedroom wall. I'd love to have a space like that and separate bathrooms. Good luck with your project!

Thanks for the great feedback and suggestions! Exactly the kinds of thoughts I was hoping for --

To those of you who suggested relocating 'her' door to opposite 'his' -- What about the 'door city' there? The bedroom door can't really move due to the attic access doorway and the A/C return air. Wouldn't that be too many doors in one space?

I was also wondering what to do about flooring there in the 'mini-hall' between the two. The hallway into the bedroom is hardwood, and we were wanting hardwood in the bedroom also. Would that seem odd? Or odd to do something else?

I like the first layout with the suggestions Nanny mentioned. I wouldn't worry about the doors being all together. I think it makes it nicer that they are. I believe I'd prefer to have a solid wall there where the door currently is for your bath.

Where the door is now in the 2 bath version you have a possible sightline issue:

This post was edited by palimpsest on Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 23:15

What about something like this? With further tweaking maybe you could share a toilet and connect the two parts into one suite.

That sightline - yikes! I'm so glad you pointed that out Palimpsest.

The major structural issue is the direction of the rafters between the first floor below and the second floor plumbing, plus supporting the roof overhead, so some options (like Palimpsest's most recent sketch) are much more difficult than you'd think. Also, the wall off to the right of the drawing is stone - no windows, with limited window options on the bottom wall also.

If you went with version two, could you move your bed to the outside wall, use the version one bathrooms area(s) for your closet(s) , close up the far left door to the version 2 bath and make a long double bowl vanity on the wall behind the toilet and move the tub to the wall where the inner(left) door is now. You could eliminate the linen closet and create a space in that bathroom clothes closet for your linens.

edited to answer your preference question. I would prefer version one as I love having my own bathroom , no matter how small (and they don't look that small).

This post was edited by lizbeth-gardener on Fri, Sep 5, 14 at 2:38

Single people would probably prefer the single bath.

If I were buying a house with DH would love to have seperate bathrooms. It would be a big plus (at least for me) for the house.

Which do you and DH prefer?

We have his and her baths and I considered it a definite plus when we bought. Now that we are used to it I'd never go back! Ours are on opposite sides of the Mbr, so can't be combined but they are quite large, ESP mine.

A few things.

Definitely make the doors facing; maybe pockets? No one ever closes pockets but here that's ok

IMHO her bath needs a shower too. I think on a daily basis most people take a shower, so in your layout I'm not sure if people might end up in his bath anyway.
Also, my DH has a wet room. We've been unhappy with it. Coldness is solved w a heated floor, but we are curb less and have trouble w water. Make sure the shower design properly directs and contains water.

I think his and her baths work when they are both a more generous size, i.e . they are both masters. In your case I would combine the two into one very nice master instead of two somewhat cramped standard baths.

Some really great ideas - thanks!

Seems there's a divide between the "I'd strongly prefer a single" and "I'd strongly prefer his & hers" -- which is not a surprise, and is my main question really.

KSWL's point about "If there are two, they need to be more generously-sized is a good one -- I think the 'hers' bath could be a big bigger, and the bedroom's pretty darned big...

Mtnrdredux's point about the facing pocket doors is one I'm "discussing" with Hubby now. I'm thinking that alleviates the 'separateness' issue to some degree for those who'd prefer to visit while getting dressed. But Hubby hates pocket doors, having been locked in a bathroom once because of a cheesy pocket door... We'd never do a 'cheesy' one, but this may not be a winnable battle. The suggestion to add a 'her' shower also rings true.

What about enlarging 'her' bath slightly, taking ~two feet from the bedroom, and replacing 'her' vanity with a shower. Then rotate the tub 90 degrees and using the extra width to put 'her' vanity on the bedroom wall opposite the tub? More spacious, with everything you'd need.

While I like the idea of separate his and hers bathrooms, I would not like having my "hers" bathroom without a shower. I am a shower person generally, so I would have to go to "his" bathroom to shower and then walk all the way back to the "hers" bathroom (through the bedroom) to comb my hair, etc since my things would presumably be in the "hers" bathroom vanity.

If you do go with the separate bathrooms, I would definitely put "her" door across from "his" and probably make them pocket doors. Relocate "her" vanity to the wall where you have "her" door pictured now. Then use the same bathroom flooring material in the nook between the two bathrooms so that although the rooms would be somewhat separate, they would be joined enough that someone could walk from one shower to the other vanity.

I personally would prefer a single large bathroom, though I absolutely agree with Palimpsest that the floor layout and especially tub and larger vanity relationship seems off.

Here is a version of the single.

It's actually slightly smaller than the version you drew but I think it would look and "feel" better especially from the bedroom door. This keeps the toilet in the same place but Flips it, or perhaps moves it inches, which isn't cheap but is less expensive than moving it to a different joist space. I don't think it give the perfect symmetry around the tub like I'd like, so I am going to try it moving it a foot or so which may not be possible. It depends what's happening with the joists and the ceiling below.

This moves the toilet to end up with a very symmetrical arrangement:

I like the version Pal posted just above. It looks better on paper and would certainly be more spacious for both of you.

As to the symmetry of the tub---I think far too much is made of making a bathtub the "focal point" of a bathroom. It's nice when the layout works symmetrically, but I don't think it really matters. I've seen some bathrooms with tubs that almost look like altars the way they are elevated with steps and so on....kind of silly IMO.

Here's a comparison of your version to my second version.

I tend to design functional bathrooms for myself, where everything has about the minimum clearances but looks reasonable aesthetically. Generally there is no room for symmetry.

But I think a free standing bath and double vanities tend to dictate some sort of well balanced arrangement if not actual symmetry.

And here is a comparison of the first one I did where as far as I can see in the drawing, the toilet is in nearly identical position in terms of the drainage:

I like the his and her baths, but I agree that you need a shower in hers. I don't think there is quite enough room. If you return to the idea of a single toilet in that space with one door from the bedroom, maybe this idea would work. Or you could put his vanity in the shower room but share the toilet and shower and keep the vanities separate.

IâÂÂve found that the biggest bonus to having separate his and her bathrooms is not having to share the same sink area. In our home, we have a toilet closet which we both use, and a large shower which we both use. My bathroom consists of a garden tub, sink and long vanity area, and my husband has a separate sink and counter in another room. This arrangement has worked very well for us for 30 years. We often get ready at the same time, yet each having a separate sink and vanity allows us both to do all the shaving, cleansing, tooth brushing, makeup and hair drying without ever bumping into each other. Having to share the same shower or toilet has never been an issue at all!

ThatâÂÂs why I prefer the first option, although with pocket doors on the entrance wall, opposite each other.

What fabulous suggestions - thanks!

Palimpsest - I love your latest symmetrical (lavender) sketch. The only thing that concerns me is the opposite-facing vanity mirrors. I've seen that a few times, and found that the facing mirrors cause this 'endless reflection' thing that drives me bonkers. Of course, I've never lived with it, though. Does anyone here have that 'opposite mirrors' layout? And is is a problem for you?

Politically, Hubby is willing to build me the extra shower if it means I drop the opposite-facing pocket doors. (Did I mention he HATES pocket doors?)

I think a single bathroom would have to be quite spectacular to be preferable to his and her bathrooms.

Glad you are thinking of adding a shower to the "her". I want to add that I think people are building needlessly large ones (the PO put one in my "her" bath that's is 8x8 iirc) . We put in four new showers at the beachhouse and I think they are more like 3x4 and, they are totally fine. I was so worried they'd feel small!

What if you have only one door, and then when you enter, there is just an opening right and left? The door would be opposite the attic access.

As for other layouts, most MBA have separate sinks nowadays. To me separate toilets and showers are the true luxury. I would only do it if you can do both.

I also wanted to elaborate on the doorless shower. Just hire someone who has tiled one in before. The designers all like them and act like it's what all the cool kids are doing, but the tradespeople may learn on your job.

This post was edited by mtnrdredux on Fri, Sep 5, 14 at 13:33

So now for some more history --
I left it off the first few posts intentionally because I didn't want to influence people's opinions about which plan they preferred and/or why.

But as it happens, the 'his' bath pretty much already exists. It would just be a matter of installing some upgraded fixtures in their current locations. The 'her' bath also has easier drain-line access than the 'main traditional', which was my desired plan originally. (With Palimpsest's improvements). The only reasons we considered a his & her plan were for ease of plumbing and because Hubby likes his privacy. (Probably also because he's tidier than I am, but he's sweet enough not to say that.) I had/have some misgivings about the two-smaller baths aspect instead of the 'grand' master that is the norm hereabouts.

But adding a shower to 'hers' and enlarging it slightly will alleviate my concerns, and enough folks seem comfortable with the split concept that I'm feeling better about it...

Mtnrdredux - What is your advice on doorless shower tiling? My husband, a retired professional remodeler, and total perfectionist, will be doing the work. He's a fanatic about construction in general, but to my knowledge, has not ever done a doorless shower. What should we watch for?

You can alleviate the endless mirror thing if you get a large mirror and he gets a smaller one that can be angled down a bit.

Tne endless mirror thing does get a little weird, particularly when (often) they are not exactly parallel and they curve off into the distance.

One more round with an added 42" x 60" shower. I'm liking this one a whole lot better, even though the door is still off around the other side. This view also enlarges the vanity to 54" and provides about 4' between the vanity and tub. An extra 18" into the bedroom made all the difference --

LOve Love Love having his and her baths. We sort of had that in our last house (It was really that for some reason out of the 8 bedrooms we picked the master to be the small bedroom taht was at the end of a little hall and along the little hall were two baths across from each other. Since we didnt have kids at the time they were his and her baths.) They were small. Now we have one good sized masterbath and I much prefer my tiny bath taht was all mine! :)

I juggled your last one slightly:

I made the closet doors on each side of the bed symmetrical.

I moved the tub because there wasn't clearance between it and the corner of the shower.

I moved the door to that bathroom. Putting doorways together in that corner leaves more interrupted wall in the bedroom for a piece of furniture or art, and shifts any view with the door open to the head of the tub only.

Another option on palimpest's layout. I got rid of the connection to the closet. I don't like moisture too close to the clothes, and can you ever have too much hang space. In place of that I moved the linen storage and adjusted the tub placement and added more shelves for linens and such.

I think you are missing the big picture.

I think you need a His bath and closet. And a Hers bath and closet.

Put one set in the option A location, and the other in the option B location.

I generally like the idea of using the facilities, then hopping into the bath or shower, then toweling off, then dressing, then hair/teeth/makeup. Having the closet with the bath makes this smooth, and avoids getting in one anther's way.

It is also an excellent solution if 1 person is neater than the other, as it is my space and your space.

Ah - Well, in a perfect world, Julie, your idea makes lots of sense. But Hubby will never go for it... He really likes the last one I posted; I really like that one too, and the plumbing and structural engineering is much, much easier than anything with water on the bottom wall. So based on my 20 years of marriage to this man, I know when to shut up and say "Go!"

Now I just need to figure out the right mix of materials -- which is probably the subject for another post.

I don't have the time now to look at all the drawings, but my preferred layout with this much space is separate rooms with sink and toilet, or at least toilet, but shared large tub and shower. Unless you either of you don't want to be seen whilst showering, in which case the all-separate layout works best. But the separate commodes in their own closets are essential IMO.

I'm wondering how you feel about the closet doors on your bed wall. We usually keep ours open, which isn't real attractive, but it's tucked in a corner. Even if you keep them closed, it seems like an odd place to have doors. I have found that when I've slept in the guest bedroom and DH gets up before me, I can hear him sliding hangers in the closet, which shares a wall with the guest room.

Is it feasible to share one larger closet and have a smaller closet behind it as an overflow/seasonal clothes closet? The passage would be between closets, eliminating a door. Otherwise, you have the hers BR door, two closet doors, hallway to his BR, and, I assume, a main door.

Some of these drawings are dangerously not to scale. Like the door on the bottom drawing would crash into the toilet when opened, because real toilets protrude much further from the wall than the one in the drawing (unless you use one with the tank built into the wall between the studs). You really need to have every measurement down to the inch for each wall, door, plumbing fixture, window, etc. IME or something won't fit or won't be up to code. I've got a window partially covered with drywall from the adjacent new bathroom to prove it.

As it happens, closet doors right by the bed was a high priority for me ;-) I get undressed right before slipping into bed, and the convenience of being able to disrobe right there is one of life's small pleasures. Diff'rent strokes I guess.

Hi there -- I love the colored tile you used in your bathroom!! Would you be wiling to share the manufacturer name and color? Thanks!

If you are going to have a door on the toilet compartment, make sure it swings outward, not inward. An inward swing is a hazard.

I won't comment on door placement or floor plan except to say what a dream it would be to have the man in a m/f relationship have his own bathroom and be responsible for keeping it clean!