Plan the Perfect Master Bathroom

July 29, 2020

The two most important rooms in any home are the kitchen and the master bathroom.

The kitchen is the heart of the home where the family gathers to enjoy meals, cooking together, and even homework.

The master bathroom is the exact opposite. It’s your oasis and sanctuary where you can get away from all the chaos, rest, relax, and find some peace.

As you dream, think about what you would love most. What appeals to you. What meets your needs best. And what makes you feel pampered. But don’t just think about the next year or two. If you want to stay in your beautiful new home for the rest of your life, be sure to also include features that will matter to you years from now so the home can grow with you.

Consider collecting Pinterest posts and ideas so that you can get a feel for what will really meet your specific needs in your luxury bathroom. Later, you can share these with your architect, interior designer, and custom home builder.

How can you design your dream bathroom to be as comfortable and accommodating for all of your current and future desires and needs as possible?

Plan Your Layout.

As you think about the essential items in your new bathroom, be sure to consider the placement of the vanities, the shower, the tub, the toilet, plenty of storage space, and a walk-in closet. It’s always better to have too much storage than not enough.

Make sure there is enough extra space to move around and put hampers, a seat, and anything else you may want.

You’ll want to choose a floor plan that is convenient for you now and one that works with you as you grow older, especially if you plan to stay in the home for some time.

Investigate “functional zoning.” This means you place various functional pieces around a central large open space. Designers prefer to plan kitchens with a triangle pattern between the sink, stove, and fridge. Bathrooms are a bit different. There is no one perfect layout. So you have a lot of freedom to create something unique and spectacular.

Which functional piece would you like to be the focal point of your bathroom? A stand-alone deep soaking tub? An oversized spa-style shower? Or a shimmering vanity? Of course, you also need a toilet. But you don’t want the toilet to be the focus. You may want to place the toilet behind the door, behind a half wall, or by itself in a water closet may be ideal for privacy.

It’s wise to think about universal design in your planning so that you never have to worry about accessibility issues if you or your spouse become disabled or injured. Leave enough space for a wheelchair to turn around in the bathroom, just in case. And be sure the door is 36 inches from the bedroom to the bathroom so that a wheelchair can pass through.

Pick the Perfect Shower.

Showers are more popular than tubs in new construction. Buyers want bigger showers and often are willing to sacrifice a tub to have room for an extra-large custom shower with body spray jets, spa features, multiple showerheads, benches, and large glass doors. If your shower space is large enough, you can have a double shower with matching showerheads on each side of the space.

Some personalized options for a shower include:

Showerheads with Bluetooth speakers
Voice-activated functions
Apps with personalized shower settings for each member of the family
LED lights
Steam showers

What about a Wet Room?

A wet room is a waterproof room or a big part of the bathroom that is waterproof and dedicated to a shower space. There is no curb or lip to step over. There is no shower door or curtain. It is a large open area with a shower, tile, a sloped floor, and a drain. It may even have a stand-alone sculptured tub in the area, too.

If you choose to design a wet room be sure to use tiles that are non-slip and check into installing underfloor heating for the tile floor. If your wet room is small, consider a wall-hung sink and toilet to make drainage and cleanup easier.

Advantages of wet rooms

Easier to clean
Very stylish
Can add a lot of value to your home

Disadvantages of wet rooms

Tricky to keep towels and toilet paper rolls dry in a small bathroom
If you use porous stone, you may have to reseal it every few months
If you sell your home, most home buyers want at least one bathtub in the house

Break Out the Bubbles… It’s Bath Time.

A separate tub gives everyone what they want. The shower-lovers can have showers but the bath lovers can have the luxury of a deep soaking tub or another kind of bath, too.

Lots of people still want a separate tub to complement their shower. You have a host of choices today:

Standard tub
Whirlpool tub/jetted tub—with LED lights and Bluetooth speaker systems if you would like)
Walk-in tub—Some walk-ins have jets and heaters.
Deep soaking tub
Air tubs
Combination tubs (combo of soaking, air, and jets)

Want the Best of Both Worlds? Install a Shower & Bathtub Combo.

In a bathroom that doesn’t have a lot of space, this can be the easiest way to get a tub and shower. A standard tub fits the job perfectly, although you can get extra long tubs or taller tubs that work for deep soaking. And you have the showerhead on the wall with a door or shower curtain and you are ready to go!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall”¦ Choose a Vanity That’s Big Enough for All.

If you have two people sharing your master bathroom, it would be ideal to have two separate sinks and enough counter space for each person to be able to get ready in the morning and the same time and have room for their toiletries.

Each person also will need adequate lighting for shaving/applying makeup. And each one will appreciate having a large enough mirror so that no one has to share a small mirror while getting ready.

You Can Never Have Enough Storage.

Storage is important in every room but especially in the bathroom. It’s best to include more storage space than you think you will need since it is going to be almost impossible to add more space to your custom bathroom later. Be sure you have enough room for towels for each member of the family who will be using the bathroom, toiletries, medications (if that is where you plan to store them), hair supplies, and other sundries.

Pick Appropriate Flooring for the Bathroom.

Flooring in a bathroom should be elegant and beautiful but most of all, practical. It needs to be waterproof and non-slip. Non-slip porcelain or ceramic tile, natural stone, and luxury vinyl planking are some of the most popular choices.

You can also add anti-slip mats to your bathroom to help prevent falls on wet surfaces.

The flooring you choose will be a reflection of your personal sense of style and the atmosphere you would like to create in your master bathroom. Many people enjoy the look of wood with luxury vinyl planking. Others prefer stone floors like slate or marble. And others love the statement of mosaic tile. If slip-resistance is not as big of a concern for your family, glass tile is an option, as well. It looks stunning but can be rather slippery.

Look Your Best with Great Bathroom Lighting.

Lighting is very important in a bathroom especially in the shower and around the vanities. Today, you can find all kinds of luxury light fixtures that are perfect for master bathrooms and can handle the high moisture.

You can choose sconce lighting that comes out of a large mirror over the vanities. You could choose recessed lighting around the bathroom and then extra LED lighting over the vanities on the ceiling or the wall. Spotlights and chandelier type fixtures are also possibilities. You can choose whatever fits best with your particular style and personality.

As you design your beautiful new dream bathroom, think about color, finishes, and texture. Also be sure to connect the design and feel of your bathroom to your master bedroom, especially if the two are connected as a suite.

Keep Bathroom Safety and Accessibility in Mind.

Children and senior adults are the most prone to injuries in bathrooms. But everyone can benefit from a few safety measures. And if you already have the safety apparatus in place, the home can grow with you in case you ever need assistance and greater accessibility.

As you design your bathroom, consider including: