Compared to today’s standards, our 1st floor bathroom is, let’s say, rather compact. It originally measured 6’ 8” by 5’ 10”.

We were keen to keep, if not improve, its functionality, and maybe even arrange the layout in a way that would create the illusion of it being more spacious than it really is.

Early on in the project, we scrapped the original sewer stack and later on replaced it with a new one in a slightly different location. Moving the replacement stack a few feet further to the west allowed us to switch the vanity and toilet around.

This was a welcome improvement as one no longer trips over the toilet while entering the bathroom.

We also were able to add about seven square feet to the bathroom space.

The north wall faced built-in shelves on the dining room side. By removing the shelf space we added 16 inches to the bathroom.

What to do with the good old bathtub?

Why should we install a new bathtub if, in the end, we ‘ll just use it to take showers? Can you remember that last time you actually have taken a bath in a bathtub? I cannot. But then, I am also a tall guy and taking a shower just seems more convenient.

Cathy and I sat on this issue for a while and eventually decided to scrap the tub in favor of a barrier free, walk-in shower.

The factor that made us lean towards scrapping the tub had to do with plumbing foresight. We positioned the shower drain such that it could be converted to a bathtub drain, should we change our minds down the road.

I have to touch on one of my favorite topics – moisture management. Seriously, while deconstructing the interior of our house, we got to see first-hand the damage improper moisture management can cause.

You can read up on our research into moisture management and basic management principles in these two posts:

• Problem area bathroom
• Bathroom basics

The bathroom, in building science terms classified as a wet room, should have a floor drain. Yes, we already have the shower drain, but because of its location, it won’t be able to serve all of the bathroom area. Plus, the shower drain may one day be converted to a tub drain.

Adding a second floor drain was relatively easy while rebuilding the entire plumbing system. To see how we made the two floor drains work, go to the post Slippery Slopes.

Another must is to have the bathroom floor waterproofed and tiled. The same principle applies to the walls around the walk in shower. Basically, anything that gets exposed to water or water spray needs the waterproofing and tiles.

We planned on continuing the tile treatment around the bottom half of all the other bathroom walls. But at this point, its really more about aesthetics.

A recent post covered the subject of the bathroom cabinet, which we would like to add to the northwest corner.

We also will need some kind of shower enclosure. One idea was to install on a shower wall, somewhat similar to what we have in the garden unit bathroom.

But this solution would make the bathroom feel really small again – too small for our liking!

If, instead of the rigid shower wall, we would go with a shower curtain, we could borrow from the shower space whenever the shower is not in use.

This simple trick would significantly increase the perceived spaciousness of the bathroom and the ease at which one can move around.

So much for the layout and design ideas. Now it’s implementation time!