Things To Consider When Building A Bathroom For Two
Do you have a bathroom all to yourself, or like most busy households do you share your main bathroom with other family members? Some of us may be lucky enough to have our own bathroom, but most people must co-exist with others in a busy master, family, or hall bathroom. This room is where you start and finish your day, and poor organization and layout can make it difficult to peacefully co-exist in a shared bathroom.
If you are considering a bathroom renovation, here are a few things to consider when planning a bathroom built for two:
Layout and Space
If possible, a shared bathroom that is used regularly should be spacious enough to allow sufficient storage and enough space for both people to easily access key work areas while getting ready. Even if you do not have a larger space available, a well-planned layout and organization will make it much easier to function in a shared bathroom.
Consider the flow of traffic through the bathroom and how easy it is for more than one person to access the toilet, shower or bath, sinks, and mirror. You may even want to separate the shower or toilet from the rest of the bathroom, offering greater privacy and making it easier for two people to comfortably use the bathroom at the same time.
Double Up
Avoid tripping over each other by doubling up on sink and vanity space, allowing each person a dedicated place to brush teeth, shave, and apply make-up. You can achieve this in your bathroom design by including a larger vanity cabinet with two sinks like the bathroom design in Ann Arbor shown below, giving each person their own space. In order to accommodate a double vanity, you must have a bathroom footprint large enough to allow for an approximately 6-foot long countertop. Two sinks also take up more space below the countertop since there is more plumbing required.
Consider installing an extra-large shower, or possibly even an open shower design that could easily accommodate more than one person showering at once. Add in multiple showerheads with customized spray settings at heights for different users. Make sure you understand the impact of this extra shower power on your plumbing configuration, pipes, and the size of your water heater. These changes can be easily addressed in a bathroom remodeling project.
Organization is Key
You want your bathroom to be a well-organized, calm space that helps you get ready in the morning or wind down at the end of a busy day. Bathroom organization can be especially difficult to maintain when you share this space. You now have to store not only your own toiletries, towels, and bathroom electronics, but another person’s personal items too. The best way to peacefully co-exist in this shared space is to reduce clutter and employ dedicated, customized storage space to get your bathroom organized. Think about who will be using the bathroom and what items you both need to have readily available, then consult your bathroom design expert to see what storage features best fit your requirements.
Just like kitchens can be equipped with customized storage accessories, bathrooms can also include an array of specialized storage. Vanity cabinets may include pull out storage inserts for all your toiletries, space for bathroom electronics with outlets built into the vanity, a pull out laundry hamper, or even a dedicated make-up vanity like the one below.
Include hooks and bars in key locations for robes and towels like those shown below left, open shelving near a tub, and a built-in storage niche in the shower. Your shower storage niche could incorporate two shelves like the one pictured below right so each person can have their own dedicated space for toiletries.
A new bathroom is the perfect time for a fresh start, so why not include specialized design features that will make co-existing in a shared bathroom much easier and more enjoyable. See more bathroom remodeling ideas for a shared bathroom in our design gallery here or contact us today for more advice.