Browse Forums Bathrooms and Laundry 1 Sep 06, 2010 4:55 pm We looked at a property the other day, and LOVED it...so we're now fantasising about what we'd do if we bought it, and the ensuite COULD pose a slight issue. I really wanted a bigger ensuite for my new property (the one where we live now is REALLY small as well. Too small to have a normal sized bath mat on the floor, as the shower door and the entry door go over it and scrunch it up and won't open properly), but this place has captured our hearts so I can live with the even tinier ensuite. As it is now, you walk in the door (which are 2 mini shutters that are only about torso length. NO privacy at all!!), and you're at the pedestal sink with a teeny thin medicine cabinet with mirror above and slightly to the right. To the left is the shower. Then going to the right of the sink is a little hand washer ring on the wall, a strange silver thing (possibly a towel holder. It's rounded), then a wall-mounted sanitary wipes dispenser, and then a rail (the current owner is 89 years old). So those things are all in a row along the wall. Then at the other end, opposite the shower, is the toilet. Nothing is on the other wall (opposite the wall-mounted things) because there's no room. There's also a little window above the toilet. Oh, and the painted part of the walls are pink and the floor tiles are small and brown. The wall tiles (halfway up the wall) are ok, just a cream colour and not small. So...what I'd LIKE to do is either of these options... 1 (cheaper and simpler) Keep the shower and toilet as is, remove the pedestal sink and silly narrow mirror / medicine cabinet, remove all the wall-mounted things since I don't need them, and then that'd clear room to put a new proper vanity with storage and nice sink, and then I'd put a much larger mirror above. Then I'd paint over the pink with a nice neutral fawn or deep brown even. I'd leave the wall tiles as is, and the floor tiles too (FOR NOW). 2 (more expensive, complicated and perhaps impossible, lol) Re-tile the floor with larger nicer tiles Repaint the walls as above Remove the pedestal sink and wall-mounted things as above Move the toilet to where they used to be In the place of the now moved toilet, put a nice vanity right across that short wall (so it looks built in), and put a big mirror over that (rather small and unattractive) window, after sealing it arond the edges for draughts and bugs and moisture. I wouldn't actually WALL over it. Anyone who took the mirror off (and probably nobody ever would, who lived there after us), would still have the window there and it wouldn't look different from the outside. So...I don't know which would look better. I love the idea of a "built-in" vanity on that wall and hiding the ugly window...but then when you see the ensuite, you see the toilet all the time if the doors are open. And speaking of the door...you know how I mentioned right now it's got 2 mini shutters? Kinda like a saloon? Well...I think this may be because a normal sized door simply would not be able to OPEN into the ensuite fully. So they put those mini doors on. Very narrow doors. But since I'd be living there with my partner (and although we're virtually married, we don't want to be able to literally WAVE to each other from the toilet when the other is in the bedroom!!), we NEED a proper door. I think the standard swinging open doors are out, since they won't fit. Sliding door is an option but there's no room for it to slide over any walls in the bedroom and certainly not the ensuite. I don't know how much creating a cavity in the wall would cost, so it could "disappear" in there when slid open. My favourite option (if it's even possible of course) is to put a nice shutter-style bifold or stacker door on there. It'd be 2 narrow doors (the same width the little shutters are now, but full length instead of chest to hip length), lockable with a little latch. Very cute and lovely. So...what'd ya think?? How the hell did I become a senior member!? I know nothing! Re: Potential new ensuite is SOO SMALL!!!! 2Sep 06, 2010 5:32 pm I like the sound of option 2, it may be more expensive but sounds like it would serve you better. Is it possible to get a plan (or get creative with paint n create a diagram) so it is easier to visualise. They only problem with this is if that is the only window, no natural light will coming into the room. Plus building specs may not allow the covering up of the window (unless there is a flumed fan istalled or something). Built with RedInk Custom 5000 Key Handover 15/12/2009 Re: Potential new ensuite is SOO SMALL!!!! 3Sep 06, 2010 6:26 pm Thanks for replying! Yes, I had wondered about whether covering up the window would create issues with ventilation...I actually have absolutely NO issue with a lack of a window for natural light in the room. I've lived in 4 properties my entire life, and only one had a window in the bathroom I used. I actually STRONGLY dislike windows in bathrooms UNLESS they are attractive, fairly large and have a nice outlook or view of something. I HATE the little teeny high set ones, especially if they've got black frames or those criss-cross security grills, or are frosted glass, and so on...so that's no problemo at all, covering it up. And actually, if the building is such that you HAVE to have a window open for adequate ventilation, then something's wrong there. I would only ever open a bathroom window in Summer when it's hot. Otherwise I'd just tend to forget it was there. So! That's that solved (maybe). lol I don't have a floor plan and I'm not even 100% sure my memory is correct (only seen the beloved property one time, on Saturday), but I've attached a plan I just drew...a very rough plan... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I think the writing is really hard to see cause of the stupid program I used (couldn't adjust the font or anything), and the room is smaller / closer together than I've drawn it. The thing I'm not sure of is how wide the room actually is. I know it seemed VERY narrow when I was there (hence the strange doors)...and I'm also not sure which way the toilet faced. I've drawn it how I thought it was, which is under the window and facing the shower...but I may be wrong...it may be on the same wall as the pedestal sink and wall-attachments, and facing the other wall...that I'd actually prefer I think...not sure why. For some reason it'd remind me of a hotel...and also less like my own current apartment's ensuite, which is laid out very much like the potential new ensuite. Anyway...yep. I'm gonna do another thread about custom-made vanities in a minute, with some lovely piccies. lol How the hell did I become a senior member!? I know nothing! Re: Potential new ensuite is SOO SMALL!!!! 4Sep 06, 2010 6:40 pm Me again. I've been looking at vanity options online, and here are some which would easily fit into the space created either where the toilet would be moved from, or where the wall-attachments are removed from, even if I've remembered the space as bigger than it is... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I also love this, if for some insane reason I have to stick with a pedestal-type sink...at least it'd be storage for all my stuff. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Not sure where it'd fit though. lol Getting a bit carried away now...here is the sink I would use if I had a custom-made vanity... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And this is my ideal type of shower...it's kinda like a cosy cave or cavern... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And I LOVE this colour and texture of wall...although, this pic is a large room...would such dark walls make an already small ensuite look even tinier?? (I also think it could be wallpaper. I really don't mind that, but would the moisture in the air do something bad to it if the initial papering wasn't done 100% perfectly?) Or is it tiles?? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Ok, that's it from me. lol How the hell did I become a senior member!? I know nothing! Re: Potential new ensuite is SOO SMALL!!!! 5Sep 06, 2010 8:56 pm if the ensuite is tiny you need to keep the colours light. Perhaps have a feature tile strip of a darker colour if you really want some colour use strongly coloured towels /accessories. You need to get a balance between small or large tiles as if the room is small as very large tiles , even in a light colour may make the room seem even smaller as well. Re: Potential new ensuite is SOO SMALL!!!! 6Sep 07, 2010 3:50 pm Hmm...I've seen very small rooms (like a separate toilet with just that in it and nothing else, so a TINY room) painted in a rich dark brown colour, with nice fresh white toilet, and it looked GORGEOUS!!! I kinda like the feel of being ensconsed in a cave or something...so maybe it wouldn't matter if the room was dark even though it's small. How the hell did I become a senior member!? I know nothing! Hi guys, Iām currently looking at a house i want to buy but the building inspection has picked up a number of issues with the brick piers under the house. I took a… 0 4462 All 3 items listed are defects and are of concern. Please seek qualified independent inspector and/or legal advice for your state. 1 6273 Thankyou for your advice. We do have Caesar coming out and hopefully resolve the issue for us. 4 15996 |