To Combine or Not to Combine? Important Details of Bathroom Redesign

1. New Comfort and Benefits

In a spacious bathroom, in addition to a bathtub or jacuzzi, you can allow yourself a separate shower. I support this decision: in the shower you can quickly freshen up, stand under a tropical shower or waterfall, and a bathtub is suitable for relaxing in foam and sea salt. However, it's better to give up the shower curtain in the bathtub for aesthetics. Splashes on the floor are perfectly handled by a warm floor.

A combined bathroom offers an opportunity to install a hydro-massage bathtub of desired size. If you already have a spacious bathroom, you can place a toilet there and use the toilet room for storing things, thus freeing up space for a jacuzzi.

2. Space for the Washing Machine

Make sure it does not end up under the sink. This solution is unattractive and not very practical – you'll have to buy a narrow machine with small loading capacity or a special flat sink.

If possible, it's better to move the laundry appliances to a separate room. Just take one square meter from the corridor, and you'll have space for a washing and drying machine. You can also place a laundry basket, an ironing board, and household chemicals there.

3. Conditional Boundaries

A combined bathroom is indeed a convenient solution because you don't have to make extra movements or move from one room to another. If you want to use the benefits of a shared space but don't want to give up the advantages of a separate bathroom, leave a narrow partition between the bathtub and the toilet.

4. Everything in Its Place

There is never too much storage space. Combining the bathroom will allow you to rationally arrange everything you need. However, you must think carefully about how to hide a year's supply of cleaning supplies and paper towels from view. For these purposes, I recommend using narrow cabinets, wall niches, vertical racks, corner shelves, and shelves above or under the bathtub.

A wide vanity unit is an excellent place for a laundry basket and sliding containers. To level height differences between floor-standing appliances and furniture, order a countertop with a cutout for the sink made from acrylic or marble that will hide nearby equipment.

5. Comfortable Details

A combined bathroom allows placing a urinal or bidet in the bathroom. The first one is relevant in families with many men. It's very hygienic and convenient.

A bidet makes sense to install in bathrooms with an area of at least eight square meters. In more cramped conditions, you can get by with a hygienic shower that is also useful for small household needs: for example, to fill a tub or bucket with water. A shower like this should be connected to hot water and have a thermostat for convenience.

6. The Myth of the Built-in Tank

Claims about the compactness of toilets with built-in tanks are nothing more than a myth. In reality, a wall-mounted model takes up as much space as a regular toilet, so the choice between them is purely a matter of taste and aesthetics. You won't save space by hiding the flush tank: it still needs to be somewhere, even if it's hidden behind a wall.

7. Legal Issues

All capital renovations you carry out in your apartment must be coordinated with the relevant authorities. Unauthorized reconfigurations hinder selling the apartment or obtaining a mortgage loan.

Luckily, combining the bathroom and expanding it at the expense of the corridor, closet, or built-in cabinet is not so difficult to get approved. However, expanding the bathroom at the expense of the kitchen or living room is most likely prohibited. Such reconfiguration is extremely rare.