Bathroom Laundry Room Combination: Keep in one space or split them up?
I am currently working on a large renovation that includes the entire main floor of a bungalow as well as the basement. While the basement was not originally on the scope for this project, it is now on the list and will be renovated at the same time. One area that we are currently looking at is the bathroom laundry room combination.
Bathroom Laundry Room Combination: Before
Prior to demolition, here is what the bathroom laundry room combination looked like:
As you can see, the toilet was not in a great area as it was sitting right under the stairs. The shower was also extremely small and really tight by the toilet. It certainly wasn't a great design however it was what my clients lived with.
Bathroom Laundry Room Combination: Options
Bathroom Laundry Room Combination Option
When the decision to move the stairs and have them come straight down into the basement, that allowed the reconfiguration the bathroom laundry room combination as well as increase the size. After looking at many options, we came up with the following design:
By moving the stairs to come straight down into the basement, it allowed for a larger space under the stairs. A perfect spot to tuck in the washer and dryer. As my clients wished for a full bath, there is also room to allow for the new bathtub, a nice sized vanity as well as the addition of a folding area (right across from the vanity).
Bathroom Laundry Room Combination: Separating them
Just when I thought we were good to go with this, I received more news from this project. The good news was that my clients were going to go from having 3 furnaces for their home, down to 2. The new furnaces will be much more energy efficient which they are going to love! The fantastic news was that furnaces were going to be moving to the other side of the basement. Why is that good news? It was going to allow me to redesign the basement to have a dedicated laundry room and a dedicated bathroom.At first discussion, there was talk about moving the bathroom to where the furnace room was however it is more cost effective to keep the bathroom in the same spot and move the laundry room.With so many options, here are a few that I have presented (and keep in mind that I am working around an already purchased bathtub):
This plan allows my clients to reuse their existing vanity (to save a bit of money) and provides a great area for a linen area (open shelving). Since this bathroom is going to be used by their daughter and then potentially guests, there is ample space in this design for more than one person to be in here at one time. 
This option still allows my clients to use their existing vanity however instead of open shelving, there is the potential to have a tall cabinet that can be used as a linen closet. The bathtub is tucked into the back corner and still allows great space for more than one person. Although the tall cabinet is smaller in size, it does have doors to keep the linen and other things hidden from everyone (adding a bit of privacy).
Bathroom Laundry Room Combination
When my clients, the carpenter, the plumber and myself were going over the options we knew there really wasn't going to be a right or wrong option. In the end, my clients have the final call as to what will work best for them. As I always do, I provided my thoughts on having a bathroom laundry room combination vs a dedicated space for each space. Here is what I told my clients (and this is my own personal opinion):
When you have a size of home that you do, having the ability to have a dedicated bathroom and a dedicated laundry room will be a great selling feature for the future. If this was my home, I would seperate them in a heart beat.
In the end, it will be up to my clients to decide what they would like to proceed with. The best news is that whatever design plan they end up going with (a bathroom laundry room combination or seperate spaces), they are getting a larger space with all options.I'd love to hear your preference. Would you like a bathroom laundry room combination or a dedicated space for each?
Not sure how to plan out your space for your upcoming renovation? Contact me today to discuss how I can help you plan it all out prior to a hammer ever being swung!