When we first purchased this house, we didn’t know how we would go with one bathroom. Sure, only two people are living here, but we were used to being a two-bathroom home. And of course, we’ve managed, but with the main bathroom in need of repairs now was our chance. To not just renovate our original bathroom but add an ensuite as well.
No biggie, right? Haha. Totally possible. I set about getting a quote from one fo the guys I used to work with and with a budget in mind (we both know I’m going to spend more than the allowed amounts) we organised to extend our home loan. Once that is finalised we will book in with our builder friend and get going.
From here, we plan to add the ensuite first, so that when they remove the original bathroom to make repairs and renovate we will still have a bathroom here. I’ve been making my lists, checking them twice and thought it was time to share some of my plans with you all including some before pics so when the day comes we will have something to look back on.
Ensuite
Back at the start of April, when we thought we would have a little more time under lockdown, we decided to remove the wardrobe in our bedroom. The plan was to remove the old, large unit and one day replace it with something a little more compact from Ikea. We have decided a spare room for our clothes and that works for us, but we know if we were to sell the house, that wouldn’t work for everyone. Our solution is to put some description of wardrobe back before we put it on the market.
Anyway. When we were taking the cupboard out we found plumbing in the room. And not just cold water either (we knew a former owner had used it as her art studio) but hot AND cold water. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, we decided not to finish repainting the walls and instead make a plan for an ensuite at that end of the room.
The ensuite will go along the same back wall and include a simple shower, vanity and toilet (TBC) combination along the back wall. I can’t wait to have an ensuite again and just know that the big windows in our bedroom will make for some killer bathroom light; something I’ve been missing since we left our Jasmine house. I’m still tossing around ideas on how to give the shower/toilet privacy, while not doing the thing I hated about the wardrobe; cutting off the window and chopping up the room layout.
Main Bathroom
The plan here is to remove everything and make the end of the hallway one big room that will include a toilet, shower, bath, linen press and vanity. I go back and forwards on this all the time as I prefer separate toilets. But here, given the dimensions of the room, I’m leaning the other way.
My builder said removing all the existing internal walls shouldn’t be a problem, opening the entire room up into one space. Still with a shower, bath, toilet, vanity and some description of linen press even though there is room for one downstairs next to the laundry.
For reference, we would just have a cavity slider at the end of the hallway that would open into the room. For us, that would mean it would be rarely closed. So, positioning is vital, especially of the toilet. No one wants to be staring at someone on the loo from the top of the stairs because that certain someone didn’t shut the bathroom door.
I’m thinking of turning the existing bathroom space into more of a wet room bath/shower with the toilet in the same area, but the opposite wall with a linen cupboard/vanity along the back wall. Who knows if you can picture that.
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If you want to see more about the house, including the renovations before we moved in head to the Suger’s Place tag or the House Tour (Living Spaces, technically) video I made in 2018 after the painting was all done.
Hi! I’m Melissa Walker Horn. Around here, they call me Suger. I’m the Chief Blogger and doer of all the things here at Suger Coat It. Blogging since 1901; I love a casual ootd, taking photos, and writing about things that irk or inspire me. I love wine and cheese, long days at the beach and spending time with my family. I make stuff for the internet over at Chalkboard Digital. You know, living the sweet life.
Congratulations on the long-awaited renovation! For me personally, renovation is a real event. Hahaha! Not only for me but also for my family)) I understand correctly, did you fully demonstrate a huge wardrobe? Your room seems very large, why did you remove the closet, or did I misunderstand something? A great idea for an unusual, original room. As I understand it, your room has a lot of wood and metal parts. I would love to see your entire room! I will wait for a new post …
Thanks, we can’t wait. Things are slow going with the financing but we’ll get there. We removed it because that’s where the ensuite will go and I never like the way that it covered the windows. Once the ensuite is in and we have a layout we enjoy, we’ll look at building something back in that doesn’t work against the room. As you said, it’s such an unusual room (it was forming a pottery studio for one of the original owners) that we want to keep the character in it; not just build over it.