Thanks. Good idea re toilet. The only reason I did it that way was because I was trying to hide it as much as possible from view from the hallway. Because there are walls in place now, I have just assume that the new will take up the same space as the old - although, yes, I haven't accounted for width of tiles at all or the billboard on the bedroom side.

yes...having one of the first ensuites we managed with a tiny space 2400 x 900 but i would'nt recommend it for two people ...please post a plan of existing rooms and placement of existing fixtures doors and windows for specific suggestions

Thanks oklouise! I was hoping you would respond as you always give such great advice!!! I may have already done it on my earlier post, but will have a look around for it. Also, what is your opinion on the positioning of the toilet and vanity in the main bathroom and possible extra vanity space by it being against wall as compared to the toilet in the wall. It is only a small house, so the ensuite would only be used by one person. (The pink and blue bathroom is the original bathroom which I have stripped out and is now all bare timber and unpolished timber floor now (I am showering downstairs via a garden hose attached to laundry tub and multiple shower curtains covering an area under the house which is concreted and just used for storage and car). The original pink and blue bathroom is 1.8m wide and 3.08m deep. I am grabbing 200mm from that room for the ensuite and will have to get the doorway to that room redone as it is on the side where the wall will be narrowed. I will upload some photos of the other side and dig up a hand drawn floorplan. Thanks for you help. I really appreciate it.

I will sketch up a house plan, but here are some photos of the hall cupboard, and the bedroom in which I want to put the ensuite (the bedroom is currently being used as my study). The bedroom window is facing south and there is another one of the side of the house that is facing west but is sheltered largely by trees. The bank of cupboards in the bedroom, plus the area behind the bedroom door (which is from another cupboard in current main bathroom), plus the additional 200mm by which I am narrowing the main bathroom is what I am trying to use for the ensuite.

Now for a snack, a cup of tea and some drawing up of house plans because I am I.T. challenged too and am not fast at using sketching tools.

Thanks Melinda. Would you be able to send a photo please. After I draw up the plan for the ensuite, I was also thinking that if I didn't want to totally lose the hall cupboard, I may also have to go for a toilet with cistern in wall (in this case bottom of hall cupboard), because the space looks very small. How big is your current vanity in the ensuite? Highgrove Bathrooms seems to have good prices on things for bathrooms. Can you recommend any where else?

Here is the floor plan of the house as it currently stands.

if i've understood the dimensions correctly there's space for a small bathroom with shower over a built in bath, vanity and toilet, ensuite with big shower, vanity and toilet and a small wiw replacing the old separate toilet..careful demolition should allow you to keep the original bathroom and bedroom doors and the old linen cabinet door could open to a shallow space for toilet rolls and cleaning products..the new dividing wall between the bathrooms could be open above door height and/or have an opening window for light and ventilation ...the shower over full size bathtub is the best way to use the space and i suggest generous mirrored wall cabinets for light reflection and storage and wall hung vanities to allow floor space for scales, slippers and waste bins and a standard small narrow toilet will be more economical than in wall cisterns...should be modest but comfortable

Thank you so much oklouise. I will study your drawings and ideas. Just a question - is there any reason why you thought the splitting of the bathrooms the way wasn't a good option? Was it mainly due to keeping sizes of bathrooms practical, or the aesthetics of it or cost related? I wasn't going to have a bath at all (because I am not keen on showers over baths) but I can see that using your design it may be better to go this way for perhaps resale/rentability of the place. Many thanks again. I really appreciate your advice.

the tiny ensuite would cost as much as a the bigger ensuite, waste money on moving a wall without gaining enough space to be worthwhile and would reduce the size of the bedroom, my suggestion is the best use of space and allows for full size vanity and shower in the ensuite instead of mini sizes that are often more expensive and uncomfortable to use, you should be able to use standard fittings, the main bathroom is accessed from the side which allows you to keep existing doors, uses less floor space but still has full sized, vanity, toilet and bath/shower, the space for the bath is almost 1800 x 750..much too big for a shower in this small house but ideal for a bathtub with shower, the doorways don't have to move, moving a wall 20cm is a very expensive way to add extra space without gaining enough to have full size fixtures.. a 1500mm deep bathroom is the minimum size for comfort but you need to decide what you will and won't compromise...

Thank you. They are all very good points.

Hi there, I've just drawn you some rough ideas for both bathrooms, Main to have bath and shower sharing same floor space, Japanese style which is best for smaller spaces, like you I don't like showers over baths, better to be beside them

Ensuite, include the hall cupboard into the ensuite so that you can have a longer more spacious shower 900 x 1300 ?. You appear to have a certain style, Audrey Hepburn, so I suggest you use Barn Style external sliding doors to maximise space within the bathrooms, two matching ones in the passage way for Main Bath and bedroom Study.

If you use recessed toilets, in wall cisterns make sure you have a screwed on panel covering it so as to allow easy access should you need to service it. Recessed mirrored shaving cabinets are great in in small spaces and look good to boot, wall hung vanity instead of floor are best.

I don't draw plans just ideas, at this time I've just sketched over your drawing with no real measurements but that's not difficult to do, I've attached things for you to check out cheers

And Barn style doors first photo reminds of your current study

Thanks siriuskey for your suggestions. I don't really know what style my taste/style of house is really. I like the simplicity of mid century furniture and have a mid century Parker sideboard. Other than that, the house is a bit of a blank canvas at the moment. (the kitchen is fairly modern though with almost white glass splash back, white cupboards, and stone bench tops that are in a colour like Caesarstone Osprey (but are essastone). I do like things from the late 1950's/1960's.....and I like Audrey Hepburn. I also like the Parisian type black n white art from that era. (but I also like naive art - big colour artworks of people or animals that look like they have almost been painted by a child). If I had the money I would buy a high ceiling mid-century home like they have in USA (a modern yet mid-century Brady Bunch style home). My house is a 1962 chamfer board on concrete posts and batterns around the bottom and currently just has satin polished mixed hardwood timber floors throughout. Most of the walls are either natural white as in the study or snowy mountain quarter strength (and in smallest bedroom - half strength russian toffee). Because I am always scared that things will date if they follow trends too much, I always seem to do fairly conservative or timeless things in house renovations and rely on the furniture and accessories to add colour and style. (I like the idea of renovations and the ripping out of old stuff to create something new, but I really don't like have to make all the creative decisions etc along the way)......so I do appreciate it when I get advice from others. I have printed your suggestions and will have a look at them. (I guess the barn door look is actually similar in concept to some of the timber veneer sliding doors seen in midcentury homes). Thanks again.

On the Barn Door concept they do save on space and can be done to suit any decor, any new walls can be built to hold pocket doors, both bathrooms?. Yes we have a 70's singe story which we love with the timber veneer doors of both styles. My sketch of the ensuite I did think that perhaps it would be great to have the vanity built into the alcove to the left which I think including that hall cupboard makes sense gives your bathroom just enough extra length it could have mirrored shaving cupboard and recessed open shelves above, Even if you swap the WC and Vanity you could do that on either or both walls cheers

PS: Love your outdoor shower, hoping you are in a warm climate

We are renovating our bedroom with a similar size ensuite 900mm wide. Be careful when changing where the toilet is as size wise you wont have enough space to sit on the toilet if it is coming out from the back wall facing your bedroom.

The photos others have put all look nice, but they are not realistic for your width ensuite, so becareful of advice.