WWYD for this bathroom?

[lightbulbsun]

My basement bathroom has a really dumb layout. It's not actually that small, but everything is really close to the toilet. I'm wondering if it's worth it to make some changes with the current layout for now, and then do a gut job later (probably about 10 years, this is low priority), or just leave as is until we can change it.

I was thinking of getting a freestanding linen shelf/cabinet to replace the open shelves. We need to replace the faucet no matter what because it is really low and difficult to turn off without leaking, but I kind of want to replace the vanity, too. I also want to put some peel and stick vinyl over the existing flooring.

We have one full bathroom upstairs that we use 98% of the time, but we are doing other work in our basement now we will probably be down there more often.

[definitelyO]

I wonder if you can do something to hide the pipe to the right of the vanity....
is the only outlet the one to the right of the shower?

My first thought would be to take the corner shower and make it a walk in shower across the length of that wall,
move the toilet over about a foot and put a vanity where the open shelving is.

in lieu of all that - I would get rid of both shelving units - put a taller one next to the shower facing the toilet with rolled towels, baskets, etc.... replace the vanity and like you said get a new shelving unit for the right of the vanity. Still struggling with how to disguise that big pipe w/o a whole renovation....

[laterz]

I'm going to assume the pipe stays where its at.

Agree with getting rid of shelving units and putting a tall one by the shower. I'd do a pedestal sink if the floor and wall behind it allow. that plus new peel and stick flooring and a new mirror would go a long way.

[sandandsea]

I would wait to do anything big if you think you’ll get to it. To make it suffice until then, I’d get a bigger cabinet/shelving unit to put next to the shower and get rid of the one to the right of the sink. Also maybe replace the current sink with a pedestal sink so the toilet doesn’t feel as squished. And peel and stick tile would change the look of it a lot.

[lightbulbsun]

Aug 25, 2021 9:47:06 GMT -5 definitelyO said:

I wonder if you can do something to hide the pipe to the right of the vanity....
is the only outlet the one to the right of the shower?

My first thought would be to take the corner shower and make it a walk in shower across the length of that wall,
move the toilet over about a foot and put a vanity where the open shelving is.

in lieu of all that - I would get rid of both shelving units - put a taller one next to the shower facing the toilet with rolled towels, baskets, etc.... replace the vanity and like you said get a new shelving unit for the right of the vanity. Still struggling with how to disguise that big pipe w/o a whole renovation....

This is pretty much my plan for when we do a full gut reno, but we have a bunch of higher priority projects, so it's not going to happen for a while.

There is another outlet near the door that isn't in the pictures. I haven't been able to figure out a good solution for the sewer pipe, aside from building out the whole wall.  

[lightbulbsun]

Aug 25, 2021 9:55:00 GMT -5 laterz said:

I'm going to assume the pipe stays where its at.

Agree with getting rid of shelving units and putting a tall one by the shower. I'd do a pedestal sink if the floor and wall behind it allow. that plus new peel and stick flooring and a new mirror would go a long way.

Oh, a pedestal sink might make a big difference. I have to make sure the plumbing under the sink doesn't look too weird, but that's definitely an option.

[simpsongal]

We had a similar layout and moved the toilet next to the shower - I think code requires 30" width (required jackhammering into the concrete slab). A glass shower enclosure w/simple shower pan would really open up the space and light. We ended up doing our basement bath w/our other big reno project b/c we had to touch that space. It was like $5-6K?, so not too bad (I got a salvaged vanity).

It's tricky b/c you could definitely give the space a face lift and make it look nicer, but I wouldn't invest much time or money unless that project is at least 5+ years out. I thought ours was, but newp....

[sb]

Aug 25, 2021 10:04:40 GMT -5 lightbulbsun said:

Aug 25, 2021 9:55:00 GMT -5 laterz said:

I'm going to assume the pipe stays where its at.

Agree with getting rid of shelving units and putting a tall one by the shower. I'd do a pedestal sink if the floor and wall behind it allow. that plus new peel and stick flooring and a new mirror would go a long way.

Oh, a pedestal sink might make a big difference. I have to make sure the plumbing under the sink doesn't look too weird, but that's definitely an option.

That vanity looks like it was just built around the sink, so I'm guessing the sink is either a pedestal or (most likely) a wall hung.  If it's either of those just ripping out the vanity altogether would be a great start.

I would also build shelves in that little nook facing the toilet and get rid of the ones to the right of the sink.  Then paint, peel and stick floors, plants, and it will look great.

[sandandsea]

You might be able to make a linen closet in that corner to hide the pipe when you do the full remodel. Then you’d get the storage (hidden) and hide the pipe in the closet.

[stemmie]

I have a friend who ended up with a kind of homely vintage basement bathroom in her new MCM house.

She only ever uses it to when she's downstairs baking and sewing; her commercial oven and egress windows meant little left over to make the bathroom over.

She took a kind of retro approach. She has that same sink but in pale gray. She painted the space a deep cadet blue (which seemed to make the pipes less noticeable), added a gray interlocking wood-look floor. She added a retro looking skirt to the sink, bright towels and a throw rug and called it a day for now. In your shoes, I might install an Ikea Billy with doors shelving unit to the right of the sink and lose the one to the left of the toilet.

Some day they'll reconfigure the space but getting the plumber to move drains and pipes in a basement is $$$.