Planning the space
in a large bathroom.
About 3.0 × 4.0 m, or 12 m² of floor. A large room fits a freestanding bath and a separate shower together, with space to move between them. The challenge isn't fitting things in. It's making a big room feel planned, warm and calm.
- Typical size
- About 3.0 × 4.0 m
- Floor area
- About 12 m²
- Fits
- Freestanding bath and separate shower
- Usually
- Main bathroom or principal en-suite
- Extras
- Double basins, storage, seating
What a large room makes possible
In a large room, the bath and shower can each be a feature. A freestanding bath can sit away from the walls, the shower can be a generous walk-in, and there's room for twin basins, proper storage and somewhere to sit.
Some large bathrooms also give the toilet its own area, behind a half-height wall or in a separate cubicle, so the rest of the room feels more like a retreat.
The layout
This is the layout that needs a large room. Any of the spacious layouts work here too, with space to spare.
A freestanding bath and separate shower
A feature bath alongside a dedicated shower.
The full arrangement: a feature bath and a dedicated shower, with room to move between them.
Read more →A freestanding bath
A separate sculptural bath as the main feature of the room.
Or let the freestanding bath stand alone, and spend the space on a larger vanity and storage.
Read more →Bath and shower in one wet area
The bath and separate shower sit together behind glass.
Or put bath and shower together in one glazed wet area, leaving the rest of the room dry and open.
Read more →Plan the space, not just the fittings
Work in zones
A bathing area, a showering area, a basin area and the toilet, each with space around it. Zones stop a big room feeling scattered.
Don't line the walls
Pushing everything to the edges can leave an empty middle. A freestanding bath or a central vanity gives the room a heart.
Choose a focal point
Decide what you see from the door: the bath under the window, a feature wall or a statement vanity.
Think about the walk
Plan the route from the door to the shower and from the bath to the towels, so it feels natural.
Making a big room feel good
Keep it warm
Large rooms with lots of tile can feel cold. Underfloor heating with a radiator or towel rail keeps them comfortable.
Soften the sound
Hard surfaces echo. A rug, curtains or timber can soften a large room.
Light it in layers
Bright, even light for everyday use; softer light for evenings; perhaps light in a niche, under the vanity or along a cove.
Give storage its own place
Tall cupboards, a long vanity or a built-in wall of storage, so nothing has to live on the surfaces.
Add somewhere to sit
A chair, a stool or a built-in bench by the bath or in the shower makes the room feel lived in.
Repeat your materials
Carrying the same stone, timber or metal finish across the room ties a large space together.
Stone throughout: a long vanity, a walk-in shower behind a curved wall and a freestanding bath.
Twin basins on a floating vanity, and a frameless glass walk-in shower.
Farmhouse: a roll-top bath in the middle of the room and twin Belfast basins.
Traditional: a roll-top bath, panelled walls and a period vanity.
Art Deco: a roll-top bath framed by green and black tile, over a bold patterned floor.
What to watch out for
Cost grows with the room
More floor and wall mean more tiling, waterproofing and heating. It's worth deciding where the budget matters most.
Moving things around
With this much space there are many ways to lay the room out, and fittings can go wherever they work best. New positions mean new pipework, which adds work and cost.
Long pipe runs
Hot water takes longer to reach fittings a long way from the boiler or cylinder.
Heavy baths
Stone and cast-iron baths are very heavy when full. The floor may need checking or strengthening.
Ventilation
A large room needs extraction sized for its volume, placed near the bath and shower.
Every room is different. These are starting points, and we confirm what fits at your home visit.
Planning a large bathroom?
Tell us about your room and what matters most, and we'll help you make the most of it.
Start your project briefIllustrations are concepts, not measured plans. Click any picture to enlarge it.