A place for everything
in a spacious bathroom.
About 2.5 × 3.0 m, or 7.5 m² of floor. There's room for a bath and a separate shower, each in its own place, or for a freestanding bath as the centre of the room. The question shifts from what fits to how the room should work.
- Typical size
- About 2.5 × 3.0 m
- Floor area
- About 7.5 m²
- Fits
- Separate bath and shower
- Usually
- Main bathroom or large en-suite
- Freestanding bath?
- Yes, with space around it
What fits
A spacious room fits a full-size bath and a separate shower, a basin and a toilet, with space between them. Alternatively, a freestanding bath can take centre stage, with the shower over a separate tray or in a shared wet area.
There's often room for a double basin or a wider vanity, and for storage that doesn't have to squeeze into corners.
Choosing your layout
These five layouts suit a spacious room. Any of the smaller layouts work here too, with more breathing space.
A freestanding bath
A separate sculptural bath as the main feature of the room.
Leave space all around it for cleaning and to let it stand out.
Read more →A built-in bath and separate shower
Two separate places to bathe and shower.
The practical choice: a bath for soaking and a shower for busy mornings.
Read more →Bath and shower in one wet area
The bath and separate shower sit together behind glass.
Bath and shower share one glazed, waterproofed zone, so the rest of the room stays dry.
Read more →Bath under the window, shower to the side
The bath anchors the end of the room; the shower sits along a side wall.
A bath under the window makes the most of the light; the shower takes a side wall.
Read more →Shower at the end, bath along the side
A full-width shower at the back with a separate bath beside it.
A full-width shower across the back, with the bath along the side.
Read more →Freestanding or built-in?
Freestanding
A centrepiece that makes the room. It needs space around it, a floor-standing or wall-mounted filler, and pipework planned under the floor before it goes in.
Back-to-wall
The freestanding look with one flat side against the wall. It saves space and hides the pipework.
Built-in
Tiled or panelled in, with a ledge for bottles. The most practical to keep clean, and easiest to fit.
Roll-top
The traditional freestanding bath on feet. Cast-iron versions are very heavy, so the floor may need checking.
Freestanding, with a floor-standing filler.
Back-to-wall, with wall-mounted taps.
Built-in, with a stone surround and ledge.
A traditional roll-top on feet.
Making it feel considered
Plan in zones
Group the room into a bathing area, a basin area and the toilet, so each has its own space and the room doesn't feel scattered.
Give it a focal point
Decide what you see first from the door: the bath under the window, a feature wall or the vanity.
Double up at the basin
Two basins, or one wide basin with two taps, make busy mornings easier.
Build in storage
Tall units, a long vanity and recessed shelves keep a larger room calm and uncluttered.
Heat the whole room
A towel rail alone rarely warms a room this size. Underfloor heating or a radiator alongside it keeps the room comfortable.
Layer the lighting
Bright light to clean and shave by, softer light for a long soak, and perhaps a dimmer.
A freestanding bath by the window, with the shower and an oak vanity along the walls.
A freestanding bath, a walk-in shower with a niche and a long double vanity.
What to watch out for
Hot water for both
A bath and a shower used close together can stretch a hot-water system. It's worth checking yours can keep up.
More to waterproof and tile
Two wet areas and more wall and floor mean more materials and more labour.
Moving things around
A bigger room has more ways to lay it out, and the bath, shower and toilet can go where they work best. New positions mean new pipework, which adds work and cost.
Ventilation
A larger room holds more steam. The extractor fan should be sized for the room and 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 spacious 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.