Teeny tiny powder room

last year

Hi Houzz Brains Trust

We have a little powder room toilet under our stairs. Its measurements are 0.9 m x 1.65 m and there's a slopped ceiling.

This powder room has a standard door that, when it swings open, just narrowly misses the existing curved wash basin.

Is there any way I can install a slim wash basin with storage? Because the door way is under the stairs, installing a sliding door isn't an option.

Are accordion doors ugly?

Maybe there's nothing I can do and the space has already been optimised - if so that's OK - but I'd feel better knowing that I had asked this group : )

Featured Answer

bigreader

last year

Love a teeny tiny powder room. What is the depth of the basin at its widest point? A shaving cabinet would give you storage with minimum of fuss. A bifold door rather than an accordion would be a better look.

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Comments (26)

dreamer
last year
Wow that’s tight. If you need storage, keep the basin as is, and install wall storage above toilet to the height of your sloped ceiling.
Bsoturi thanked dreamer
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bigreader
last year
This comes in white and is 26cm deep. Not sure if that’s less than you have currently. If you internet search tiny vanity unit you’ll see some options. The one in the link is 22 deep.

https://www.bathwaredirect.com.au/products/minikin-400mm-wall-hung-ensuite-vanity-unit?variant=32236795691107&currency=AUD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwIbYgZ7l_QIVAx4rCh1nZQ8NEAQYDSABEgKuTfD_BwE
Bsoturi thanked bigreader
Kate
last year
Adding a cabinet to the floor will make the room smaller and at that width is unlikely to be of much use Open shelves above the toilet would be my fix
Bsoturi thanked Kate
siriuskey
last year
I would consider making the door the same size as the laundry from 820 to 720 as every little bit of space will make the Powder room more comfortable, and consider recessing a wall hung vanity and mirror within the same Niche
Bsoturi thanked siriuskey
Bsoturi
Original Author
last year
thank you for all the suggestions!

@bigreaderr - I did look at the small vanities but unfortunately even 22 cm deep is too deep - it'll hit up against the door. I hadn't considered bi-fold doors though, so thanks very much! I'll look into that.

@Kate open shelves is a good idea. The only problem is that our powder room has tiles on the walls right up to the ceiling.

@siriuskey - our laundry door is actually currently wider than the powder room door. I guess whoever measured this made a mistake! Would changing the power room door size then change the structure? I had a builder look at it and he said that if I changed the door size it would be a nightmare to support because of its location. The recess idea is a great one, thank you.
siriuskey
last year
last modified: last year
Your laundry door is shown on the floorplan as 720 and the WC as 820, everything stays the same size except the width which your builder should be able to adjust by adding the difference within the door jam and once it is painted you won't notice it. Recessed vanities and mirrors look great, I don't have a good example to share. but my BIL did it in his last house
Bsoturi thanked siriuskey
Kate
last year
Google over toilet storage. There is also a unit that might fit beside your toilet
Bsoturi thanked Kate
wendyec
last year
Have you thought about rehanging the door to open outwards rather than in?
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oklouise
last year
last modified: last year
to make the doorway narrower doesn't need to change the wall frame ...a narrower door can be installed (or depending on the structure of the existing door) it can be cut down and then the "gap" is filled in with extra piece of door jamb and wider architrave but first measure the existing door to see how much space can be filed in ie if the existing door is 820 wide then a narrower door can save 10cms less to allow for the thickness of the new "padding" but if the existing door is only 720 then a bifold door will be the most effective.. it's quite standard and easy to add shelves to a tiled wall....the screws drill right through the tiles and are anchored in the underlying wall structure just like towel rails or toilet roll holders are attached to tiled walls.. and a recessed mirror doored wall cabinet could be installed inside the wall where the existing mirror is located but that would only be enough depth for toiletries so if you only need to store a few towels, toilet paper and cleaning product the wall hung shelves or a cabinet over the toilet would be the easiest.
Bsoturi thanked oklouise
Bsoturi
Original Author
last year
Hi @Wendyec thanky you for your suggestion. We have actually, but I think since the powder room is off a walkway it might be a bit dangerous for the toilet door to open out. Might clobber an unsuspecting inhabitant
K s
last year
You can actually get a toilet that has a small hand basin on top of the cistern
Bsoturi thanked K s
Bsoturi
Original Author
last year
@K s

I see those in Japan but I don't know where to find them here! Do you know?
Bsoturi
Original Author
last year
@oklouise thanks oklouise -very helpful!
dreamer
last year
You can get the basin above cistern toilet suite from any plumbing retail shop. Even Bunnings sell them. But this would be a big expense to install a brand new toilet, unless you can retrofit just the cistern/basin components. Also is the toilet room ceiling high enough for people to stand comfortably at that end of room to wash their hands. The cistern/basin is an excellent water saving toilet suite, but it may not be physically practical for your space.
Bsoturi thanked dreamer
Bsoturi
Original Author
last year
that's a great point, thanks @dreamer. Our powder room ceiling slopes down towards the toilet so maybe it's not that feasible. I had no idea these were so readily available in Australia, thanks for posting!
siriuskey
last year
This is similar to what I suggested, recessing the vanity and mirror back into the the cavity space, you would still have some projection into the room but with the reduction of the door from 820 to 720 this will give you extra Depth. The tap plumbing will work with what you already have.

I don't suggest the Ombre wallpaper and the Ox Mask,
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Davincicalbourne
last year
This is our powder. Originally just a toilet, we added the wash basin is immediately inside the door, not sure if this helps you?
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siriuskey
last year
If you change your 820 door to a 720 this unit should fit it has a space to put your personal items while you wash your hands plus you have a choice of colour and which side the door is hinged. Any unit would need to be wall hung because of the position of your floor drain.

https://www.wellsons.com.au/collections/compact-vanity-unit/products/allie-wall-hung-compact-vanity-450mm
Bsoturi thanked siriuskey
Bsoturi
Original Author
last year
@siriuskey thanks so much for your comments! Very helpful! I guess the most economical solution for us might be to either change the width of our door as you and OKlouise suggested, or change to a bi-fold and have a small basin like the one you pictured. I'd love a recess but not sure if we have the space for it, as the powder room backs into the living room.
siriuskey
last year
The recess is just the depth of the wall cavity so won't disturb the living room, the recess would need to be lined with thin gyprock ( it comes in at least two sizes plus tiles.

To save you extra work and disturbing your tiling I think this vanity and a new 720 door would work with your 900 width Powder room. Keeping in mind that a Stacker bi fold door will be twice as deep as a single door when opened , so taking up precious space.
Bsoturi thanked siriuskey
Bsoturi
Original Author
2 months ago
Just wanted to thank everyone again for their helpful comments. I'm really pleased with that we ended up doing with our powder room. Here are some photos!
Kay Bodman
2 months ago
Good job
Bsoturi thanked Kay Bodman
bigreader
2 months ago
It looks great.
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Kate
2 months ago
Looks fab. The bifold seem so much better for the tight space
Bsoturi thanked Kate
Bsoturi
Original Author
2 months ago
Thanks Kat. You're absolutely right. The bifold doors were a game changer. It allowed us to have a vanity that hid the pipes and gave us a bit of storage for toilet paper, handwash and handtowel. Now the size of it feels 'cute' more than claustrophobic