Master Closet & Bathroom Design – Making a Plan of Attack!

Moving on to the plan of the other side of our second story master and the closet and bathroom design! As I mentioned in my plan of attack with the bedroom I’ve been just DYING to tackle our second floor for years now. There were a couple of certainties in my head when I knew this home would be mine back in 2013. One of them was that this entire 500 square foot floor would make a wonderful master suite. The space is divided in half by the stairwell that comes up the center of the home.

The larger of the two rooms I dedicated to the bedroom and the other room I made into a walk “through” closet and bathroom.

(The reason one of the “rooms” is smaller is because the stairwell comes up on that side of the load bearing wall essentially deducting three feet in width to one side of the second floor.)

Looking back on it now I wish it would have been more feasible to dedicating the larger of the two rooms to the bathroom and closet instead of the bedroom.

The reason I did it like this was because putting the master bathroom directly above the kitchen on the first floor (which is directly above the bathroom, kitchen and utility room in the basement) made plumbing a lot easier and less expensive.

But, in hind sight, I certainly wish I had at least considered it! Just look at that giant bathroom and closet in comparison – OMG!

Doesn’t the second plan just feel like a much better use of space?

It would also have put our bedroom at the back of the house (way more quiet) with the head of the bed on the north wall – ideal in my opinion. (I love that software I used to work on our house plan – check it out here.)

I just have to keep reminding myself that I probably would have made the same decision and ended up with the plan we have now regardless…

And we do absolutely love what we have.

Bucket list in the bathroom is tearing out the fiberglass shower one day and replacing it with a larger custom tile shower. For right now though we’re happy with the overall bathroom design.

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that I’m still in love with our double slipper tub.

We don’t take a lot of baths but, frankly, I don’t care if we ever use it again – that tub makes me feel spoiled and happy!

The closet is plenty of storage for me but I feel like I can make the space work a lot better. I may slide the rod down to the wall with the window to open up the entrance a bit more. (Its hard to tell in the pictures but there’s nearly a two foot gap at the end of the rod – it doesn’t span the entire width of the closet.)

I’m also going to move the things I may-need-someday-but-almost-never-wear into storage. Which includes everything off the ladder such as high heels, scarves etc. I was planning on taking the ladder right out of here but it ended up fitting perfectly in the bedroom beside Lodi’s dresser.

(These are the fabric storage bags I LOVE.)

There’s two small tables in the bathroom currently and a washstand out in the bedroom that might work where the ladder currently is.

I like the idea of a lamp here beside my Grandma’s rocking chair that I reupholstered years ago.

I also like the idea of having not only a surface in my closet but also some more storage.

Here are the pics going over the changes since I moved in back in 2015 ending with the brutally honest pictures of right now.

We have a couple of glaring nasties in these spaces.

The first is the rolling barn door.

Is it cool as heck and do we love it? Totally.

Is it destroying the wall? Unfortunately Yes.

Is it functional? Yes and No.

Is it a few inches too short and a little too narrow? One hundred percent.

Its time to do some modifications. We either need to replace it or need to find a way to widen it and make it taller without totally losing the cool old barn door factor.

I’m leaning toward kind of framing it out in white painted wood…

I’ll also be adding little tracks to the wall for it to follow so it doesn’t scrape anymore…

The old yard light I installed above the bathroom vanity is still great.

HOWEVER, the galvanized bracket I used at the base wasn’t quite large enough to cover the rough cut sheet rock around the light box.

So, simple fix, I’ll cover it with a white ceiling medallion (like I did in our main floor bathroom) and I’ll probably spray paint the entire fixture white as well.

Bathroom Design

The old buffet we’re using as a bathroom vanity is great and we’re happy with the vessel sink. HOWEVER, the vanity top is spotted to heck and gone from essential oils and needs to be refinished.

ALSO, the vanity has never been tight against the wall because the floor is so unlevel.

I need to uninstall the trap under the sink, pull the vanity out, chop the hind feet off and screw it solidly against the wall behind it and the wall beside it.

No more losing stuff behind the vanity!

Almost all of these things have been staring at me since at least 2016…

…and all of these things have been driving me bonkers.

I’m going to be replacing the shelf brackets above the tub with the same brackets I used above our kitchen sink and will also be using for a shelf above our master bedroom headboard too. (I love the galvanized look so these won’t be going to waste, they’ll be heading to the basement where we’re literally using galvanized pipe for everything.)

I’m also going to be moving the shelf up because currently it has this weird too much but also too little space above it / below it. That will open up the wall above the tub (below the shelf) for a very specific set of mirrors I have been DROOLING over on Amazon.

Click here to check them out.

Books and plants will definitely be remaining in all of these spaces!

The canvas prints I made years ago may or may not stay here and actually may or may not even stay with us lol I’m indifferent toward them at this point.

The rug in the bathroom is great but as for the shower curtain I think its time for a little bit more boho fun like we’re going for in the master bedroom.

This is the curtain I’ve been eyeing up.

The curtains on both windows are the same twenty year old curtains from my childhood bedroom that were also in the master bedroom.

Time for a change I think lol…

These are the macramé style curtains I’m thinking of getting instead.

What will be nice too is getting rid of those dark, heavy, curtain rods in exchange for little ones set inside of the window frames that means I’ll also be able to get rid of the big tie backs as well.

The table in here by the commode is heading out to be replaced by the little storage cubby / magazine stand that used to be there and is currently taking up space beside the vanity.

The current bathroom design has just been feeling a little crowded to me and that will help a lot.

So the table is coming out of there and will probably be exiting the floor entirely… and the old wash stand will go by the rocking chair in the closet…

OR… the old wash stand might end up by the commode and the little magazine rack might end up in the closet by the rocker…

I can’t be the only one who finds furniture rearranging fun!

I’ve been literally walking across the entire floor for socks and undies every single work day since I moved in… Why am I not keeping them in my closet with all my day to day clothes?

That little old wash stand might just be perfect for that!

Also seeing the first reveal picture of the closet reminded me that I miss having a chest up here for storage.

Seriously, between a chest and that wash stand I won’t need any clothing storage in the bedroom at all and the dresser I’m currently using could be for bedding…

What a crazy thought to keep all of my clothes in my actual closet?!

It just so happens I do have another chest my grandparents’ made (I know, what a shocker right?), its in terrible shape and been outside in a storage shed for years but I’m thinking with a little love it might just come around…

First thing is first though, just like in the master bedroom, I need to empty these rooms and repaint!