Adding a feature bath in your bedroom is reliant on your personal tastes and how the design works in with your lifestyle.
I rarely use the bath… although I do love the luxury of having one available in the main bathroom. So for me, having one in the bedroom is not something I’d consider for myself. But for others, it speaks luxury, convenience and offers a point of difference in the master bedroom.
Having a bath in the bedroom is often more common in hotels or boutique resorts. It was quite the up and coming bathroom trend in 2017.
It may feel luxurious to have a bath in the bedroom, but for others the look can feel overdone or dated. Sometimes, it can also look out of place.
If you’re keen, yet undecisive on whether to have a bath in the bedroom, read these considerations.
Ensure you have the right plumbing installation
Your plumber will ensure the installation meets the Australian standards and any local laws which will govern how the bath must be installed.
A bath needs a water seal to prevent the sewer gases from coming through the waste opening so it’s important the waste pipe underneath the bath is connected correctly to prevent sewer gases from emerging through the grated opening. No one wants to have that smell in their bedroom.
Most bath wastes are installed to a floor waste (grated drain in the bathroom).
If you choose NOT to have a floor waste in the bedroom, the bath waste must be installed to a Disconnector Gully or Overflow Relieve Gully where there is a trap seal of water and easy access to the waste pipe should it ever get blocked. While your plumber will know these plumbing by-laws, it’s important for a designer and home owner to understand these laws as it will affect the placement of the feature bath in the bedroom. You may want it in a particular corner, however your plumber may advise a different position to ensure the installation meets code.
A new build will allow for the new waste pipes to be installed accordingly, but a renovation may require some investigation work on the existing location of the sewer.
It is recommended a floor waste should be installed if a bath is placed in a bedroom. It acts as a safeguard for overflows and also allows for easy access for cleaning and maintenance when the bath drain blocks up.
And yes bath drains do block up from time to time with soap and hair.
Unfortunately, you can’t hook a bath waste to a floor waste in an adjacent room. It’s against the plumbing standards.
Of course, having a floor waste in the bedroom may not look ideal either.
Talk with your plumber and builder to get the installation correct the first time.
Consider how often you’ll use the bath in the bedroom
Consider if you will use the bath in the bedroom. Like spas, people can spend money on installing something they won’t use. There is no point wasting money, time and effort to create a look that won’t be beneficial to you.
Integrate rather than separate
Rather than having a separate bath in the bedroom, why not integrate an open ensuite to the bedroom but have the bath closest to the entry point? Again, it’s personal preference for some to close off the ensuite with a door. But not everyone has the same tastes. Integrating your ensuite can give you the best of both worlds as the plumbing won’t look strange and the zones can be designed accordingly.
Will you be able to handle bath odours in the bedroom?
After some time, a drain smell can become prevalent from the bath drain and it’s caused by a mix of soap, hair and matter that settles at the bottom of the drains. Most people will use drain cleaners or other fittings to remove or block the smell. But this is something worth mentioning if the drains aren’t maintained. Can you live with that smell in your bedroom? This could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, so to speak.
Not everyone will gravitate towards the open bathroom look. Some people prefer their privacy and like an enclosed bathroom. It all comes down to what you feel happy to live with and what works with your lifestyle.