Accessible Solutions: Bath and Toilet Room Plans and Finishes

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Bathrooms should ideally reflect the precise needs and preferences of individual users, but this is impractical when they are shared among several family members. User needs and capabilities also change with the passage of time. To address these challenges, homeowners should develop a useable plan that provides for future flexibility. Bathroom Design Bathrooms are generally compact and efficient spaces, designed for specific activities. In spite of their small size, bathroom construction is expensive because of the plumbing fixtures and finish materials. Bathrooms are also inflexible because, unlike a living room or bedroom, residents cannot rearrange "the furniture" (the fixtures) to suit their needs and preferences. The bathroom's minimum size should provide sufficient space to use, maintain, and clean each fixture and additional room for door operation and general circulation. Bathrooms should include storage space for equipment and supplies. Wheelchair users need larger bathrooms to allow for maneuvering. Allowing space for knees and toes of a person in a wheelchair below fixtures can partially meet this requirement. Extra bathroom space is seldom wasted. Additional space accommodates functional and decorative furnishings such as towel stands, drying racks, and laundry baskets. Larger bathrooms are more comfortable for simultaneous use by a husband and a wife, for example, or a parent and a child. A hall bath may have one or more entry doors depending on the bedroom arrangement. Most hall baths include a combination tub and shower unit in order to provide flexibility for multiple users. Powder rooms can be accessible to most wheelchair users if the room is enlarged to 5’ x 5. If more space is needed, the door can swing out. Most powder rooms include a small lavatory for handwashing and minimal storage space. Master bathrooms sometimes include multiple bath fixtures and two vanity bowls. For a wheelchair user, a roll-in shower can be included as well as a kneespace vanity. Since the bathroom door is often left open during grooming activities, a pocket door can be an appropriate selection. Types of Toilets and Bathrooms There are several types of residential bathrooms and toilet rooms, including master baths, hall baths, and powder rooms. Design requirements for each bathroom type are different, and accessibility requirements may also vary. A homeowner might elect to design a powder room, for example, that provides wheelchair access but does not include a kneespace under the sink. Each bath and toilet should therefore be individually evaluated to determine the need for full or partial wheelchair access. Most bath and toilet rooms are shared between several family members, so designs must address multiple requirements. Identifying and understanding these factors is the first step in making the right bathroom design decisions. Powder Rooms - Powder rooms are typically the smallest residential toilet room with only two fixtures: a toilet and a sink. Powder rooms are primarily used as toilets with limited grooming such as hair combing or face washing. Powder rooms offer convenience for guests and family members, so they are located near the family room, living room, or kitchen. Powder rooms are often so small that entry doors must swing out into the adjacent hall to allow a wheelchair user to enter and close the door. Accessible powder rooms must be at least 5' x 5' and are more usable if a pedestal or wall-mounted sink is installed, rather than a vanity with base cabinet. Hall Baths - Hall bathrooms typically serve several bedrooms and include three fixtures: a sink, toilet, and either a bathtub/shower or a stall shower. Hall storage should accommodate several users' toiletries, linen, and grooming aids. In order to bathe young children, hall baths often include bathtubs rather than stall showers. Hall baths often have multiple entry doors that connect directly to bedrooms. Accessibility provisions for hall baths depend on the anticipated users. If the master bedroom is accessible and the family's only wheelchair user is an owner, a relatively inaccessible hall bath can be appropriate. If a family has a child with a disability, the hall bath may be the primary accessible bathroom. Master Baths - Master baths have a minimum of three fixtures (sink, toilet, tub) and as many as six, with an additional sink, a bidet, and a shower. Master baths often directly adjoin the bedroom or dressing area, so privacy requirements are different from hall baths and powder rooms. Master baths are often compartmentalized into two spaces with the vanity sinks separated from the toilet and bath fixtures. This arrangement allows simultaneous use by two occupants.

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