FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Bathroom Design

Guide Home
  • Design and Planning
  • Featured Bathroom Projects
  • Cabinets and Fixtures
  • See more on plumbing bathrooms in the Plumbing Project Guide
  • See more on tiling showers in the Tiling Project Guide
Design

Three-Quarter Bath in 9 Sq. Ft.

This quirky bathroom remodel is pure genius for some, a head-scratcher for others.

By Alex Daisley Issue 247 - Kitchens & Baths 2014
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

When we first saw this bathroom remodel, it brought our workday to a screeching halt. We didn’t know whether it was pure genius or absolute stupidity. But after huddling around the computer, flipping through the photos, and arguing for half an hour about the logistics, code compliance, and design merits of this quirky project, we realized the discussion this bathroom had inspired in us was reason enough to share it with you. —The Fine Homebuilding editors


The client for this project wanted to convert her first-floor powder room into a three-quarter bath without a major remodel. That meant maintaining the footprint of the existing room, which was only 9 sq. ft. The client liked the European concept of a wet room, and she knew our firm’s reputation for solving design problems, so we put our heads together and dove right in.

Three-Quarter Bath

The first hurdle was figuring out how to deal with the water in, and potentially outside, the bathroom. The waterproof membrane used to create a curbless shower pan typically runs a minimum of 12 in. past the opening of the shower. For this project, we covered the entire room in membrane. We even pulled up the oak flooring outside of the bathroom door, extended the membrane 18 in. into the adjoining room, and then installed a wood-textured tile that mimics the look of the rest of the flooring.

The minimum required slope for a shower floor to drain correctly is 1/4 in. per ft. This shower room is pitched at a more aggressive 1/2 in. per ft., and it leads to a pair of square drains near the back wall.

For additional water resistance, we added a new fiberglass-composite door jamb, painted the existing door with a marine-grade paint, and added a sweep to the door, allowing for curbless entry to the room. We also replaced the window stool with marble and added a high-efficiency exhaust fan to clear the room of steam.

With water management figured out, we now had to fit the fixtures. We tucked the showerhead and controls into the corner, along with a marble shelf. The toilet, which we set level in the room by building up a platform for it to sit on, doubles as a shower seat. It’s a compact Caroma model with a built-in washbasin that drains into the toilet tank, providing water for the next flush. Clearance to the side of the toilet is the code-required 15 in., but the distance in front is shy of the code minimum. Luckily, our building inspector was on board with our concept and conceded on the required front clearance because the door could be left open if needed.

The client still uses the space mostly as a powder room, and occasionally to clean off her muddy feet after she comes in from the garden, but she says that it’s nice to know the microbath is ready for full-time use when the need arises.

–Alex Daisley is a project manager at Hammer & Hand in Portland, Oregon.

Photos: courtesy of Bright Designlab

Previous: Steam Spa Bathroom Makeover

Guide

Bathroom Design

Chapter

Featured Bathroom Projects

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

View Comments

  1. eam7671 | Aug 11, 2017 01:26pm | #1

    I am getting bids for a similar project. Half of the contractors think I am crazy. The other half are excited to do something challenging and different. May I ask, what was the cost of this project?

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Bathroom Design

Bathroom Design

A complete resource for designing your dream bathroom

View Project Guide

View All Project Guides »

Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Bathroom Design Project Guide.

Start Free Trial

Design and Planning
  • Design
  • Planning for Fixtures
Featured Bathroom Projects
  • Bathroom Remodels
Cabinets and Fixtures
  • Choosing Cabinets & Vanities
  • Building & Installing Vanities
  • Bathroom Fixtures
  • Ventilation and Lighting
See more on plumbing bathrooms in the Plumbing Project Guide
  • Sinks
  • Showers & Tubs
  • Toilets
See more on tiling showers in the Tiling Project Guide
  • Tile Shower Basics
  • Waterproofing
  • Shower Pans
  • Shower Drains
  • Shower Niches
  • Video Series: Tile a Shower
  • Video Series: Tile a Barrier-Free Bathroom

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 81%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data