Rethinking oversized 1980s and 1990s primary baths
A very common layout in this part of Hollywood pairs a large corner or platform tub with a small, dark shower stall. Twenty or thirty years on, most households use the shower daily and the tub almost never. Reclaiming that tub deck for a substantially larger shower — often with a bench, a hand shower and full-height glass — transforms the room without changing its footprint.
Where the tub is genuinely wanted, replacing a bulky platform with a freestanding tub frees visual space and makes the floor easier to clean, while allowing the shower to expand into part of the old deck area.
Room for real design decisions
- Double vanities of 84 inches or more with tower storage between the sinks
- Separate water closets with their own ventilation and light
- Large custom showers with two heads or a rain head plus a hand shower
- Freestanding tubs positioned at a window with a floor-mounted filler
- Slab or large-format porcelain feature walls with continuous veining
- Dedicated seated makeup areas with correct-height task lighting
What larger rooms demand technically
Scale brings its own requirements. A big shower with multiple outlets needs adequate supply capacity and often a larger valve; a rain head plus a hand shower running simultaneously is a real demand on the system. Larger glass panels need proper blocking and sometimes a header. Broad expanses of large-format tile require a very flat substrate, which means floor preparation is a line item rather than an assumption.
Ventilation also scales. A fan sized for a 60 square foot bathroom will not clear a 140 square foot suite with a separate water closet; frequently two fans, or one larger unit with multiple intakes, is the correct approach.
Planning, selections and sequencing
Larger projects have more moving parts and longer selection lists. Cabinetry, slab material and glass are the three items that most often set the schedule, so they are selected and ordered first. Slab selection in particular benefits from viewing the actual material rather than a sample, since veining varies piece to piece and, in a feature wall, that variation is the point.