nikilyn207 The toilet in the closet is a great idea for those families who are all getting ready for their day, or for bed, at the same time. I would suggest having a small sink in there as well. That way you are washing your hands before touching the door knob to leave the closet and you are staying out of the way of those who are brushing their teeth, and washing up at the sink(s) within the main bath. I guess this would be a 1/2 bath within a full bath. I enjoyed this article and have bookmarked it.

aeykelbo Yikes... maybe it's just me, but the only thing I consider "privacy" (not minimal, moderate or maximum, just private) is a separate room with a locking door.

For me, the design ideas shown above are not for creating privacy when using the toilet while other users are in the bathroom. Instead, I think they are meant to hide the toilet from people who are NOT looking for it. As in, when someone is going in just to wash their hands before dinner, sometimes it's nice NOT to see the crapper! I actually really like the idea of separating the "clean" from the "dirty" parts of the bathroom, and only wish I had room for it.

Sierra Jones There was only one washroom where I would use the toilet while someone was in it, and that is the one the door. Agree with , aeykelbo.
Couldn't imagine sitting behind that half wall on the toilet or behind that reed glass wall, lol. Not my idea of privacy...
Very beautiful washrooms though!

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. You all are cracking me up this morning!

Paul D'Amico - Period Design Now I know why I did not marry, have kids nor pets. It's because I enjoy reading the newspaper in the morning without interruption and with the door wide open!

jdforney Alas, my main bathroom has the toilet right next to the door, so your knees get smashed if the door opens. In this small 1930's house, the options to change the bathroom are minimal & extremely costly. Some of the bathrooms above appear larger than my entire upstairs!

midmodfan The idea of someone entering the bathroom while it is occupied is new to me. That never happend in our family although we had only ONE bathroom. And no key! My parents always feared one of us kids would lock the door and not know how to unlock it.

Anyway, hiding the commode from plain view is a good thing and the variety of screens is really inventive and wonderful. Thank you for this ideabook!

salex I love the idea of a separate loo. I'm finishing a 2nd-story remodel of a small 1920s house, and my master bath includes a WC with a pocket door. To be honest, as someone who shares a master bath with my partner, a WC with a door was one of my top 3 criteria for our remodel... not having to wait for each other to make the vanity/shower/tub available is simply good for marital harmony :)

kennedytarheel We have 3 kids , 1 or 2 dogs. I tell them ALL....when that bathroom door is shut that is my private time. Only bother me if there is a serious emergency ...such as someone needs stitches or has had a heart attack and needs the ER. Otherwise, that door is shut and locked...til I decide to re-emerge to the chaos that certainly will still be there when I get out!

wrightmarianne Clearly this subject has created a lot of chatter. Thanks for lightening my day - the comments as well!

cillisa The title of this ideabook cracked me up! Thanks!

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC Great article! One of the best ideas for large bathrooms is the separate water closet with its own door. Having the toilet just sitting there in a large room is unsightly at best, and the lack of privacy is unacceptable.

simps214 I don't know which is more creative, the title of the ideabook or the ideas it offers.

I like both :)

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Thanks simps214, I think it's fun to keep it light. Thanks for reading, I appreciate your input.
Charmean Neithart

Stephanie Wiggins All these comments made me laugh too! I do have a 'closet' in my bathroom. It just seemed like the logical thing to do...even if it's a house built for one and maybe a guest or two.

moresparkly I understand Charmean. My kids are 5,3, and 1 and although they know bathroom time is private time their idea of an emergency (He's eating Daddy's twizzlers!) may not be the same as mine. Having an extra second, i.e., not having the toilet right in front of the door, seems useful to me too. Not as though it's a communal space, but a plan B if interrupted. I especially like the toilet housed in the frosted glass stall.

GTF Construction Concepts This project posed some serious space challenges and one of the items on the clients high priority list was "loo" privacy. The solution, a "water closet". I found a way to incorporate maximum privacy and actually make it a design element. They love it, win, win!
Sorry about the image quality. After 35 years I think I'm finally mastering the contractor thing. Pictures, well I'm still @ 101. Might be time to consider a pro!
Might as well throw in my two cents as well. For me, toilet time is my time but for some reason the wife insists it's the perfect talk time, hello.......

Deborah Hall I never did get why big master baths were all the rage. They're hard to heat and I could never understand why you would want to stand alongside anyone else brushing your teeth at the same time. I'm all about privacy and that goes for tooth brushing too. In our old house we have two bathrooms upstairs. The smaller one (shower ) is my husband's and the larger one -- only 6 x 12 feet with a shower and tub -- is mine. Neither of us goes into the other's bathroom.

docilana Can only envy the size of these bathrooms . Allows people to actually take monumentous decisions like privacy walls etc .

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi GTF Construction, exactly! It does seem because you are sitting still (literally) it's an invitation to ask that important question that just can't wait. It happens so frequently in my house that I could set my watch by it. You really made me laugh, thanks for sharing. Great project too, looks like the perfect solution. Charmean Neithart

tsudhonimh The best option of all separates the bathing functions completely. That way your norovirus attack doesn't interfere with someone bathing, toothbrushing and prettifying themselves.

I have seen several houses where there was a toilet room (toilet and small washbasin) and a bathing room with just the tub/shower combo, accessible from a grooming and closet area.

lara_jane We have just one bathroom on the main level of our 1960s home and the only time the door is closed is when we're cold enough to use the heater. The moment I sit on the pot is when my son's radar goes off and he remembers something he "needs" to tell me. As he's gotten older I've had to establish boundaries, ie, "Look, dude, there are some things you don't want to see, and your mama doin' her business is at the top of that list!"

Of course, I've only just gotten him trained and he's almost 13, but we started all over with a new baby last year. At least this one's a girl so the open-door policy won't prove as awkward down the road.

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi lara_jane. Thanks for the visual...hilarious! Have two boys and one girl, my daughter is much more in tune to privacy. The boys just are looking for someone, anyone to make them a snack. They'll come looking for me when they're hungry, which is every 20 minutes. Thank God for my water closet with a lock. :)

Thanks for sharing your loo adventures.
Charmean Neithart

frenchdecor Hilarious article. All this minimal and moderate privacy are perfectly good for peek-a-boo!! game. Like maximum privacy picture #3 and having frosted or colored glass shower (or part of it) would be perfectly convenient for all family.

deb54 Great article Charmean! I laughed my way through all of it, comments included! The loo, in general, is definitely a subject to which we can all relate.

Jacobs Woodworks Love the list! Here's another to add to the "Maximum Privacy" section:
It's about privacy but also about being efficient with space in this loft bathroom!

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC Hi Deborah Hall--your private bath is 6' x 12'? Wow, that's quite a nice size! My master bath for 26 years was 5' x 5', including sink, toilet, and small shower! If we had had one your size, we probably wouldn't have enlarged it!

scoobydubious uh...with the exception of the one pocket-door-loo, NONE of these provide anything resembling "privacy".

mary2939 When we bought a house (20 yrs. ago) with a separate room for toilet AND shower, I found what I need. I want privacy in both places, and having the loo in the same room means you can use it just before showering, which usually takes only a few minutes. Of course all those women with perfect bodies might not mind if they must shower in front of glass, but I'm not in that category. There are some things I just want to do all by myself. None of the above options are good enough. I don't need art in the bathroom. Just Put the shower AND toilet in separate room(s).

maggiesmom91 Our house is about 50 years old. I don't know who designed it, but when you walk in the front door, guess what you see...that's right...the toilet. It's a little embarrassing to say the least to have someone knocking at the front door(which has a window in it) and be in the bathroom and have to come out to greet your company. On the other hand, back when this house was built, most Newfoundlanders used the back door most of the time.

Having said that, my husband and I were looking at some new house construction a few years ago. We went in a two story house in a fairly nice subdivision. When you walked in the front door, there she was, bright, shiny and new....the 'throne' right at the top of the stairs framed by the stair rail and the bathroom door!

It would be nice just to have some privacy away from the front door!!!

Dakota Stabley All of these bathrooms make mine look horrible. Lol. I've only ever seen such a large bathroom at a rest stop along I-95 haha

wantsideas LOL. Some of the privacy screens remind me of a confessional where the priest (sitting behind it) gives you absolution. But some privacy is better than nothing. As a big fan of pocket doors the third picture is my favorite and ideal if you have the room.

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi wantsideas. Thanks for the chuckle this morning. Spent some time in those confessionals myself, I found that comparison particularly funny and relatable. Have a great day. Charmean

astraea It's a bit narrow to only think of VISUAL privacy .. what about "sound", and that other sense .. "smell"?! I'd rather not share a bathroom at the same time as another user, or be cooped up in a claustrophobic "toilet closet". I'd rather share the bed than the bathroom; right ladies?! I wouldn't even want to be elbow-to-elbow brushing teeth.

wantsideas Glad you saw the humor in that Charmean. I was hoping no one would be offended by it. I can relate to the dog too.Years ago we had a high energy miniature schnauzer that was like a shark never staying still. He mastered the art of jumping and hitting the handle of a closed door just right so he could bust in and see what was going on and what he was missing. It wasn’t an issue for us as we were used to it. On vacation we had dear friend’s house/pet sit for us and yes, the husband was behind closed doors in the bathroom and the dog got in and sat at his feet and stared at him which freaked him out. He yelled to his wife who was downstairs that the dog was staring at him. It took her awhile to shoo the dog away as she was laughing so hard she cried.

wantsideas Great points astrea. No one in my house now but spouse and me have unspoken agreement is he uses guest toilet and I use master and it works for us. We rarely use shower/sink at the same time but we do have separate sinks with tub in-between so even then not a problem. We recently remodeled and took OUT the toilet closet door as too many doors in the bath. Shower door, toilet closet door, closet, and door to bedroom. The toilet is still not seen when you walk into the room which is what I like. For privacy there is still a pocket door from bedroom to bath but its open one hundred percent of the time. But people with a small space or children don’t have these options or if they are sharing a bathroom so I think some of these options are good.

kennedytarheel astraea...i'm fine with tooth brushing side-by-side. But...it's the side-by-side spitting part I'm not so fine with!

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi wantsideas. That's a great story, would have paid money to see a little dog staring down a man sitting on the loo. Sounds like a Seinfeld episode actually. Thanks for two laughs now.

brn16 I like all of the bathrooms except the first one and hi mamma

rhn1965 Privacy means a separate room and a closed door!

My wife also occasionally has boundary issues around toilet time. Unless someone is bleeding, it can always wait.

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi brn16. Thank you for your comments, now go do your homework. :)

morgana44 Love this discussion. Wantsides: I so love the story about your dog...my sister has two of the same breed and she has to lock them out. Literally. And if she forgets and they enter they pick up whatever is on the floor and run outside with them. Too funny because I see her outside a few times a week retrieving her underwear.

I want the bathroom to myself when I have to brush my teeth or just go. I sometimes watch House Hunters and they 'always' want 2 sinks as if someone will be in there with them at all times. Just yuck.

cherielou What an interesting article and the comments are so much fun! I've always felt that toilets are just ugly, no matter how new or how nicely they are designed, and that they should be set aside as much as possible in a bathroom, if there is space for that. The photos are great, and certainly give ideas as to how to hide them somewhat. I do agree that most of the photos show good ways to keep from looking right at the toilet when you walk in the bathroom, while not affording privacy so much.
My advice for couples is that you respect each other's privacy and just stay out of the bathroom when the other person is in there. That rule takes care of a lot of issues. Teaching your children that as they grow up makes sense, too. When you have very LITTLE children, however, it's just not always possible to have privacy--they need you, or have to be with you, and that's just life!

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi cherielou. You are right, that is just life sometimes...great point. For those days, a pretty privacy screen comes in handy. Thank you for your comments. Charmean

Mackin Drafting & Design I thought the photos showed some great ideas but I enjoyed reading the comments just as much. Made me laugh!

Brenda Greer Such a to do about nothing ( in my opinion , but then I don't have kids at home, just dogs. I took the French doors off my bathroom. Useless things! Building a new home with three bathrooms for two people. See something funny with this picture? My new bathroom has a "water closet". Can't wait to get that door off. Would love to half the wall too. Have a friend who stays in our house looking after our male dogs. She refuses to use my bathroom. Always uses the guest one.

sacapuntaslapioz toilets started out life as a private room with just the toilet in it. sometimes they had a small sink too. it is better for privacy and for keeping the romance alive. it is more hygienic as no dusting into toothrbushes when flushing. a big yes. I would not do a remodel without adding a separate room

kcmathis I enjoy the photos and ideas, however what ideas do you have for handicapped. My husband and I are looking for stylish ideas that can accommodate two people plus a wheelchair in both the shower and the loo yet will not turn off a buyer when it comes time to sell....good luck!

Carolina Girl I love all these ideas but cannot use any of them. I have a very small bath with the loo straight in from the door. Short of gutting the bath and moving the shower I can't come up with anything to make it a bit more private, except maybe keeping the door shut at all times.

jkristamagee You have my husband cracking up! Ya see - I have what everyone here calls "potty shy" lol- apparently that name was given to the apparently "weird" ways that I turn red when anything about going to te bathroom is mentioned, I can't use the bathroom in anyway unless I hear NOTHING ! , if I hear people talkin or even people walking I freeze up- and we just found out how "potty shy " I really am- while reading this my husband was laughing and while I wante to , j was too busy trying to hide the fact my face is cherry red lol- you guys gave us all a nice chuckle this evening and I will probably live this down in a week or two lol thanks for the article!

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi jkristamagee. Well now I'm laughing too. Don't worry, we all have our quirks. Now I am curious though, what happens in a public restroom? Do you just have to wait until everyone clears the room? Do you slip someone a 5 to guard the door? :) Actually, reminds me of a funny story. When my son was little he loved trains. He also liked to be alone in the bathroom. When he would come home from preschool, he would run straight into the bathroom and close the door. He also couldn't go unless he stripped off most of his clothes. Everything from the waist down would come off. Pants, shoes, socks...everything. Then he would start singing, " I've been working on the railroad...." He would usually be done by the time he got to the second round of "can't you hear the whistle blowing". That was his ritual. So one time we were at some crowded restroom, he was very bothered by all the people making noise in the bathroom. Also, I wouldn't let him take off his shoes and socks. He was just irritated he couldn't go in his own bathroom at home. Guess what I had to do to get him to relax? Yep, I was working on the railroad! I had to sing for about 5 minutes with a crowd of ladies just cracking up outside our stall. It was my first public restroom performance!
So, you're not alone. He's 11 now and doesn't strip down anymore, but he still closes the door and listens to music while he's in the loo. Thanks for the laugh, you're a good sport to share that with us all. Charmean

rosebud3 jdforney - if the walls outside the bathroom can accommodate, consider replacing your bathroom door with a pocket door. No more banged knees.

rosebud3 Paul D'amico - I have a German shepherd who likes to know where I am. He walks in, comes over to say hello and I just say "out" and he leaves. No kids, and replaced the void my deceased husband left with dogs. They fill my life with joy.

rosebud3 tsudhonimh - what a great idea. I had not thought of that, having a "toilet room." I am playing around with a floor plan for my next house with a tiny footprint. I've been struggling with the bathroom layout. I'll have to give this idea some thought.

jkristamagee Oh charmean! I knew that question was next. It's quite embarrassing- I do not go - I will give myself kidney pains or whatever bit if I have no choice and I do get the courage , I'm like a little kid doing something wrong and trying not to get caught lol- it's ridiculous! And oh forbid someone walk in- I make like a statue ha ha

calkelley Charmean, you are too funny. But you reminded me of something my sports nut son did until he was about 12ish, 3 years ago. He was so into baseball or other ball games, he never really played with toys. Unless he was in the bathroom sitting. I would come in later and find a few cars or a transformer or something. It made me smile.
Our last MBath was so small - we didn't even think of separating the toilet from the rest. Our new house is a little fancier, and the bath is gorgeous and huge; marble walls/floors, with onyx inlays and trim. And a toilet room that houses toilet, bidet and linen closet behind a door.
Except if you sit on the toilet, you cannot open or close the door - you have to step into the room between the fixtures and then close it. Which is the only way to reach the closet too! Pocket door isn't going to work. Stupid.
I think we'll get rid of the bidet, put in a toto that is both (have one in the guest bath) at an angle and then everything will fit smartly. Someday...
Some great ideas here. And love all the comments!

calkelley btw, call me strange but I liked it when the boys were small and would come in to find me. They would sit on the counter or a chair and talk without tv or their brother interrupting. You can discreetly pull up underwear and pants or send them out at that point...

mcd53 What huge bathrooms. I thought mine were large. Way to much to have to keep clean.

dawnbc1 Okay, I'm a nurse practitioner and have seen all body parts including many internal ones. Do I want to watch my husband sit on the toilet while I apply makeup in my race to get to the hospital in the morning? No. Do I want him to see me? Snowballs chance in hell. sorta sucks all the romance out of the air. I loved my master bathroom with the toilet and shower behind pocket door. Now we've gutted it to rip out the elephant sized pit - uh jetted tub- neither of us have ever used and will put in an elephant sized shower but what are we keeping? Privacy behind the pocket door! Only now it will be a toilet and a urinal. romance lives on.

joanbllt I don't know how the builders did it, but when you leave the closet doors open there is a straight shot of the toilet thru the MBR window, and when you open the front door and bathroom door there is a good look at the toilet again. There are 3 different floor plans in the condo complex and in each the toilet is placed in line with a bedroom window.
There are some other cracked oddities too, but this is one that bugs me.

pjrn All this brouhaha between married couples about simple physical necessities. Do these people ever actually have sexual intercourse? If so, how can sitting on the toilet be "private" after that? :)

lara_jane I can't believe this thread is still going! The comments are a riot. Yes, DH and I regularly "do the deed," but there's not a whole lot of romance to it, and it isn't because of our bathroom habits; two kids, one a nosy teen and one a nursing baby, you gotta take the opportunity as it comes! It doesn't turn me off that he's seen me do everything one does in the bathroom -- and vice versa -- it's just part of life in a small older house. Good thing neither of us has boundaries because with the lack of privacy we would never be brushing teeth or anything else if either was "gun shy," as it were. ;)