Open Ensuites: 8 Secrets of Success
A well-designed open ensuite can be a lovely bedroom addition, but only if you take these practicalities into account
An ensuite open to the master bedroom is a bold move but, done well, it can deliver the wow factor your bedroom may be missing. As these stunning examples show, getting it right is about more than just aesthetics. The best open ensuites are as practical as they are pretty, and bring a new level of intimacy into a master bedroom. Get ready to be inspired.
TIP: Use similar tones and colours in both spaces – the bathroom and bedroom – for an effect that’s harmonious.
2. Plan for privacy and control the light
If you have the space, a divider such as this can be enough to separate the ensuite from the bedroom without making you feel hemmed in on either side. A divider that stops short of the ceiling will help. A wide wall like this also manages to provide plenty of storage and creates room for lighting to be installed over the vanity; its boxy design means light from the bathroom isn’t going to flood into the bedroom.
TIP: Lighting is key when it comes to a successful open ensuite. If your partner is drifting off to sleep or reading peacefully while you’re taking a bath or brushing your teeth, the last thing he or she is going to appreciate is blinding light coming from the bathroom. Contain the light with a dividing wall, and install dimmers so you don’t ruin the mood.
If you have the space, a divider such as this can be enough to separate the ensuite from the bedroom without making you feel hemmed in on either side. A divider that stops short of the ceiling will help. A wide wall like this also manages to provide plenty of storage and creates room for lighting to be installed over the vanity; its boxy design means light from the bathroom isn’t going to flood into the bedroom.
TIP: Lighting is key when it comes to a successful open ensuite. If your partner is drifting off to sleep or reading peacefully while you’re taking a bath or brushing your teeth, the last thing he or she is going to appreciate is blinding light coming from the bathroom. Contain the light with a dividing wall, and install dimmers so you don’t ruin the mood.
The same bathroom draws the line when it comes to the toilet. A sliding door and effective exhaust fan will help you mind your own business.
3. Share the light
One of the great things about open ensuites is the extra natural light that can penetrate both the bathroom and the bedroom. Maximise this benefit with the help of mirrors to bounce light around, and opt for walls, tiles and bedding in light colours. A minimalist approach to decorating will also help if you’d like it to feel bright and airy.
One of the great things about open ensuites is the extra natural light that can penetrate both the bathroom and the bedroom. Maximise this benefit with the help of mirrors to bounce light around, and opt for walls, tiles and bedding in light colours. A minimalist approach to decorating will also help if you’d like it to feel bright and airy.
TIP: Adequate ventilation is vital in an open ensuite to avoid steam travelling into the bedroom and causing problems. A combination of natural airflow and an exhaust fan over or near the shower is a wise move.
4. Factor in your climate
An open ensuite can be ideal if you live in a tropical climate, but the extra airflow in a big space can make bathing a little chilly if it gets cold where you live. Ceiling-mounted heat lamps, under-floor heating and heated towel rails can counter this potential problem.
TIP: If you don’t have the luxury of a private view from your bathtub, opt for window coverings that still allow the light to penetrate – sheer curtains or frosted glass, for example.
An open ensuite can be ideal if you live in a tropical climate, but the extra airflow in a big space can make bathing a little chilly if it gets cold where you live. Ceiling-mounted heat lamps, under-floor heating and heated towel rails can counter this potential problem.
TIP: If you don’t have the luxury of a private view from your bathtub, opt for window coverings that still allow the light to penetrate – sheer curtains or frosted glass, for example.
5. Build in some flexibility
Some people need more personal space than others, and the amount of privacy you want can fluctuate with your mood (and, for some, the time of the month!). Sliding doors mean freedom of choice. The semi-opaque doors that can separate this Asian-style bedroom and ensuite work because of their scale, proportion and design – their look is reminiscent of Japanese rice paper screens.
TIP: Factor in resale value when you’re designing your open ensuite. A more flexible design that delivers privacy when needed will appeal to more buyers than one that doesn’t. Even a heavy curtain than can be pulled across to separate the space can be an adequate solution.
Some people need more personal space than others, and the amount of privacy you want can fluctuate with your mood (and, for some, the time of the month!). Sliding doors mean freedom of choice. The semi-opaque doors that can separate this Asian-style bedroom and ensuite work because of their scale, proportion and design – their look is reminiscent of Japanese rice paper screens.
TIP: Factor in resale value when you’re designing your open ensuite. A more flexible design that delivers privacy when needed will appeal to more buyers than one that doesn’t. Even a heavy curtain than can be pulled across to separate the space can be an adequate solution.
6. Favour flooring that unites the rooms
Moisture must, of course, be taken into account when it comes to flooring, but choosing similar materials or at least tones will help the ensuite and bedroom become one. In this bathroom, the American white oak timber flooring extends from the bedroom into the vanity area of the ensuite for visual continuity, and into the separate toilet as well. A long grate drain between the timber floor and the tiled wet area to the left of the vanity area prevents any water issues.
Moisture must, of course, be taken into account when it comes to flooring, but choosing similar materials or at least tones will help the ensuite and bedroom become one. In this bathroom, the American white oak timber flooring extends from the bedroom into the vanity area of the ensuite for visual continuity, and into the separate toilet as well. A long grate drain between the timber floor and the tiled wet area to the left of the vanity area prevents any water issues.
This bathroom has tiles throughout, but the colour is similar enough to the carpet in the bedroom that the two spaces feel sufficiently linked.
7. Use glass to make the most of what you have
If your bedroom is on the small side, taking out the wall that separates it from the bathroom and replacing it with glass is a savvy move. Both rooms will feel bigger and more open, and each can borrow light from the other. It’s a win-win.
TIP: Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid having the toilet in the same room as the rest of the ensuite. For added privacy, hide the toilet behind the vanity, as in this bathroom, and consider etched glass to shield the toilet from view.
If your bedroom is on the small side, taking out the wall that separates it from the bathroom and replacing it with glass is a savvy move. Both rooms will feel bigger and more open, and each can borrow light from the other. It’s a win-win.
TIP: Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid having the toilet in the same room as the rest of the ensuite. For added privacy, hide the toilet behind the vanity, as in this bathroom, and consider etched glass to shield the toilet from view.
8. Use your space efficiently
This design manages to squeeze a bedroom, study, dressing room and spacious bathroom into the same room, all without feeling squeezy. The beauty of a multifunctional space like this is that it takes up less floor area than it otherwise would had each function been given its own room.
TIP: Let the dividing wall double as a bedhead for maximum space efficiency, and install bedside lighting into the wall.
This design manages to squeeze a bedroom, study, dressing room and spacious bathroom into the same room, all without feeling squeezy. The beauty of a multifunctional space like this is that it takes up less floor area than it otherwise would had each function been given its own room.
TIP: Let the dividing wall double as a bedhead for maximum space efficiency, and install bedside lighting into the wall.
YOUR SAY
Would you love an open ensuite or do you prefer to bathe in seclusion? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Would you love an open ensuite or do you prefer to bathe in seclusion? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Designs for Living: Excellent Ideas for Your Ensuite’s Entry
10 Storage Rules for a Neat Ensuite
Stickybeak of the Week: Classic Ensuite With an Elegant Twist
This ensuite adds to the ambience and style of the room with the help of a gorgeous feature wall of Italian mosaic tiles behind the bath. The lesson here is to make the bathroom look as beautiful from the bedroom as the bedroom looks from the bathroom.