Upgrading your small basement with a bathroom is one of those remodel projects that will drastically improve your room. It stops the frequent need of running upstairs and makes movie nights and game rooms much more comfortable, and adds real resale value to the home. Since many basements come with awkward design constraints like low ceilings under stairs, tight widths, and limited plumbing they can be challenging to work with. In this guide, I share five, small basement bathroom layouts that get the most out of their compact dimensions. You’ll see different ways to plan you floor plan with functional placements for the toilet, sink, and shower to get the most out of the space.
5×7 Compact Bathroom Layout Off The Basement Media Room
This compact half bath layout tucks a sink and toilet to one side with an inswing door so this 5′ x 7′ space is functional next to your media room.
Easily Create Your Own Room Makeover
Upload a photo and get instant before-and-after room designs. No design experience needed — join 2.39 million+ happy users. 👉 Try the AI design tool now
Floor Plan Details: This 5′ x 7′ compact powder room is designed as a convenient stop, right off the basement media room. You enter from the top wall through an inswing door and turn to see the small vanity sink sitting in the upper-right corner with the toilet along the wall below it. The design leaves an open zone through the middle, so it doesn’t feel too tight. The plan manages comfort and noise by using extra insulation to help keep sound from permeating through from the nearby media-room. The shared wall is called out for Rockwool wall insulation, and the fixtures are arranged so you’re not staring at the toilet when the door opens up. It’s a simple setup, but it hits the goal of adding a bathroom nearby without taking to much of the basement’s square footage.
Dimensions:
Room size: 5′ x 7′ (60″ x 84″)
Vanity/sink: 24″ x 20″
Open floor zone: 2.5′ x 4.5′ (30″ x 54″)
Toilet clearance – 15″ and 12″ (check with your local building codes and use a pedestal sink to get more space if needed.)
Design Tips:
Upgrade the door choice with a pocket door, or an outswing if code allows to make the room feel bigger.
Check the toilet clearances and go with a pedestal sink to get 15″ on both sides if required.
Consider rotating the toilet to the lower wall if you want 15″ clearance on both sides, with 30″ in front and a normal 24″ vanity.
Add sound-control in the wall with rockwool, and a solid-core door to keep sounds lower.
Choose a quiet bath fan so the bathroom doesn’t interrupt the media room watching experience.
Add storage vertically, not horizontally: a recessed medicine cabinet and shallow shelves above the toilet give you storage without shrinking the standing area.
Install one bright ceiling light and a vanity light to prevent the room from feeling dark.
Use case: For a quick restroom for movie nights, this half bath keeps noise and plumbing simple.
Why it works: It fits in a small powder room by the theater without stealing much floor space.
5×8 Basement With Guest Bathroom With Shower Near The Home Theater Design
This 5′ x 8′ bath pairs a shower on one side with a toilet and sink on the other, with the entrance in the center for a tight, and functional design.
Floor Plan Details: This cozy 5′ x 8′ basement guest bathroom is laid out to serve the home theater and give a little more usability than just the standard powder room add-on. The plan zones the room into two halves with the sink and toilet on the left, and a full 36″ x 48″ basement shower on the right. The entrance is in the center of the bottom wall of the home theater and opens with a slider or pocket door into a small corridor running up the middle. As you enter, the 36″ 48″ shower is located on the right next to a small 12″ wide reach-in closet. If you turn toward your left, you’ll find a small sink vanity followed by the toilet.
Dimensions:
Room size: 5′ x 8′ (60″ x 96″)
Shower: 36″ x 48″ (3′ x 4′)
Vanity/sink: 24″ x 20″
Open floor zone: 2.5′ x 4.5′ (30″ x 54″)
Entrance opening: 30″ pocket door or slider
Main aisle as shown: 35″ (between fixtures in the center zone)
Design Tips:
The toilet’s clearances are tight with the 24″ wide vanity. In order to provide 15″ of clearance on either side, go with a pedestal sink.
Use a pocket door, slider, or out-swing if allowed to avoid in-swing conflicts.
Go with a glass enclosure or a bright shower curtain to keep the feel more airy.
Add a recessed niche in the shower wall for your bath accessories.
Install a mirrored medicine cabinet above for storing bath essentials.
Hang a cabinet behind the toilet for TP and other items to keep things off the floor.
Use a quiet fan and a solid-core door so the bathroom doesn’t disrupt movie time.
Use case: For those wanting a media room that doubles as a guest space with a bathroom that has a compact shower.
Why it works: A full bath in 40 sq ft that can support overnight guests without expanding the media room footprint.
6×6 Game Room Half Bath Layout With A Corner Sink
This design places a corner sink opposite the toilet so the tiny 6′ x 6′ half bath feels easy to use, and perfect for use next to a busy game room.
Floor Plan Details: This square 6′ x 6′ game room half bath keeps the footprint tight by placing the sink in one corner and the toilet in the other. The 30″ entry door comes in from the game room on the top left side, and has you facing the sink, with the toilet to your right. The corner placement of the fixtures is the secret weapon here because it frees up the middle so the room doesn’t feel like you’re squeezing in. Because it’s a half bath with no shower, the plan focuses on preserving a comfortable zone. The center area is shown as roughly 2.5′ x 4.5′ of floor space, which keeps you from feeling boxed in. For a basement game room, this is exactly what you want for fast access, with minimal square footage, and a layout that feels simple to access.
Use a corner sink, a pedestal, or a compact wall-mount to save space.
Swap the inswing door with a pocket door or outswing if allowed, so there’s more usable floor area in a 6′ x 6′ room.
Add storage vertically with a recessed medicine cabinet and a shallow shelf above the toilet.
Use finishes like durable flooring, easy-wipe paint, and a simple sink faucet to cut down on cleaning tasks.
Install a solid-core door with a quiet fan to better keep the bathroom noise contained.
Use case: For those wanting a restroom next to a wet bar or pool table that doesn’t feel tight.
Why it works: The square footprint with corner fixtures keeps the design feeling bigger.
5×9 Small Bathroom Floor Plan With Shower And Bench In The Basement
This small bath lines up the vanity, toilet, and a full shower-with-bench at the end, with a comfortable open walkway so everything is easy to reach.
Floor Plan Details: This 5’6″ x 9′ basement bathroom is a small but functional design that fits a real shower with a built-in bench along the far end without making the room feel cramped. The 30″ door enters at the upper-left, and faces a compact 2′ x 3′ single sink vanity that sits on the bottom-left. Next to the sink is the toilet, followed by the shower. This way, guests can wash up without walking all the way through the shower zone. The right end of the room features a 4.5′ x 3′ shower spanning the full wall with a bench to one side.
Dimensions:
Room size: 5’6″ x 9′
Door opening: 30″
Vanity: 2′ x 3′
Shower: 4.5′ x 3′
Open floor zone: 2.5′ x 4.5′
Shower bench: runs along the back wall of the shower (full-width bench shown)
Design Tips:
Make the shower feel bigger by using a clear glass panel/door.
Add the bench as a luxury feature in the shower and tile it with a slightly contrasting surface, or use a solid stone slab top.
Install a small corner shelf niche for accessories.
Choose a textured shower-floor tile to avoid slips within the rest of the room.
Use case: For those with a recreation or fitness area that needs a durable clean-up shower.
Why it works: Keeps plumbing focused along one wall to reduce cost, with an aisle at the top for ease of use.
4×8 Basement Bathroom Floor Plan Under The Stairs
This under-the-stairs bath makes the best use of a sloped ceiling by keeping the full-height portion usable and saving the lowest area for open floor, so the tiny 4’6″ x 8′ bathroom still feels comfortable.
Floor Plan Details: This 4’6″ x 8′ under-the-stairs basement bathroom is designed to squeeze a functional half bath into a space that would otherwise be used as storage or just wasted. The door is on the top wall near the left side, and once you step in, you face a compact 20″ x 20″ sink next to a toilet. The plumbing is kept simple, with the small 20″ x 20″ corner sink sitting on the left side, and the toilet near the middle-right. The far-right part of the room is labeled as the lowest part of the stairs/landing. This plan reserves this short headroom area for an open floor space.
Dimensions:
Room size: 4’6″ x 8′
Door opening shown: 28″
Sink: 20″ x 20″
Open floor zone: 2.5′ x 4.5′ (30″ x 54″)
Top-wall segments shown: 32″ / 30″ / 34″ to determine individual zones
Stair width shown adjacent: 34″
Design Tips:
Treat it like a “height-managed” bathroom that designates standing zones for the mirror, light, and towel hook on the higher ceiling side.
Keep the lowest stair area clear or add storage underneath.
Use a compact, wall-hung sink if possible to make cleaning easier.
Pick an outswing or pocket door if possible so the 28″ opening feels less cramped.
To prevent your under-stair bath from feeling like a cave, use a bright ceiling fixture plus a good mirror light.
Soundproof the stair wall and add insulation so fan and other noises don’t travel up the stairwell.
Use case: Capture your under-stairs dead space near your home theater.
Why it works: Turns the under-the-stair area into a useful bath without encroaching on your theater seating or screen walls.
Quick U.S. code-aware checklist (handy for your GC)
Toilet: 15″ min from the centerline to each side; 24″ min clear in front
Lavatory:21″ min in front
Shower:30″ x 30″ min interior; 22″ min door opening with 24″+ being preferred
Ceiling height:6’8″ min at fixtures and in the shower over the showerhead
Ventilation:50 CFM intermittent or 20 CFM continuous, ducted outdoors
Basement drainage: Sewage ejector or up-flush macerating toilet when needed; 2″ vent, accessible check valve
Soundproofing near theaters: Solid-core door, door sweep, perimeter gaskets, rockwool in stud bays, 5/8″ type X drywall
Architect-Designed Room Layouts - Delivered in 7 Days
Stop guessing your layout. Receive two custom, to-scale floor plans designed by a professional architect, complete with furniture placement, traffic flow, and accurate dimensions.
The best pool deck furniture layout considers your budget, orientation, space utilization, and preferences. Since these factors greatly affect your decisions during the design phase,…
As our televisions get larger and wider, many households seem to have smaller homes, thus smaller living rooms.In this article, we will share with you…
For the serious chef or the home buddy connoisseur, the galley kitchen is an excellent layout to utilize because of its practicality, efficiency, and adaptability….
A Jack and Jill bathroom is a shared bathroom accessible from two separate bedrooms, making it an efficient space-saving design often seen in family homes….
