Jack And Jill Bathrooms | Info, Advice & Everything You Need To Know

Are your kids always fighting over who gets the bathroom next? Whether you are shopping for a larger home or are planning a renovation for yours, a Jack and Jill bathroom may help to minimise the traffic jam at bedtime. Once you understand how this mid-century design features works, you may decide that it’s the perfect answer for your family’s needs. 

In this post, I’ll explain what a Jack and Jill bathroom is, what to consider when designing one as well as some frequently asked questions around the topic. So after reading this you’ll know exactly if a Jack and Jill bathroom is the right choice for you.

Let’s get into it!

What Is A Jack And Jill Bathroom?

A Jack and Jill bathroom is typically located between two bedrooms. There are doors in both bedrooms that provide access to the bathroom. The bathroom generally does not have a door to the hallway, making it a semi-private suite for the two bedrooms. In some Jack and Jill designs, a large double-basin vanity offers separate storage for each person.

Jack and Jill Bathroom layout plan

Jack And Jill Bathroom Considerations

If you are installing a Jack and Jill bathroom, you will need to put a few more items on your supply order.

First, make sure that you have enough room to fit a Jack and Jill. Most of these rooms include a toilet, vanity, and combination bath and shower. You also need the extra wall space for the additional door. Plan for at least 3.5 to 4 square metres of floor space, slightly larger than a standard three-piece bathroom.

Some Jack and Jills designed for luxury homes will also include a private water closet for just the toilet, allowing one person to wash up at the sink while the other enjoys a private moment.

Are you planning on an upscale Jack and Jill? It can be tempting to add that soaker tub and walk-in shower, but that can quickly send your budget out of control. This will be an attractive upgrade to somebody searching for a house with two master suites, but for an active family, it may be overkill.

Remember to order two locksets for the doors. Both locks should be able to be secured from both inside the bathroom and the bedroom to protect the privacy of the occupant. You may wish to look at an auto-locking system that automatically engages when somebody enters the bathroom and unlocks both sides when they leave.

For added convenience, there should be light switches by both doors, but make sure they are inside the bathroom. It should be a three-way switch so that you can turn off the light from either side.

If you want to keep your teens happy, you may also want to add a second mirror, towel bar, and extra shelves in the shower for shampoo and soap. Install an outlet for hairdryers on both ends of the vanity.

If you think that a private bath means premium finishes, that does not have to be the case for your Jack and Jill. Many of these bathrooms use standard grade fixtures and flooring since they are often intended to be used by children.

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Advantages Of Jack And Jill Bathrooms

Privacy tops the list for why you want a Jack and Jill bathroom in your home. Since there is no door to the hallway, guests will not automatically use this bathroom and opt for the more convenient cloakroom by the front hall.

In larger families, your teens enjoy the added privacy of a bathroom shared with just one other sibling instead of competing for shower time with the whole brood.

For overnight guests, a Jack and Jill helps them feel at home and more welcome to enjoy a long soak in the tub.

Jack and Jill bathrooms are typically larger than other bathrooms due to the extra door. It may have a vanity with a double sink, too. That means bonus storage for toiletries and towels.

Disadvantages Of Jack And Jill Bathrooms

If the two kids that share the Jack and Jill struggle to get along, that shared space may become a point of contention just about every morning.

Once the kids grow up and move out, you may prefer to have that extra bathroom be more accessible to the rest of the house. It is permanently hidden from regular foot traffic.

A Jack and Jill bathroom will be more expensive to install due to its larger footprint, extra doors, and many double fixtures.

In older homes, the locks and light switches may not be properly positioned resulting in one person always being locked out or suddenly left in the dark.

FAQs:

Why Do They Call It A Jack And Jill Bathroom?

Its name comes from the old nursery rhyme where Jack and Jill are a loving brother and sister that share the chore of fetching some water. In bathroom terms, it is used to imply the sharing of the room by two people or rooms.

Does A Jack And Jill Bathroom Need Two Sinks?

It is not a design requirement to fit two basins into the Jack and Jill bathroom. It is a popular upgrade for the room. The larger counter needed for dual basins means that you have more storage for towels and toiletries.

Does A Jack And Jill Bathroom Need Two Sinks

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Does A Jack And Jill Bathroom Count As One Or Two Bathrooms?

If you are shopping for a new house, the real estate listing will count the Jack and Jill as a single bathroom. For practical purposes, it nearly counts as two since it is very rare that both bedroom occupants will want to use it at the same time.

In some listings, there may be a Jack and Jill with a pair of water closets which may be listed as two bathrooms.

Are Jack And Jill Bathrooms Outdated?

The first Jack and Jill bathrooms appeared in new suburban homes in the mid-60s. They were marketed to large families where the cost of adding a bathroom for every bedroom would be exorbitant. The average family size is smaller nowadays, so fewer families will see the need for a Jack and Jill. However, the roomy semi-private bathroom is still an attractive upgrade in the modern housing market.

Final Thoughts…

There you have it! Info, advice and everything you need to know about Jack and Jill bathrooms.

While Jack and Jill bathrooms may not be as popular as they once were they can be a fantastic convenient upgrade to larger family homes.

What do you think, will you design a Jack and Jill bathroom in your next renovation project?

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Michael R

Michael is a KBB designer from the UK. He's been designing and project managing new Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom installations for over eight years now, and before that, he was an electrician and part of a KBB fitting team. He created The Bathroom Blueprint in early 2020.