Your bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the house, and people spend plenty of money remodelling bathrooms. If you're looking to get the perfect bathroom, then we've got the perfect guide for you. Bathroom designs are easy if you follow a logical process, and these bathroom ideas should make your remodel a cinch.
The Key to Successful Bathroom Designs is Structure First
Your very first step should be to look at the structure of your room. Are there any major changes you need to make? The most common structural changes that people make when designing a bathroom are the following:
- Ventilation: good ventilation is key to ensuring that a bathroom stays dry and mould and fungus free. You might want to consider moving or widening a window, or fitting a new ventilation system;
- Changing wall position or ceilings/floors: moving walls can give you more space, but more common is to lower ceilings (so that water tanks can be fitted above them), or strengthening floors (so that you can have that heavy cast iron bath you've always wanted);
- Moving plumbing: if you want to change the location of a toilet, sink or bath you may need a plumber to move the connections;
- Changing electrical or heating connections: similarly, if you want to move the position of heated towel rails, radiators or plugs you may need an electrician to move connection points.
Any structural changes should be made before you begin fitting or decorating your bathroom. This will give you a blank canvas to work from.
Bathroom Ideas for Fixtures and Fittings
Once you've got an empty room to work with, you'll need to decide on which fixtures and fittings you want. Most people choose a combination of the following elements: bath, sink (or double sink), toilet, bidet, shower. You can buy these elements as a package (which will ensure everything matches and is often cheaper) or separately (which can give your bathroom a more unique look).
Whichever way you decide to buy, you're going to need to make sure that your chosen fittings will fit appropriately into your room. Measure everything twice! And don't forget to leave room for things like foot space in front of the toilet, or for a shower cabin door to swing open.
Bathroom Decor Ideas: The Essentials
We're not quite ready for accessorizing yet! First you've got some serious bathroom décor decisions to make. Walls and floor should be your first priority. For walls tiles and paint are generally the best choices, since wallpaper tends to suffer in damp bathrooms. For floors, either tiles or linoleum are usually the best idea, since both will suppress mould (unlike carpets) and are easy to clean and dry.
Now, what about those cabinets? Most bathrooms have at least one cabinet (under the sink), though the more storage space you have the better. You'll need somewhere to put those towels and spare shampoo and cosmetics. A cupboard above the sink that doubles as a mirror is generally a good plan, and you might want to consider more storage too…
Finally, you'll need to think about lighting. Direct overhead lighting is often too bright for a relaxing bathroom, so consider something more indirect. A strong light over a vanity mirror will make shaving and putting on make up easier, but the rest of your bathroom will probably profit from dimmed, soft lights.
Bathroom Decor Ideas: The Accessories
Now you can think about all the little extras that go towards making your bathroom design a unique part of your home. Here are a few of the accessories that you might want to consider:
- Towel rails and replacement radiators (a heated towel rail can be the ultimate luxury!);
- Soap dishes and toothbrush holders;
- Additional storage containers for things like creams or soaps;
- Bath mats or sink mats;
- Window dressings such as blinds (particularly if you don't have frosted glass in your windows);
- And maybe some new towels to match your new bathroom décor!
When it comes to bathroom design, there are just so many options, but if you follow our simple steps, you should find that your remodel is a breeze. Oh, and don't forget to check your home insurance policy. A remodelling accident in the bathroom can lead to plenty of water damage, so you might want to check that you're covered in the case of burst or leaking pipes!
Main subject: bathroom design
