Our Top Tips for Designing a Bathroom
We are sharing our top bathroom design tips to help you plan your dream bathroom space - be it the master, main, guest bathrooms or powder room. Bathrooms require careful planning because of the nature of plumbing which can be difficult (and expensive) to change. A bathroom is also an expensive room to renovate or build due to the multitude of requirements - plumbing, fixtures, hardware, cabinetry, regulations, waterproofing etc.
Strategic design and careful planning in the early stages will make the process so much smoother and result in a bathroom that functions well and you love!
Layout
Never have a toilet in the first line of sight. If possible, the bath or vanity should be the focal point and the first visual when you enter the space.
Allow ample space around the bath and shower for drying, changing etc. If space is limited, allow more space for the shower & bath than the toilet which can have a relatively small footprint.
You will want to have towel rails or hooks within easy reach of the shower.
Storage
Ensure there is ample storage in the main bathroom especially. Over time you will have different storage requirements i.e. bath toys, toiletries etc so it’s better to accomodate for the possibilities rather than leaving yourself short.
Head height storage at the vanity is great, the best option is a built-in shaving cabinet.
Always use drawers over cupboards for the vanity. It is neat and practical - you can see and access all your products easily. Cupboards can be a hazard, especially with young children.
You want to ensure there is a niche or shelf of some kind in the shower for soap & toiletry products you want to have easy access to.
Add extra towel storage in the main and/or guest bathrooms to make it easy to get any extras.
Lighting
We would never use downlights over the vanity. Downlights cast shadows so aren’t ideal over a vanity. Choose mood lighting, LED strip or wall lights.
If natural light is limited, we strongly suggest adding a skylight. The difference between having beautiful natural light in the space and not, will make a huge difference to the overall outcome of the bathroom.
Materials
A bathroom is a heavy duty space - meaning it’s often a high traffic space exposed to elements like water, soaps and cleaning products. Plus you are wanting to avoid mould, scum and mildew. We recommend choosing low-maintenance materials such as ceramic, porcelain and reconstituted stone. Alternatively, if you are wanting to use natural stone, ensure it’s sealed correctly by a reputable and trusted tradesman with previous experience using it in a wet space.
Always be clear on the cleaning advice for different materials (tiles, hardware, stone) used and get them in writing if possible to avoid any mistakes down the track.
It also goes without saying - make sure to select non-slip flooring for a bathroom.
Design
If there are multiple bathrooms throughout the home, we recommend carrying through elements into each bathroom to create cohesion through the home. For example , this could be tiles, overall theme, cabinetry. A great way to make the bathrooms different but still cohesive is to choose the same tiles, yet in a different colour tone. Different spaces give you an opportunity to bring new elements into each room and make it it’s own, but you want to make sure that overall, the home is synergistic.
Where to Spend & Where to Save
SPEND: We recommend spending money on good quality tapware that will stand the test of time, as they are a high use item and frustrating when they don't function correctly. Our most recommended supplier is Astra Walker.
SPEND: Allocate money to the bathroom feature - this could be a bath, basin or skylight. These are things that will take the bathroom from average to stunning so it's worth the spend.
SAVE: Large format tiles are often much more cost effective option as a stand alone product plus are significantly cheaper to lay by a tiler.
SAVE: For mood lighting there are some great affordable options out there. LED strip lighting can also be a great low-cost option.
SAVE: Use pre-made mirrors and shaving cabinets rather than custom. Design your bathroom space around those pre-made sizes initially to save the much higher cost of custom.
If you are interested in our design services and have a potential project that you need help with, please get in touch.
