Bathroom Planner

If you’re looking to give your bathroom a new look but don’t know where to start read the House and Home guide to planning and picking the bathroom of your dreams.

Today’s bathrooms demand a lot more thought and attention, especially if you really want to make an impression. A simple, floor to ceiling white tiled room kitted out with pristine white sanitary ware may be space enhancing but it makes for a very soulless room. Noughties bathrooms are decadent, luxurious spaces with a host of designer touches from remote controlled showers to massage baths, wall hung sanitary ware and gorgeously tactile with dark and exotic wooden furniture, and movement sensor taps that come on when you move your hands underneath them. Of course not everyone has the budget for such decadence or will even want it but a few key buys will go a long way to making your bathroom that little bit different.

The first thing to do is to assess how the space is to be used and by whom. Is it for the entire household or a private bathroom for only you and your partner? How much storage do you require? Do you want a separate bath and shower? How about heated towel rails instead of traditional style radiators. The answers to these questions will allow you decide your priorities.

Your bathroom will be much more user friendly when you find the best location for all the essentials. The bath is the first consideration. If you’re having one and you should be realistic about the size and shape and what will suit your space and needs. Free standing baths look amazing but they are heavy and you will need to find out if your floors will withstand the weight of the bath with water in it before buying.

If you’re preference is for a shower make sure you choose a cubicle with enough space to stand in comfortably and partly dry yourself, you don’t want anything too claustrophobic. If your bathroom is downstairs, why not convert it into a wet room and that way you won’t need a cubicle.

A separate bath and shower offer a choice of washing experiences but if you can’t have both opt for a shower over a bath instead.

The sink is another key bathroom buy and these days the choice of styles and materials is endless and a real striking one could give your bathroom designer edge even if the rest of the sanitary ware is quite plain. When it comes to locating the sink think about where to put it and how to mount it. You want to have enough space to wash and you don’t want to have to bend over unnecessarily to use it.

Deciding on the right toilet deserves just as much thought and attention. You’ll need to think about comfort and hygiene as well as the actual look of the toilet. Do you want a pan with cistern, a close-coupled toilet or a wall hung toilet. When it comes to installation never install a toilet facing a door and always make sure there is plenty of room for manoeuvrability.

Mistakes can occur when ideas aren’t properly thought out so before visiting a bathroom showroom put together a list of what you want and make an accurate drawing of the space, marking in windows, doors and radiators and taking note of sloping ceilings or awkward recesses. Don’t forget to have in mind a realistic budget of what you can spend for the look you want and try to stick as closely to it as possible. When visiting show rooms don’t be shy about asking for help, you aren’t expected to know everything but your retailer will and should advise on style, layout and any safety issues.