Planning the Perfect Bathroom

Planning the Perfect Bathroom

There are many technical considerations in planning your bathroom, but make sure that it is a place that you can relax and enjoy as well, with this Build Your Own House and Home’s comprehensive smart guide to planning the perfect bathroom.

For most of us the bathroom is still the smallest room in the house so when planning a new bathroom or even just a revamp you’ll want to make the most of limited space. A good starting point is to assess your needs. Jot down what you would like in your bathroom.

Who will use the bathroom? Do you need to install a handrail, fit safety locks on cabinets, buy easy-to-use taps and easy grab door knobs?

Is there enough space to include all the fittings you want? Maybe you would like a separate shower and bath, rather than a two in one option, and a bidet as well as a loo.

Will your heating system heat the room efficiently? Do you have space for a heated towel rail – some models are powerful enough to heat an entire room. Or would under floor heating be more effective?

What about storage? Will you have space for laundry and cabinet storage? If space is an issue you could design in niches in a wall for shelving. Where will you store towels and bathing accessories? Do you like to use the bathroom as a dressing room? Do you need wardrobe storage?

Wish list
Bathroom design has come on considerably in the last number of years and we’re now splashing out even more money than ever on our suite petites. Before you visit a showroom look at your room design and think about the kind of style you would like that is best suited to the space. Make a scrapbook of colour ideas, fittings and sanitary ware to give you inspiration. Do you want to go contemporary, traditional, country, industrial or hotel chic?

Layout
Once you’ve assessed your needs and thought about style, you can now start to design a layout. Draw up a plan of your bathroom, accurately detailing all recesses and awkward spaces, heights from (floor to sloping ceiling and don’t forget to mark out windows, doors and radiators. Don’t worry if this is not to scale, most suppliers will call to your house to take measurements themselves and discuss a layout.

Choosing a sink
The sink is a fundamental bathroom fixture and over the years it has evolved from a simple ceramic basin to a serious piece of design kit.

Shape
Choose from rectilinear shapes or the more popular curved bowls. Manufacturers even make smaller, tapered sinks for really small bathrooms. Remember that sharp internal angles will make cleaning your basin more difficult.

Size
How you use the sink will help you decide what size you need. In an en suite shared by a couple, it’s always worth considering installing two basins side by side.

Support structure
There are three different ways to support a sink. A counter-mounted sink is where the bowl rests on top of the counter or is set into the counter with the front edge protruding. Pedestal sinks typically comprise a ceramic bowl sitting on a matching ceramic pedestal (which conceals the plumbing). A wall mounted sink is where the sink is mounted on the wall and all plumbing and pipes concealed. It’s good for small spaces, though a heavy sink will need a strong wall to bear the weight.

Material
Forget ceramic, if you want to make a splash in the bathroom choose from the vast range of materials now on the market – stone, wood, glass or stainless steel.

Choosing a loo
Where and how to position your loo will have a bearing on the look of your bathroom. The current trend is for simple style, ultra white loos. Back to wall A separate cistern is concealed in the wall or within fitted furniture and the pan butts up against this wall of furniture. Close coupled The cistern and pan are joined in one complete unit, with the cistern positioned on the wall high above the pan. Wall hung The loo is cantilevered from the wall. You will need a support bracket and in some cases the wall will need to be strengthened to support the weight.

Choosing a shower
Showering should be an invigorating experience and the shower you choose will depend on how many times a day you want to use it, and of course the space available. Electric showers are quick and easy to install and the most economical and convenient to use. Electric showers are fed by mains water, which is heated by a heater in the shower unit. Mixer showers are the simplest form of shower and ideal in homes with a readily available hot water supply. Choose from two types of mixers. A manual shower mixer blends the hot and cold water but is not thermostatically controlled. A thermostatic mixer shower blends incoming water to the required temperature which is at a pre-set level. Power showers incorporate a booster pump in one compact unit to boost the (ow rate. A pump automatically turns on and off every time you operate the shower. Note that a power shower cannot be attached to the mains supply, it can only be used with gravity fed systems.

Choosing a bath
The bath is usually the single largest element of a bathroom, but be realistic about what will suit your space. Consider both the external and internal shape of the bath. The external shape will dictate where you locate it, the internal shape will have more bearing on your comfort.

Don’t be afraid to test out the tub in the showroom and lie down in it as you would at home.

Compare different models of the same size bath, you’d be surprised that one may have more space inside than another of the same size.

A white bath is still the form favourite among homeowners but today’s modern baths are available in a range of bold colours and cool materials – glass, acrylic, metal, stone.

If you’ve got space consider a tub fit for two. Place the taps in the middle rather than at the end for maximum comfort. Where space is tight, consider a shower over the bath.

Walls
Paint is of course a versatile and inexpensive covering but pick one that’s suited to the wet conditions of the bathroom, like Crown’s specially formulated bathroom emulsion. You will need splashback around the sink, bath and shower attached to the wall and tiles are a great choice. Another option is wood panelling which is great disguising any uneven surfaces.

Flooring
Ceramic tiles remain the popular choice underfoot, although mosaic can look pretty cool too. Rubber (flooring is waterproof, as well as slip resistant ideally suited to bathrooms. If you want to make statement consider metal tiles – they might be underfoot but they’ll definitely enhance a small space.

Lighting
There is often little natural light in bathrooms so design needs to be (flexible enough to change bright to moody when required. Before tackling though, it’s best to consult your electrician to discuss safety regulations. Consider installing voltage halogen lights or recessed downlighters ceiling; light underneath the bath and highlight recesses or sinks with directional lighting.

Build Your Own House and Home is Ireland’s most comprehensive annual guide which showcases fantastic bespoke homes from around the country with lots of inspiring ideas to steal from budget to blow the budget options. In an extensive information section the publication covers everything you need to know before embarking on a home-build project, from building techniques, to build methods, planning permission, waste, water and energy, right through to decorating and finishing you project. Find the 2008, 340-page guide in stores now.