Careful bathroom planning for bathing perfection
The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in your home, and has the potential to be both beautiful and functional.
Having a stunning bathroom will also give a little glamour to your home, and add value to your property.
With some careful planning, it's possible to transform what was once a functional and uninspiring room into a haven, where you'll love to spend time to relax and unwind.
Before you decide to do anything, assess how much space you have available in your bathroom.
Does it have the space to fulfil your requirements, or is there the potential to extend the existing bathroom or swap it to another, larger room in the house, such as a spare bedroom?
While, going up in size will impact on your budget, your bathroom has the potential to become a centrepiece in your home and could boost its market value.
While it's easy to just consider the appearance of the bathroom, it's equally important you consider the practical issues.
How will the bathroom be used?
Do you want a large bath you can soak in at the end of a long day, or is it more practical to have a wet-room style finish so you can install powerful jet showers?
You may have the space and budget to accommodate both with careful planning.
New bathroom plans: layout and storage
Consider the existing layout of the bathroom and bear in mind that moving key items such as the toilet could mean a lot of extra work moving pipes.
Try and leave the toilet where it is to keep costs down.
You still have the option of upgrading the toilet to a more modern, and environmentally efficient design.
Don't forget to consider storage. Your new bathroom may look stunning in the catalogue, but if there aren't enough storage areas, you'll soon end up with a cluttered and untidy space.
Here you have the choice of built-in storage options or free-standing. Any fitted furnishings need to be meticulously planned, especially if you're retiling the room.
Next, check to ensure you have enough water pressure to meet the demands of any new taps or shower heads you install.
Some continental-style taps and showers may look great, but have narrower piping.
This means they may be unable to produce a decent flow rate, especially if you live in an area with low mains pressure.
Your new bathroom may look stunning, but you won't be happy with a trickle coming from those shiny new taps.
Your bathroom designer or plumber will be able to advise you here.
There are more lighting options than ever when planning a new bathroom.
You need to ensure the lighting you get is approved for bathroom use.
That means no fittings that hang down that could be prone to water splash.
Always get a qualified electrician to install any new lighting in your bathroom.
To vary the look and mood of your bathroom, and to create a more calming and relaxing space, consider having a dimmer switch installed.
This can replicate the soothing effect of candlelit bathing and turn your bathroom into a veritable haven.
Heating is a key element to any bathroom design, and if you're tired of the ubiquitous heated bathroom rail, why not consider underfloor heating?
How you decide to cover the wall and floor surfaces will also greatly affect the look and feel of your new bathroom.
Today, there are more choices than ever, so if you're bored with tiles, try plastic finish or metal panels instead.
If you have the budget other materials such as Corian,will not only look good, they'll repel and water and withstand wear and tear.
If you're thinking of transforming your bathroom, post a job using Top Tradespeople and we’ll find up to four bathroom planners and fitters to help you turn your ideas into reality by providing you with no obligation quotes for your work.
Planning your bathroom can be divided into two parts: the style and how you want it to appear, and the individual elements it comprises, such as showers, basins, taps, baths and storage solutions.
There are many style options you can plump for, such as a contemporary finish with its uncluttered and minimalist appearance.
Or you may prefer the warmer feel of a period bathroom design that allows you to add a personal stamp on the room mixing old with new.
Another popular choice is a spa bathroom, to create an altogether more relaxing and calming space.
A spa bathroom is well-suited to larger spaces and allow you the luxury of considering a free-standing bath.
Just make sure you factor in enough storage space to clear away all of your kids toys and family toiletries for those times when you want to dim the lights for a soothing soak in the bath.
Smaller rooms may be the perfect space in which to install a wet room. All you need is an open plan room with a shower, basin and toilet.
A non-slip floor allows the water to channel and drain away, so you won't need a shower tray or enclosed space.
That said, the room must be sealed so that it's water tight and have suitable drainage.
Make the most of available space when planning
Squeezing too much into your revamped bathroom can make it look cluttered and crowded.
Be prepared to compromise if space is tight.
A free-standing bath may look great, but it does take up a lot of room when compared with a fitted bath.
Similarly, additional basins may not be as beneficial as an extra storage cabinet, so temper your enthusiasm for great design and features with a practical approach to getting the most from the space you have.
You may be lucky enough to have space for a separate shower and bath, but if you have to choose bear in mind how the bathroom is used by the majority of the family.
When considering installing a new shower, try and get the largest tray you can to give it a more luxurious feel.
If you're working with a small bathroom space, install a powerful over-bath shower head with matching clear glass screening to give an impression of height and space.
Taps are an eye-catching feature of any bathroom and can really set the tone for the whole image it portrays.
It pays dividends to opt for clean and simple designs that run straight from the floor or wall.
Small bathrooms are well-suited to box basins with a compact mixer tap.
It's also important to consider the colour you'll use to set off all the bathroom furnishings you decide to install.
Bold blacks, for example, contrast well with matching floor colour and a contrasting tone.
If you're thinking of transforming your bathroom, post a job using Top Tradespeople and we’ll find up to four bathroom fitters and bathroom design experts to help you turn your ideas into reality.
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