About to redesign your bathroom? Need some advice and tips from an expert in the bathroom industry? Peter Hirsch, Director at Soakology (www.soakology.co.uk) explains what you ought to consider before committing to a bathroom remodel.
Ask yourself what you want from a bathroom. Do you want cosy or cool? Do you want a nautical theme, a beach hut getaway or a stylish clean space with no clutter? It’s important because this is your one chance at creating an environment that can instil calm and personal satisfaction. It will also affect your buying decisions on the suite and accessories. It’s better to have a holistic view on the room before you start, as opposed to snapping up random bargains for the suite furnishing that may not complement each other or suit the space well. You should also consider the rest of the house – an old listed building may not suit modern-style fittings and vice versa.
Fit For Purpose
Decide on a realistic budget and remember that value items can be very effective and create the impression of luxury. Well known online retailers now undercut many showroom dependent retailers so shop around and see what you can get for your hard earned cash. Saying this, many advise you ought to sit in a bath before you buy it to make sure you like it. A 60 inch tub will fit most people. If two people are going to use it at the same time – look at the sloping angles at both ends – freestanding clawfoot bathtubs may suit for this. If you are limited by space in your bathroom then go for style and perhaps look at having a deep bath to compromise on length.
On The Rails
Considered a touch of affordable luxury, the towel rail can be purchased for just over £40 although the higher end designer rails can be as much as £400. Heated either by central heating or electricity the towel rail is actually a cost effective way to heat up your bathroom too! Designer rails can look very contemporary and practically they add real comfort in the winter months. When positioning it, remember – try not to position the towel rail in a place where it could become a handhold – for instance, which could burn a child’s hand.
Details Make The Difference
Make the floor durable and water resistant – if not marble or stone then hardwood is an option (sealed) for a warmer floor area. If you are looking to really go all out, then underfloor heating is an option and also wet-rooms (with no curtain, glass or door) are a great alternative to showers and shower trays but this takes a specialist false floor or drainage to be fitted – upping the budget.
Even by simply selecting a stylish shower head, for such a small investment this can change the overall effect which can make a real difference to the perception of the bathroom. The same benefits can be felt for general accessories to the bathroom – storage items, towel baskets, shelves etc.
Something that could easily be overlooked in a bathroom setting is lighting. If you want mood lighting – look into the sources of light in the room and strengths of the lights needed for different areas of the bathroom. You might like upward lighting, dimmer lighting or alternatively have a bright airy feel with multiple inset lights in the ceiling.
Take A Seat
The toilet does not have to be a dull functionary item – look at the wall mounted toilets for something a little more contemporary. If the chosen toilet doesn’t scream luxury item then why not focus on a good seat? Nowadays the soft close toilet is a fairly standard option but adds to the feeling of a quality bathroom, none the less. The sheer variety of different toilet seats you can purchase is impressive. If you have a standard white suite then this is a blank canvas and you can either stick with white or go with a signature colour on the seat to add ‘mood’ through colour, to the space. For around £40 you can have a quality seat that will be a signature piece to the room. As we spend an estimated three years of our life span sitting on the toilet seat this is a worthwhile investment!
Wall hung or floor standing bathroom cabinets conceal your bathroom’s nik-naks but also become a main item of furniture to compliment a suite. Wall hung objects – as with the aforementioned toilet basin, are in fashion – playing with the dimensions of space within the room. Cabinets have the vital function of decluttering the room from small objects. Obviously you can combine with a mirror for reasons of space or convenience.
It’s common knowledge that mirrors can make a small bathroom appear bigger and lighter. You can choose to have a whole wall mirrored for instance to make the bathroom seem to double in size. Beyond this they can add great personality to a room – traditional gold guilt frames, peeling white beach hut paint or contemporary clean edges – a mirror reflects more than your face. For technology fans you can also have a wi-fi mirror that plays you tunes, displays the news or turns into a digital painting when not a mirror. Back lit mirrors are also a great way to add more character and practicality to the wall space. Many bathrooms have dark spaces or corners and a backlit mirror can balance this.
For your sink – focus on the taps which are something that everyone who visits your bathroom will no doubt use. Chrome mixer taps offer a clean and simple design feature – especially when the spout has the top cut off to reveal a waterfall style effect. Old vintage taps – for alternative design are also arresting visually and ergonomically pleasing.
The bathroom is a very personal place in the house and a room that can sell a house or prevent a sale depending on its quality. When remodelling you will be making a major decision for your enjoyment but also possibly for your prosperity so think hard before you begin about the end result and get as much expert advice as possible to achieve your aims.