The bathroom is regarded as one of the most important rooms in the house, and for obvious reasons. While maintaining a bathroom is a hassle, designing a new one from scratch is much more cumbersome. So much goes into bathroom design from the taps to the tiles to the wallpaper – it’s not easy getting it right the first time around. Least to say, the bathroom is more than just a functional space.

Follow us through this blog as we address the challenges of bathroom design, common mistakes to avoid, and an estimated cost of equipment in great detail.

The first thing is to get your priorities right. Are you looking for a basic setting with the bare minimum or a spa-like facility with a laundry list of specifications and fittings such as a bath, double basins, separate shower, and heaps of storage? Next, assess the amount of space you plan to use. Doing this will save you the hassle of re-doing your bathroom.

Draw up an image of the ideal bathroom in your head, taking into account basic things like fixtures, colour scheme, and fittings. It doesn’t hurt to borrow ideas from other bathrooms that you may have visited in spas and restaurants. Visualize if those schematics fit into your plans and budget.

In large part, the layout will influence the overall bathroom design. You can modify the layout to accommodate your new plans or leave it be. The last thing you want is to change the layout just for the sake of it. Remember the general rule of thumb: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This applies to bathroom layouts too. Besides, it’s not easy replacing or moving water and waste pipes.

If you’re confused about your bathroom layout, then it’s easier to leave things be. Simply have your fittings, tiles, and floorings replaced, and have the walls repainted. It’s a quick and cheap way to spruce up your bathroom. If you believe that a layout is necessary, you can still make small, but meaningful changes. You can redesign your doors and fit sliding ones to gain some extra space.

If you’re serious about changing the layout extensively, then start with doors, windows, and pipes. It helps to draw an outline on graph paper or use a software tool for designing. You can always ask for advice from experts by visiting your local bathroom showrooms or talk to your consultants here for free suggestions.

Last but not the least: factor in how your needs might change in the near future. Your family might grow, or you might end up moving out, in which case a bathroom is definitely valuable from a resale point of view.

There are many styles to choose from. Options include classic, contemporary, minimalistic, Scandinavian, and even vintage. Small boutiques and hotels are good places to source bathroom ideas, and you can even visit bathroom design websites to learn a thing or two. A good place to glean some bathroom ideas is social media. View mpmoran lifestyle in social media for design ideas.

Although outdated, interior magazines are still a treasure trove of information. Flick through as many of them as you can.

Finally, assimilate all your information into a visual checklist of what best resonates with your vision – be it Victorian era designs or Scandinavian interiors.

Your bathroom provides you with a finite amount of space to use. It’s not advisable to cram too many fittings such as sinks and walk-in showers if you have little more space to work with than a queen sized bed. There’s more to a shower than traditional bathtubs or fancy walk-in showers, think of ideas such as Japanese-style square tubs or wet-room style showers. They free up a ton of space that you could use elsewhere.

Don’t Forget About the Ventilation

Ventilation is a big deal in bathrooms. There’s too much moisture and no viable outlets for condensation to settle. High humidity promotes mould and mildew growth, makes the air feel warm and sticky, and strains the HVAC equipment which increases your energy bill. For starters, a bathroom extractor fan reduces the moisture in your bathroom.

If you’re not sure about the right ventilation fans with enough capacity, ask someone who knows.

Your bathroom is going to get messy with use. Toiletries take up a lot of space and tend to look unsightly, to say the least. Solve this problem by installing cabinets and storage cubbies. You can install cabinets on the walls to save space.

Choosing the Right Bathroom Light Fixtures

The light fixture should tie well into the overall design theme of your bathroom otherwise it could throw off your entire interior decor. Using three layers of lighting to enhance the beauty of the bathroom is quite trendy. The idea is to distribute light evenly across spaces, this can be achieved by using a combination of ambient light in the form of pendants, flush mounts, and chandeliers.

For the second layer, use task lighting which is ideal for grooming activities like shaving and applying makeup. The third layer is accent lighting which subtly highlights the bathroom’s decor and architectural features. Shop the ideal bathroom fixtures here.

Planning the Surface of the Bathroom

The bathroom surface will make or break your interior decor. The most popular ideas are all-white or all-marbles, but the best choice is to go all-out in terms of creativity. It is not uncommon to use graphic tiles with elaborate patterns and geometric aesthetics. You can maximize the impact of your surface by opting for feature floors.

Before buying tiles in bulk, you have to factor in your room proportions to avoid incompatibility and wastage. If your bathroom space is too small, avoid filling cramming too many ideas in a small space because it could overwhelm you and your guests.

What do I need for a DIY Bathroom Remodel?

The materials and tools needed depend on your remodelling plans, but you should get access to the following essential tools:

• Safety mask (for all the debris)
• Gloves – safety from sharp jaggies
• Goggles – to protect your eyes from flying fragments
• Extension cord – for those hard to reach areas with a power drill
• Tape measure – to make accurate measurements
• Adjustable wrench – to work with nuts and bolts
• Spackle – to repair holes and cracks in surfaces
• Hammer – for hammering
• Power drill – to drill holes in walls and hard surfaces
• Hacksaw – to cut materials down to size
• Chalk line – to draw up reference lines

Avoid These Bathroom Mistakes

It’s easy to overdo things and miss out on important details when it comes to bathroom design. We want you to do things right the first time around, so buckle up as we explore some of the most common bathroom mistakes you should avoid.

Poor Plumbing

Your bathroom’s network of pipes and inner plumbing play an important role in waste management and water flow. Failing to ignore them can lead to a world of problems later on. Start with the soil pipe, the pipe that whisks away waste water from your sanitaryware. The toilet should be placed at no more than 6 meters away from the soil pipe to avoid disruption to drainage.

The baths, basins, and showers should be placed no more than 4 meters away. You should account for the framework of smaller pipes and how they connect with the soil pipe, because they might be affected by any layout changes and conditions of your underfloor joists.

Choosing Incompatible Fittings

Bathroom fittings often have similar designs to ensure maximum compatibility, but more often than not, these fittings are either too tight or too loose. To make sure your water system can handle new replacements, you should speak to a bathroom specialist or plumber.

Wasting Water

Water is a scarce utility and drying up, make sure you’re doing your bit to preserve it. Start by repairing leaky fittings, and taps. Shop around for showerheads and fittings that waste little water. Install a low-flush toilet because they chug through water easily. Talk to your plumber about these issues.

Don’t Use the Wrong Wallpaper

It’s okay to use a colorful and vibrant wallpaper for your bathroom. Just make sure the wallpaper is made of water-resistant and mildew-resistant material. The last thing you want is for your beautiful wall mural to melt and fall piece by piece due to the crippling humidity. Or better yet, install a wallpaper away from taps and showers or areas that are directly exposed to steam and splashing.

What to Expect When Redesigning a Bathroom?

Prepare yourself for a long and drawn out journey that’s will get messy. Once you have settled with the right tradespeople to carry out all your renovation plans, reality will set in. Things such as disruption to daily activities, excessive noise, and lots of mess are part of the journey when overhauling a bathroom.

You don’t have to worry though, since your contractor will do all the heavy lifting, unless you decide to go the DIY route, which we advise against if you’re not experienced. Plumbing requires certifications for a reason after all. Here are a few things you should expect from a bathroom redesign:

• Demolition
• Electrical work such as rewiring
• Noise
• Installation of new fixtures and lighting
• Plumbing work
• Installation of tiling and ceramics (very noisy)
• Carpentry
• Wall painting

What About the Cost of Bathroom Renovation?

Keep in mind that this will be a major investment and costs vary depending on how extensive your renovations and whether you’re going the DIY route. The skillset to do this yourself are vast, but by no means impossible. Let’s dive into how much it will cost to fit your new bathroom.

If you enlist the services of a bathroom specialist, the cost for replacements and renovations will range anywhere from £3,400 to 7,600 for basic changes and increase excessively as you enter the luxury bathroom category (£10,000 plus).

Plumbing

To enjoy your bathroom sanctuary, you have to spend a bigger chunk of your money towards plumbing and related activities such as toilet, shower, taps, sink, and baths. The costs mount up proportionally to your alternations, and the lion’s share of your budget will go to layout changes since they require extensive plumbing work. Expect to pay anywhere from £800 to £1000 for experienced plumbing services.

Electrical Upgrades

Typical costs for electrical work range from £400 and beyond depending on the extensiveness of the work. Are you upgrading lighting, installing new sockets, hand dryers, power showers, or extractor fans?

Selecting a Bathroom Suite

This is a popular choice for many people because it’s easier. You just visit a local bathroom showroom and pick your favorite theme. The suite installer will do the rest. Bathroom suites are expensive to install, and rightly so. Typical prices will range anywhere from £1000 to £10,000 and beyond. Luxury suites will cost even higher.

Installing Wall Tiles

Tiles require the skills of a specialist. Cost of craftsmanship depends on the size of the bathroom and the type of tiles. The average cost for tiling ranges between £800 to £1000. Choosing the right tile can be daunting and getting it wrong can be very costly to rectify at a later date. Make sure you have done your homework before starting any work related to tiles.

Disposing off all the Waste

Removing waste of the older bathroom is a significant expenditure of its own. You might save a few pounds by selling your old fixtures that might still have scrap value to them. Some people choose to keep old fixtures to themselves if you’re not ready to give them up. Your contractor or tradesman will charge a disposal fee to properly remove the waste. This will cost from £200 to £600 depending on the waste.