Most of us dream of a luxurious new bathroom, inspired by images of beautiful bathrooms in home magazines. But the bathroom design of your dreams can be more easily achievable than you might think.
We’ve taken a look at some of the elements you need to consider to complete a perfect bathroom renovation, as well as including some bathroom inspiration you can use to create a beautiful, relaxing space which offers all the functionality you need.
Reasons to consider a bathroom renovation
The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the home, and, along with the kitchen, it is the room which can add the most value if you ever decide to sell. For these reasons, you need a bathroom which looks stunning, as well as being a highly functional space which caters for all your usage needs in a practical way. If your bathroom is looking tired, the décor is dated, or some of the fittings are damaged or worn, a bathroom renovation definitely makes sense. Equally, if you feel the space does not work well and you could create a more usable bathroom design, it is something you need to consider.
You also need to think about the quality of life your bathroom offers. It should be a place where you can relax and enjoy some quality time alone, or unwind after a tiring day. A new bathroom can bring a much-needed element of calm into your home, offering you a haven where you can escape from the stress of everyday life, and improving your overall sense of wellbeing.
Choosing a bathroom renovation specialist
A bathroom renovation is a major building job, which costs a lot of money as well as involving many complex elements. While there are probably some elements of the job you can consider tackling yourself, areas such as plumbing and electrical work should only ever be done by highly experienced professionals.
In addition, a specialist will be able to advise you on creating a bathroom layout which fulfils all your usage needs and makes the best possible use of the available space. They have a fully-trained team of professionals to complete the job, as well as all the right equipment, so the results will end up looking much more professional, and you will be happier with the outcome.
Because of this, it is important to choose a highly experienced bathroom renovation specialist to work on the project. You should do plenty of research online to find an expert in your area. If anyone you know can recommend a builder, that is ideal. Otherwise, make sure you research several different firms, and take a look at their bathroom images on their websites to find the specialist who is most likely to deliver the results you are looking for. You should also ask for several different quotes to make sure your new bathroom can be built within your budget range.
Designing the right bathroom layout
Whether your bathroom is large or small, it can be made to look beautiful and function perfectly by creating the right bathroom layout. Again, this is something a bathroom specialist can help you with.
One of the most important elements in any bathroom is sufficient floor space. As the bathroom floor gets wet and slippery, it is important that you can move easily between the main elements of the room without any obstacles to negotiate. The size and shape of the room will dictate the layout. For example, a freestanding bath can look spectacular in the middle of the floor in a large bathroom, but in a smaller room, unless there is a space which is perfectly suited to a freestanding tub, you might be better choosing a more traditional bath which is attached to the wall, or a corner bath. You might even prefer to forgo the bath altogether and install a large shower unit if you are not someone who likes to soak in the tub.
To create the ideal bathroom layout, you need to think about how each element looks from every angle. For example, you should never position the toilet opposite the door, as this is not really the element of your bathroom you want your guests to see when they are walking past the room!
You also need to consider the plumbing. Do you want to keep the existing plumbing, or will your new bathroom design require a completely new layout which puts the fittings in different places? If you can keep the plumbing where it is, this will save you money; but if the existing bathroom layout isn’t working for you, it might be worth the extra expense.
Making the best use of space and light
Whatever the size and shape of your bathroom, your bathroom renovation should result in the room looking larger. This is particularly important in small bathrooms, such as those in most apartments; but it applies equally to family bathrooms which are often used by more than one person at once.
There are several basic rules you can use to create the impression of more space in your bathroom, which will make it appear more luxurious and feel more relaxing:
1. Choose light colours
A white colour scheme, or a pale neutral colour, will make the room look larger than using darker colours. You should also avoid heavy patterning, as this can confuse the eye and create the impression of a more cluttered space. Modern bathroom designs aim for a spacious, streamlined look, and this can be best achieved by keeping the space light and bright.
Using the same colour for the floor and the walls is a clever way to achieve this, as it creates an unbroken line which makes the room look like one large space instead of dividing it into different “zones”. You can also add to this effect by choosing a frameless glass shower screen instead of a curtain.
2. Select larger tiles
It might seem counterintuitive to choose large tiles for a smaller bathroom, but this will make the room appear larger. This is because smaller tiles create more dividing lines, which draw the eye and make the space appear more cramped. Larger tiles create fewer divisions, so the floor and walls will look like larger expanses.
You can increase this effect by using the same tiles on the floor and the walls, including in the shower, and taking them all the way up to the ceiling. If you don’t want to tile the walls all the way up, you should paint the rest of the walls in the same colour as the tiles, so the eye sees a continuous block of colour.
3. Include lights and mirrors
To make your bathroom appear more spacious, you should ideally make sure it gets as much natural light as possible. However, this is not possible in all bathroom layouts, so sometimes you need to make clever use of artificial lighting to highlight the main elements in the space. This also means your bathroom can function perfectly well at any time of the day or night.
The best bathroom plans also include plenty of mirrors, as these reflect light around the room and make the space look bigger. For maximum effect, position mirrors opposite the main sources of light, whether this is a window or an artificial light source. Choosing larger mirrors, or even including a completely mirrored wall, will increase the impact.
Providing enough storage space
The most effective bathroom design ideas have to include plenty of storage solutions. You need to use a lot of different products in your bathroom, as well as essentials like towels, so it is important to have a place for everything. If all your products are on display, this will make your bathroom look cluttered, which in turn, makes it appear smaller.
Many modern bathroom designs include recessed shelving built into the walls. This enables you to create unbroken lines, as it uses the same tiles as the walls, so it adds to the streamlined appearance of the room. However, if you prefer a more traditional look, you can include open shelving, as this works perfectly well.
It is important that the towels can be stored within easy reach of the bath and shower. There are now plenty of attractive wall-mounted towel rails to choose from, which can be attractive bathroom features in their own right, as well as ensuring the space functions more effectively.
Other storage options include adding a large vanity – a double vanity can be particularly useful in a family bathroom, but there are many smaller options which you can consider. Ultimately, the design of your bathroom has to suit your individual needs and tastes. If it does this, then it will be a highly valuable, long-lasting and beautiful addition to your home.
More information about bathroom renovations
If you are considering a bathroom renovation and would like more information and advice, please contact the expert team here at R. A. Paul. We have been renovating bathrooms in and around Melbourne for over 25 years, and we are always happy to help you achieve the beautiful bathroom of your dreams. You can contact us online or call 0449 522 877 to speak to a bathroom renovation specialist.