Guest Post: Seven Deadly Sins of Bathroom Design - what to avoid

The bathroom is an area of space in the home that has become increasingly popular in terms of importance and design over the years. Gone are the days of a room built for practical personal hygiene as more choices for design, appliances and furniture become available. 

Getting the most out of a limited space can be a difficult process and quite often there are essential elements to the design that are not considered. Too often the dreams of a bathroom sent from heaven become a living nightmare.

With this in mind, below are the seven deadly sins of bathroom design:

1.     Considering all guests:  The home should be a place that all close family members and relatives visit in comfort. If a family has members that are elderly then an awkward bathroom to use may stop them from coming to visit. With a few simple bathroom solutions such as grab bars and disabled access into bathing areas the ease of accessibility will be improved significantly. By implementing a few extra elements is could provide the difference to making a comfortable and relaxed home for all the family. For those with an upstairs bathroom, a curved stair lift may be needed to gain access to this important area.

2.     Waterproofing: Quite often the design takes over the focus of the bathroom. It needs to be 100% waterproof to prevent any leaks, rotting wood and other unsightly and damaging aspects water can create for the home. A percentage of the budget on re-designing a bathroom should always have the waterproofing covered.

3.     Cheaper options: Sometimes the cheaper option isn’t always the best. When buying tiles or appliances the idea is to have a sense of longevity in the product. Bathrooms should not be replaced or redesigned often so ensure that the appliances bought are of good quality. A toilet seat breaking or a tap snapping after a few years can be one of the biggest annoyances.

4.     Design plans: From a toilet in front of the door to a sink that knocks an elbow, many bathrooms are of a small size and sometimes the placement can be inconsiderate of the bigger picture. Make sure that the plans are drawn down and measurements are taken fully to appreciate what it will be like in the room once completed. These permanent fixtures will cost more money to change around should a mistake be made.

5.     No natural light: Too often a bathroom can appear stuffy and enclosed without the use of natural light. A bathroom should always have a window; not only will it make the room light and airy but it will give the appearance of being larger.

6.     Condensation: A major sin is not considering the way air, moisture and steam passes through the bathroom. A room that is wet and dry many times throughout the day needs a proper airway system with quality extractor fans or vents to starve off any mould issues.

7.     Stick with the simple appliances: Don’t be worried about staying in with the designs of today and opting for an eccentric appliance. Many people now look on with their avocado coloured bath with disdain and this could be the same for some of the colour options of today. Pearl white has never gone out of fashion and won’t seem out of date once the next trend is realised so is always a safe option.