Bathroom Design Ideas

Bathroom cabinets have certainly come a long way, since they were universally white, with little in terms of design or even style.

Now you can buy bathroom cabinets which are illuminated, so that you can have perfect lighting conditions for applying makeup or even just checking your skin or teeth.  They can be fully mirrored, so hide their interior, or they can simply be very chic, understated wooden cabinets, in a variety of woods, which are designed to bring a designer touch to your bathroom.

So instead of thinking that they are somewhat passé, you should consider a cabinet as being an ideal way to store medicines, plasters, flossing equipment or such like.  It allows you to have those little touches right where you need them, but completely out of sight, so the bathroom does not appear cluttered or too full.  Indeed, a cabinet can be essential if you have a wash hand basin which is fitted onto a pedestal or wall mounted, since you may not have a vanity unit in which to hide things away. 

The style of the cabinet will, to some extent, dictate its price.  If you want the latest Italian inspired designer cabinet, then you will obviously pay more than if you just pick one up at your local DIY store. The choice available really is quite wide, with prices to suit all pockets.  So whatever your style or budget, you can find a cabinet which complements your bathroom, without dictating its style, but which simply enhances it. 

The concept of luxury bathrooms is quite a recent trend in the world of design.  Throughout most of the 20th century the bathroom was seen as being simply functional, rather than somewhere that you would regard as an oasis of opulence and relaxation.

Yet, since the times of the Ancient Egyptians and Cleopatra, bathing has been seen as an important function and there has always been a desire for luxury, even if bathroom design did not reflect this. These days the two concepts have converged and luxurious bathrooms are readily available and in high demand.

The sky is the limit in terms of what is available at the top end of the luxury bathroom range. You can have sunken baths, ones that are almost hand crafted, or bespoke to suit your own individual needs. How about some real marble flooring, imported from Italy? Or perhaps you would like a Jacuzzi that can easily take two or more and has the most amazingly powerful jets?

For those on a more limited budget, there are still some luxury items that are affordable, such as smaller whirlpool bath systems, or even hydro-massage units that can be fitted to the shower. Attractive flooring and some seductive lighting, along with very chic tiles and funky taps, can actually transform the oldest, smallest and most mundane of bathrooms into somewhere with a sense of luxury and style. Whatever your pocket, it is well-worth thinking about how to re-vamp your bathroom to give it that special air of opulence.

A ‘mixer’ is a term applied to very basic showers. Generally, there are four different types available.

The first is a very basic unit, which utilises the existing hot and cold water taps. The mixer is attached to the bath taps and then a spray cascades, or more usually, simply trickles out.

The bath and shower mixer is slightly more sophisticated, as the spray and showerhead are combined with a mixer tap on the bath. They can be quite useful if you have a freestanding bath, since it can be quite difficult to wash your hair effectively. Usually these products are available in different finishes and styles, to complement any bathroom.

The manual mixer relies on a hot and cold water supply. This is a plumbed-in system and the pipes need to be installed by a professional plumber. A wall unit is fitted, which is connected to the hot and cold-water supplies and the unit allows you to control the temperature of the water and to some extent, the pressure. This option is more expensive than the other two mixers previously mentioned, due to the plumbing costs and the price of the basic system.
 
The thermostatic mixer is also supplied as a unit. It is so called, because it has a built-in stabiliser, which means that the temperature of the water can easily be controlled. Other mixers tend to perform badly when water is being used in another room, but the thermostatic model does not experience this dip in performance. This feature makes it the safest and most reliable choice, but also the most expensive.

Whirlpool baths have recently enjoyed something of a renaissance.  Whilst they were popular in the 1980s, demand decreased when they became viewed as something bulky and dated.  However, in the past few years, their design has evolved and they are once again, seen as being a very useful addition to any bathroom. 

Whirlpool baths are now available in a range of sizes, shapes and with a variety of facilities, the vast majority of which are very modern and classic in design, enabling them to be fitted in almost every bathroom.  Even where space is tight, you will still find that there is a whirlpool bath which can fit in the corner, which will simply transform your bathroom into your own, very powerful, Jacuzzi! 

Whirlpool baths are also now very quiet, so the noisy pump of the older style models is now just a distant memory.  The pumps are also much more energy efficient, so the running costs are low.  Since they double as an ordinary bath, they can be as environmentally friendly as you choose, i.e. they do not have to be used as a whirlpool whenever a bath is taken.  Most come with fully adjustable water jets, allowing you to alter the direction of the water and the air, so that you can target any areas where you feel particularly tense or sore.

The fittings are also quite unobtrusive, meaning that the bathroom is not wholly taken up with the pump and pipes.  They are also so stylish now, that they will simply add elegance to your bathroom, as well as many hours of enjoyment for all who take pleasure in its luxury!