Bathroom Design Ideas

Bath screens may be a functional necessity to stop water splashing from an over bath shower, but they can also be added for purely aesthetic purposes to change the over all look of the entire bathroom.

Older baths can be given a fresh look with the addition of a bath screen.  Curved bath screens tend to give a much softer feminine type of look to the lines of the bathroom, and a plain, simple curve will give an ultra modern look to the whole room.

Folding bath screens are an excellent way of saving space in a small bathroom because they can be folded back out of the way if the bath is in use but not the shower. These are much more modern looking and practical than a shower curtain which you have to pull back and allow to drip dry into the bath, not to mention the problem of keeping the whole thing clean.

Sliding bath screens are practical in family bathrooms as they are easier to slide across and don’t have hinges that may get damaged by children. However, the most popular and most common shape is the square bath screen. These tend to be minimalist in appearance and they fit well into contemporary bathroom styles that favour clean lines.

If plain and simple is not your thing where bath screens are concerned, decorative versions with gold edges are available, and there are numerous frosted designs from scroll work to fish, leaves and even flowers. Some have small frosted areas but others are frosted all over with a particular design.

Storage is essential in a bathroom but it can be a problem in a small room. The easiest way to provide storage for all those little bits and pieces like makeup, razors, tubes and bottles that tend to get left laying around is to fit a bathroom cabinet or vanity unit.

A modern vanity unit will also give an instant update and modern look to the bathroom. These come in a number of different materials from melamine coated chipboard at the bottom end of the scale right up to natural wood and even glass, porcelain and steel. There is something to match most bathroom decors. Designs and shapes vary and suitable sizes for most bathrooms can be bought.  Basins can be sunk down into the top of the units, or stand up above them, or even hang on the wall.

Apart from providing useful bathroom storage, a vanity unit can also be used to conceal pipes below the sink, giving a sleek and modern look to the bathroom. If you prefer antique style, these units can also be bought in antique effect wood of various types and colours with marble, ceramic, or even granite top surfaces. For the larger bathroom, installing a double vanity unit which has two separate sinks and much more counter space on top is the height of luxury. No more waiting for the bathroom sink to be free and more space to keep cosmetics, shampoos, etc in two cupboards underneath. It also helps to keep the bathroom tidy so that things can be found quickly.

If you are considering a DIY underfloor heating project, there is an enormous range of easy to use, all in one, underfloor heating kits available. There are two types of system, electric or warm water, and kits are aimed at varying levels of competence. For the serious DIY expert or professional builder, a simple kit comprising a length of electrical cable with connector, or a length of plastic pipe with mixing manifold, pump and valve can be bought. A moderate level of expertise is then needed to lay out the pipe or cable at the correct spacing, and to buy and install compatible insulation, heat sensors and thermostats.

Even though most water floor heating kits come with all the necessary components, even down to the fixing clips, they do require plumbing skills to connect to your boiler.  Electric underfloor heating kits are simpler, especially when they contain a series of mats or meshed material with the cable already in position. Many of these kits have a built in return which means that only one end is connected to the electrical supply instead of having to loop the cable back to the starting point. All types of systems need an electrician to connect them to the consumer unit. One of the most important elements of any DIY underfloor heating kit is the instruction leaflet supplied. It may also be worth researching in advance how easy others have found it to install a particular product.

There are a number of regulations regarding the fitting of bathroom taps, or anything else connected to the water supply.  The Water Regulation Advisory Scheme, or WRAS, has a list of standards that should be complied with.

When looking at taps in a showroom inspect the packaging and see if they are up to standard. If this is not clear on the packaging ask if the taps conform to the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme standard.  You need to know if the non-metal parts of the taps conform to the BS 6920 standard and that they are not made using any materials that are hazardous to health.

Check out what the taps are actually made of. Some taps look good, but they are made of a brass and zinc alloy which will not be very hard wearing. If you buy these taps they will soon look dull and need to be replaced in a couple of years.  If you are thinking of buying chrome plated taps the chrome should be at least 40 microns in thickness as anything less will flake off with use.

If you buy bathroom taps which are up to the WRAS standards and have a certificate to say so, they are more likely to be good quality and to be hard wearing. The best of bathroom taps have at least a five year guarantee and if you are considering mixer taps you may even be able to get a lifetime guarantee if you search around among the different brands.

Once you have decided which type of shower you want, the next step is selecting the perfect shower head. This is the most important part of fitting a shower because the kind of shower head you have determines the way the water flows.

Fixed head showers like the Grohe Euphoria Shower System are set into the wall and the most opulent looking and effective, but it is not always possible to do this. A shower head fixed on a riser which can be moved up and down will suit most bathrooms and most people, including children.

The other thing to think about is the way the water actually sprays out of the shower head. If you prefer a soft, gentle shower spray, a shower head with a large rose will do the job, but bigger heads use more water. The force of the water is not controlled by the shower head though; it is the valve that controls that.

Perhaps the most versatile type of shower head is the adjustable variety which can be turned to give a champagne flow, or a more intense pulsing kind of spray. There are a number of different combination heads available. These are ideal if you like to match your shower to your mood and should please everyone in the house.

Another very important thing to consider is cleaning. A shower head tends to get water-stained and can build up a calcium deposit, so fitting a head with a wipe clean surface that is easy to take apart and clean will save a lot of work.

Before choosing an illuminated mirror for your bathroom you need to be aware of certain safety regulations.  Once you have checked these, you can go ahead and choose the mirror best suited to your needs.

The Ingress Protection rating, or ‘IP’ always has two numbers after it.  These figures tell you how safe it is to use electrical items in any area of your bathroom. For example, if you were looking for a mirror with a built in shaver socket which was to be fitted above your sink, you would need a mirror that was suitable for zone 3. This would have to be well away from any water jets you might have and have a minimum IP of 20. If your illuminated mirror was quite close to a shower, you would need an IP65 rating.

Full instructions and details of the rules and regulations can be found in the latest IEE wiring regulations guide. An electrician will be aware of the regulations but you should certainly know about them if you are shopping for an illuminated mirror.

There is a large range of options when you shop for an illuminated mirror to match your bathroom décor. There are ultra modern contemporary designs in chrome, stainless steel, aluminium and a number of other materials which come with or without heaters and demisters, or you may prefer something traditional in appearance. Buying a bathroom mirror is not as straightforward as it used to be. Choose from low energy fluorescent and halogen powered fittings, or even LED versions. 

Double check with a qualified dealer to find out the current requirements for your size and plan of bathroom and then you will be free to select the design and style you prefer.

Thermostats enable the level of heat in a room to be kept constant by monitoring the temperature and switching the heating on and off automatically as required. They only work when your heating time clock is set to ‘on’. There are a range of different underfloor heating thermostats available, from the sophisticated digital programmable versions to simple manual ones.

Where floor heating is installed in more than one room of a house, it usually has a thermostat to control the heat in each area or zone. Building Regulations demand that areas over 150m sq. are divided into more than one zone, each with its own temperature control. Underfloor heating thermostats are normally positioned on the wall of the room being heated, except bathrooms where they must be outside the room. It is important to ensure you buy the correct thermostat for your system, whether it is electric or warm water; often they are included in DIY underfloor heating kits.

Underfloor heating thermostats monitor temperature through inbuilt air sensors and through remote sensors built into the floor. Programmable devices can be set to maintain different temperatures at different times of the day. Most allow you to set different patterns for weekdays and weekends, depending on your routine. Cheaper, manual devices tend to raise the temperature slightly above the set point, switch off, then let the temperature fall a few degrees below it before they come back on again. Digital underfloor heating thermostats are more responsive and maintain a more constant heat.

Installing a new bath can be fiddly and awkward work, but if you’re relatively confident in your DIY abilities, it’s hardly rocket science. As a new bathroom can add 10% to the value of your home, it’s an essential part of any property development project.

Put the new bath into position, it’s always easier to put it where the old bath was, but it isn’t that hard to extend drainage and pipe runs. Adjust the feet and ensure the bath is level. Mark the location of the new taps and the waste outlet on the wall and remove the bath.

The trickiest part, technically, is extending the water pipes. If you’re confident, solder copper fittings like ‘end feed’ straight unions, right-angled elbows and tab connectors, so that the pipe rises to the taps. You’ll need emery cloth, solder, flux, heat-retardant mat and a blowtorch to solder the fittings. You can always cheat and use compression fittings to extend the copper, but it’s not best practice. Add service valves to each pipe near the tap. Remember to think of access; the waste and water pipes should terminate in a position that isn’t too fiddly to work on.

Next ‘dress’ the bath, which is to say add the taps and waste outlet and assemble the overflow pipe. Re-position the bath and connect up the taps to the pipes and the trap to the waste drainage. Turn on the water supply and check for leaks before fitting the side panel. Finally, finish off any remaining painting, decorating and plastering and enjoy your new bathroom.

Most people do not realise that choosing the right bathroom tiles is not an easy process. They usually only think about the colour and texture, but then find that tiles are now available in a number of different materials and size options.

Ceramic tiles with their glazed surface are the most frequently chosen tiles for bathroom walls. These last a long time, are very easy to clean and come in a huge range of colours and designs to suit any style of bathroom. The main thing to remember with ceramic tiles is that no two lots are the same. It works a bit like batch numbers on wallpaper, you must buy the right number of boxes with the same batch number to ensure that they will match, because if you run out of tiles you may find that you cannot get a perfect match when you go to buy more.

Glazed terracotta tiles can give a bathroom a real Mediterranean look and quality terracotta will last for life. However, very high quality tiles in this material may not be easy to find and the cheapest ones do not do the job in the same way, or give the same finished look.

Granite, slate and marble tiles look wonderful but they are expensive and must be sealed to stop them from absorbing the water in the bathroom and being affected by steam. You will need specialist advice on how to do this if you intend to fit them yourself.

Glass, porcelain and even metal tiles are very effective, different and stunning to look at, but unless you are an expert these really need to be fitted by a specialist. They are far from cheap and a mistake would cost you a great deal of money.

Many people are now opting for floor mounted bathroom radiators as a means of adding a stylish feature into their room. The Aestus Partito floor mounted radiator is a particularly popular choice. There is a choice of seven sizes on offer which means that there should be a size to fit any bathroom, no matter what space is actually available. One of the main plus points about this radiator is that it combines practicality with design.

You can choose from one of the seven common sizes available, but obviously your choice of radiator will depend on the size of your bathroom and the space you have available. However, if you are looking for a traditional column radiator to make the most of your traditionally designed bathroom then this is truly one of the best options out there.

Of course, you want your bathroom radiator to look good but you also want to be assured of its quality. These Aestus Partito radiators are finished in a strong and durable white powder coated finish and are made from high quality mild steel tube that will last a lifetime.