Bathroom Design Ideas

After completing the major part of your bathroom refurbishment, the new bath, shower enclosure or sink, it is now time to add those personalised finishing touches.

Fortunately, there are hundreds of vanity accessories on the market, catering to every need and budget. Take your time and choose carefully, vanity accessories can make or break even the most expensively designed bathroom.

Take hand towel racks, as an example. It may be the case that an antique copper fixture exactly matches those on your toilet or sink. Think of what will match. In a high-tech, contemporary bathroom these may prove unsuitable. Instead, choose sparkling chrome or a rectangular towel bar.

Soap dispensers are another way to make a personal statement. Instead of having one cluttering up your sink or vanity unit, why not try mounting it to the wall?

Shelves should be considered in some detail. Do you locate them next to the sink and place your perfumes and lotions on them or will they be solely for decorative use? Perhaps lining them with ferns or other bathroom-friendly flora? If they are to be placed in a vanity unit, think of which finish to choose.

Even toilet roll holders deserve thought. These now come in a vast range of designs and finishes, just give some thought to what will look good in your bathroom. Accessories can be both utilitarian and attractive. Innovative design makes for an interesting as well as practical way to store even the most mundane items. These little details will make a world of difference to any bathroom.

Contemporary bathroom wall accessories are rapidly becoming as trendy as ‘must have’ kitchenware.

It is of crucial importance to always have a coherent view of what the bathroom will look like as a whole. Buying one expensive item and finding it clashes with another is to be avoided, whenever possible.

For example, towel racks, once a merely functional part of the bathroom, now come in a multitude of styles far removed from a simple heated metal bar. Indeed, at the top end of the market, towel racks may even incorporate mirrors and shelves. Select one that best blends in with your other fixtures.

Similarly, the old bathroom mirror, tacked up on the wall above the sink, is a thing of the past. Experiment with full-length mirrors or one made up of several smaller ones. Surround it with lights or choose a groovy frame.

Heaters are another case in point. Instead of hiding it away in a corner or burying it next to a vanity unit, why not mount it on the wall? As most now feature built-in timers, imagine how luxurious it will make the bathroom on a cold winter’s morning.

Lighting is another accessory fast becoming stylish. Forget the traditional centrally mounted ceiling lamp. Festoon the bath with hanging lights or install an elegant metal rod with multi-directional lamps.

Finally, if your bathroom is one of the smaller rooms of the house, how about mounting an extra cabinet on the wall? It will greatly increase space for bathrobes and towels and keep the rest of the area free to relax in.

The bathroom is the place where we go to relax, to forget the travails of modern society, an oasis of calm in a frenetic, confusing world.

Unfortunately, especially for those with children, it is also a potential safety hazard.

Small children love to run around, anywhere and at all times. This is as true in the bathroom as it is in the kitchen. Thinking of this, you may well decide to remove the glass toothbrush holder and your favourite glass knick-knacks from the shelf and side of the sink. Ceramic soap dishes are also something you may well choose to throw out.

Why children are so fascinated by keys is one of life’s mysteries. Having the key in the lock, inside the bathroom door, is courting disaster. If it is not swallowed, it will be turned, leaving the child either choking or cheerfully running a bath to splash around in; with you on the outside.

Bathroom floors, for fairly obvious reasons, tend to be wet, which means slippery. Ceramic tiles are a particular concern, turning into a skating rink after every bath time. Rubberised bath mats, strategically scattered over the floor is a good idea.

If a child does manage to turn on a tap, it will be the hot one, so regulate the temperature on the boiler. This may be a nuisance, but will cut down on potential scalding.

Finally, we come to hairdryers. You may be running late for an appointment, having to quickly style your hair in front of the bathroom mirror, become distracted and leave the hairdryer on the side of the sink. Result – disaster.

Bathroom mirror heaters are designed to solve the problem regarding foggy and steamy bathroom mirrors. Just like the other kinds of mirror heater, they consist of a sheet heater, which is adapted and sized to cover the back surface of the mirror.

There are various brands of bathroom mirror heaters available on the market, which you can choose from depending on your preference. Floor Heating Online offers bathroom mirror heaters in different sizes. These heaters are easy to install and are offered at reasonable prices. These mirror defoggers remove your worries that your mirror will steam up, and allow you to put on your make up or to shave with no hassles.

These mirror heaters can be easily applied to any bathroom mirror. Lay first the mirror with its face down on a safe surface and ensure that the back part of the mirror is completely clean, grease-free, and dry. Then, peel off the protective paper of the heater and attach the heater not to the wall but to the back portion of the mirror. In addition, make sure that the heater is placed in the mirror’s middle portion, and also ensure that no air bubbles are trapped. Be careful not to tear or cut the heater since it only has one heating circuit. Once it is broken, it cannot be fixed and will be of no use.

These bathroom mirror heaters can be used separately or in multiple to clear the entire mirror. Floor Heating Online believes that their product has surpassed other brands of mirror heaters through their distinct aluminium construction. These mirrors are reliable and also provide evenly distributed heat across the surface.

Some of the factors to think about when purchasing bathroom accessories include the design and the style of your bathroom, as well as who will be using the room most often. If it is intended primarily to be your children, for instance, the bathroom accessories ought to be appropriate. If it is to be part of a guestroom, the bathroom accessories might include shower enclosures, soap dishes, illuminated bathroom mirrors, toiletries and towel drying radiators. In the case of a master bathroom, you might want to consider spending a little more on items such as illuminated bathroom mirrors, luxury baths, contemporary toilet, electric showers and designer radiators.

The other thing to consider is the kind of furniture style and design that you like. Those available range from traditional to modern to contemporary to Victorian to country.  There are plenty of accessories available to suit any style that you choose.

Next on the agenda are your colour and pattern preferences. You need to be very careful with your choices if you are to achieve a co-ordinated feel between the floor, wall and other items in the bathroom. For example, if the bathroom fixtures are mainly made of porcelain, then the accessories should be antique white to off-white in colour. If the porcelain extends to the bath, toilet and sink, then some darker shades would work well. If you are unsure about what colour scheme would work best for you, try seeking professional help rather than have clashing colours, which would spoil the whole look of the room, regardless of how much you have spent on it.

Although a simple accessory, towels are one of the most important items in the bathroom. Choosing the right luxurious towels will provide you with greater comfort and make your bathroom more welcoming, particularly if you use a heated towel rack.

There are many different types of towels to choose from, such as hand towels, face towels and bath towels. Jumbo towels or fluffy towels provide lots of comfort and are ideal for winter. Choosing towels that are the same colour as your bathroom interior is a good idea if you like to match your items.

Many retail stores offer a wide selection of towels, including Egyptian cotton towels and a collection of classic towels. Egyptian towels come in a variety of colours, including Aqua, which is perfect for an aquatic theme. Other colours include blueberry, China blue and burgundy. Classic cotton towels are available in white, chocolate, raspberry and much more. A range of luxury towels are also available, including cashmere towels, Vermont towels and much more.

Having a separate towel for your face is ideal for hygiene purposes. Also, if you share a bathroom with other people, then be sure to wash your towels after you have used them. This provides a more comfortable and healthier atmosphere within your bathroom.

If you have a lot of towels, then having extra storage may be a good idea. Use extra towel racks or buy an extra cabinet. Separating hand and face towels from ordinary towels will keep your bathroom looking more organised and attractive.

Inda bathrooms are the height of sophistication in terms of bathroom design and it is no coincidence that they are based in Milan, Italy. This city is well known for being one of the fashion ‘hot spots’ of Europe and Inda bring fashion to the bathroom, in quite a serious way!

The Inda Bathrooms style concept is very swish, yet modern. This is not about a clinical white bathroom this is about colours, use of space and modern living in the 21st century. Their products have an air of the future about them, with very angular and sharp lines, nestling alongside rounded, curved wash hand basins. The result is a blend of the two styles, with one setting off the other. This concept makes their designs almost unique and certainly worthy of consideration.

For those with young children, some of the products may not be entirely suitable, due to the sharp edges on some of the basin counters/vanity units, but for everyone else, they are a real style statement.

These products are also quite cutting edge in terms of design, so if you like heritage pieces and a charming or quaint bathroom, then this is probably a range that you will not find too interesting. For anyone who likes a timeless style, expressing individuality and an endorsement of modern life, particularly in the urban setting, this really is a quality range, which will last a lifetime. Since you will probably love your new bathroom suite so much, you may well want to keep it for a lifetime.

As well as choosing different colours for the walls and floor of your bathroom, there are many other ways in which you can be creative. You can use artwork to make your bathroom more interesting. For example, if you have opted for an aquatic theme for your bathroom, then adding some pictures of fish, seashells or mermaids will make your bathroom look more adventurous. It may also be a good idea to use themed accessories, such as soap dishes in the shape of a seashell or soap in the shape of a fish. To match the theme, buy items such as soap that are the same colour as your paint, wallpaper, tiles and carpet.

If you have children and wish to create a fun theme for your bathroom, then choose bright shower curtains and add a few toys for the bath area. If you have two bathrooms in your house, then focus on decorating one especially for your children and use bathroom accessories, such as a shower curtain with pictures or a shell shaped sink. You could also buy bright coloured tiles with pictures on them to make the bathroom more fun for children. Educational pictures, such as pictures of different types of fish may also be a good idea for children.

If you wish to be creative but also keep a relaxing and luxurious theme for your bathroom, use candles and fluffy towels. Colourful scented candles will make your bathroom more relaxing and luxurious and also give it a creative flair. Adding plants to your bathroom will also provide a creative edge and will also make the room more romantic and relaxing.

Every bathroom needs one or two cabinets for storing items such as hair products, medicine and shavers etc. There are many different types of cabinets, such as vanity cabinets and cabinets for storing linen. If you want your cabinets to match other areas of your bathroom, then you can buy vanity sets. These usually consist of a sink and a selection of cabinets with a mirror. They may be a little expensive, but they will help you to achieve a stylish look for your bathroom.

If you have a lot of bathroom items, then it may be a good idea to choose more than one cabinet for your bathroom. Double bath vanities offer lots of storage space and are ideal for large bathrooms. These bath vanities also have space for more than one sink, which make them ideal for bathrooms with lots of users. They are also ideal for keeping your bathroom products organised, such as storing hair products in one section and make-up in another section.

If you are looking for a cabinet specifically for medicine, then are single and double cabinets available. Some medicine cabinets come with locks, which are ideal if you have children and wish to prevent them from having easy access to the cabinet for safety reasons. It also helps you to keep your medicine out of view for when visitors use your bathroom.

If you do not wish to have your cabinets fixed to the wall, then there is a selection of floor cabinets to choose from. These are useful as you can store items on top of the cabinet as well as inside it.

Installing new items in your bathroom can be a difficult task depending on what you are planning to install. Basic plumbing can be easy to install, but if you are planning to make any major changes then it may be a good idea to get the job done professionally.

If you are unsure of how to install any new items, such as a toilet, bath or shower, then there are a variety of websites that provide diagrams to assist you rather than you spending extra money to have it fitted by someone else. Many items come with installation instructions to help you, so if you follow these carefully then you should be able to install the items correctly.

Installing new lights is fairly easy, but you will need to make sure that no areas are exposed to water when you are installing electrical items and if you are dealing with any wires then keep them away from the bath or shower area.

Before you install any new items in your bathroom, it is a good idea to get accurate measurements. This will give you an idea of what size bath, shower, sink or toilet is suitable for your bathroom and will make installation quicker and easier. Work out how much space will be available for when you have all the items fitted, so that you do not end up with a bathroom that is too cramped.

Wickes, a DIY store, offers a selection of free helpful guides on their website to assist you with installing new items and making general improvements to your bathroom.