Bathroom Design Ideas

Electric underfloor heating can be fairly easily installed and there is a choice of different systems to suit everyone. They can be used safely in kitchens and bathrooms as the cable is protected with a waterproof layer. If a room is a standard shape, it may be best to use mats which have electric cables already spaced out correctly. For unusually shaped rooms, you can obtain free-flowing cable to lay out yourself. Twin conductor cables only have to be connected at one end, rather than starting and finishing in the same place. To ensure the efficiency of your underfloor heating kit you will need some kind of insulation underneath it.

Electric cables should never be touching or overlapped, and must always be at least 50mm away from walls or fixed structures. Where an electric underfloor heating kit comes fixed to mats, you can cut the backing away but never cut the cable itself. The temperature of each circuit or zone is controlled by an underfloor heating thermostat. These range from simple manual versions to fully programmable digital ones. They use air sensors, floor sensors or a combination of the two. If you have a floor probe it should be positioned in a space between cable loops.

Once your DIY underfloor heating cables are fixed into position, they are usually covered in a layer of cement or latex screed before the floor covering is laid. If you have under tile heating, flexible tile adhesive should be spread over the cables.

This is the million-dollar question, just how easy is it to fit underfloor heating and can you do it yourself? Quite simply, it really depends on your own skills and knowledge. Electric underfloor heating is the easiest system to fit, especially now that the use of heat matting has been introduced. The matting is very thin, which makes it a good choice for an existing room, as you can take the carpet up, add insulation and heat matting to the top and then re-lay a floor of laminate over the top. The finished floor level will not be too different from the rest of the house; you may have a small lip between the rooms, but nothing more prominent.

Underfloor heating is more appropriate for new builds, as the upheaval in an existing room would be phenomenal. The whole floor would have to come up and pipe work has to be set into the floor, so this really isn’t the best option for existing spaces or for the DIY enthusiast. In the case of a wet underfloor heating system you are looking at skills in plumbing and electrics, while for heat mats or cables, only electrical skills are required. If you can employ an electrician and help with some of the foundation work yourself, installing an electric underfloor heating system may actually be quite straightforward. It then becomes simply a question of whether you have the skills required to lay the floor covering.

It is important to choose the right flooring for your bathroom, as certain types can be slippery. Try to choose a non-slip floor or if you already have a slippery floor but cannot afford to replace it, use bathmats. There is a selection of stylish bathmats available if you wish to achieve a designer look for your bathroom.

Carpet is ideal for adding warmth to the bathroom and is available in a variety of colours, but will need to be replaced every so often, as constant exposure to water can cause it to become mouldy and create a damp smell. Carpet may be luxurious, but it is probably more practical to opt for tiles and use floor heating to create the same cosy effect that you have with carpet. Carpet is also more difficult to clean than tiles, though it provides more safety, as it is not as slippery.

To make carpet easier to replace, carpet tiles may be the best option. With carpet tiles, you will only need to replace single tiles instead of the whole carpet, which is quicker and cheaper. They are also easier to install than ceramic tiles, which need to be installed with care.

Another option is pine or oak flooring, which is ideal if you wish to have a wood theme for your bathroom. This type of flooring can last a long time if it is correctly installed and maintained. Laminate flooring is one of the best choices for stylish bathrooms, especially products with marble designs.

Many people like to have a rug in the bathroom, particularly if they have a tiled floor, because they feel it gives a feeling of warmth that tiles alone don’t provide. However, it is worth bearing in mind that any rug used in the bathroom should be safe for purpose and the risk of slipping on it should be assessed prior to purchase.

The best type of rug to buy is one that has been designed specifically for use in a bathroom. These are manufactured and crafted in such a way that they will resist the dampness that is created in a bathroom and will be long lasting. This is important because when the fibres in the rug are worn the risk of slipping increases. These products are also woven in such a way that they will dry quickly, so you won’t have to stand on a wet rug.

Mats made from chenille or cotton are the most popular types of bathroom rugs and they are quite durable. You should try to secure the rug so that it cannot slip on the floor, particularly if you have a very large bathroom.

Rugs are also available in other materials, such as bamboo and whilst these will not offer the same comfy feeling to your feet, they can look very stylish. 

If you do buy a standard rug for use in the bathroom, remember that the thicker it is, the longer it will take to dry out. 

Bathroom carpets often get a bad press, with people viewing them as unhygienic, particularly around the toilet and complaining that they retain water and are prone to rotting. 

However, bathroom carpets do have a great advantage over other types of floor surface, they are non slip and they are not cold when you walk on them, so particularly for older people, they really can offer a very practical floor covering.

The price of bathroom carpets has come down over recent years and they can now be bought at very competitive prices. Usually the manufacturer will state if the product can, or should be used in a bathroom and it is always worth buying one that is specifically designed for this use. You may pay less for a standard carpet, but it will need to be replaced more frequently than one that is designed to withstand bathroom usage.

If hygiene is a consideration, then you should think about installing a small toilet pedestal mat. This will ensure that any little splashes go onto it and it can easily be put into a washing machine, thereby allowing your carpet to be protected.

The only downside to carpeting the bathroom is that it will be difficult to vacuum around all the nooks and crannies where it is fitted. Some people find that using a small steam cleaner will help to get rid of any dust from hard to reach areas and keep your carpet in tip top condition for as long as possible.

Tiles come in many different materials, including marble, granite or slate, but the most common types are ceramic, porcelain, quarry, terracotta, natural stone or even vinyl.

Ceramic tiles are either glazed or unglazed. They are made from clay, which has been shaped and then fired in a kiln. Tiles that are glazed have a protective barrier that prevents them from being scratched or stained, while unglazed tiles lack this layer, but are still quite durable.

Porcelain tiles can either be used on walls or floors and are very hard wearing. 

Quarry tiles are usually used on floors and are very traditional. Although unglazed they are very long lasting.

Mosaic tiles are generally used as wall tiles, are very small and usually come in sheet form. They can be very effective in terms of making a design statement, but they can also be quite expensive.

Terracotta tiles are basically just a type of ceramic tile that is unglazed. It is a floor tile that will have to be sealed before use to prevent water permeating through.

At the top end of the market are natural stone tiles, such as marble or slate, which have been quarried from the earth and are usually quite expensive. They can make a fabulous impact in terms of design, so if you can afford them, they are a good option to consider.

Vinyl floor tiles are cheaper than other types and do not have quite the same quality as the others, but for those on a tight budget, they can offer a very cost effective floor surface.