Bathroom Design Ideas

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.

If you need to redecorate your bathroom, but do not have much to spend, then there are many affordable options to choose from. One is to have a look around the stores to see what bargains are on offer, as many often offer discounts on top quality bathroom items. Order items from your chosen store’s website rather than at the store’s showroom, as this may save you hundreds of pounds. Some companies offer up to 50% off when you order products online.

You can also find bargains when you shop at online stores such as Ebay. They offer both new and used items and it is an ideal solution for anyone looking for an affordable new bathroom. The site has everything from baths, showers and Jacuzzis, to towels, beach towels and bath mats. You can even search for other affordable products, such as bubble bath or aromatherapy products, which you can use to transform your bathroom into a spa.

Try to avoid top brand names, as their products are likely to be more expensive. Have a look around for affordable bathroom collections by other companies. The popular store, Ikea, offers a selection of bathroom collections at affordable prices, including the Molger series, which has bathroom accessories from as low as £1.99. They also offer larger products at affordable prices, including a selection of washbasins for around £75.00 and their bathroom lighting is also reasonably priced. If you want an affordable designer look for your bathroom, then Ikea offer a selection of spotlights and stylish wall lights for just £8.99.

In addition to accessories such as toilet roll holders and toothbrush holders, there are also a variety of other accessories that can prove to be very useful in the bathroom. Many people like to read a book or magazine whilst in the bathroom, so a magazine rack can come in handy. There are many styles of magazine racks available. Chrome plated magazine racks are great for making a bathroom look stylish. Miller Bond offers chrome plated magazine racks for around £45.00.

Another useful accessory for the bathroom is a rail or hooks for clothing such as night gowns or dressing gowns. Miller Bond offers single hooks, double hooks and rails, which are ideal for clothes and towels. Clothes hooks and rails not only make a bathroom look tidier, they also add more style. Towel rings also look attractive.

A tumbler is also another useful addition. There are a selection of stylish holders available for storing toothbrushes and tumblers, or if you already have a toothbrush holder, then Miller Bond offer a stylish chrome tumbler holder for around £20.00. Antique gold tumblers are a good option for those who are looking for Victorian style theme for their bathroom.

It is also useful to have some bathroom scales. These come in a variety of styles as well, including solar powered scales and digital scales. Many have a selection of settings that make them easy to use. Prices vary depending on the style, but a simple set of bathroom scales can cost under £5.00.

It is important that you choose a colour scheme that you really like for your bathroom. If you want a simple colour scheme, then you may wish to stick to white. White is also a good colour for giving your bathroom a clean and formal look, especially when used alongside colours such as black.

If you wish to achieve a cosier look, then it may be a good idea to use warm colours such as red or orange. For a relaxed look, cool colours such as blues and greens are the best to use. Blue is also a good colour to use if you are trying to stick to an aquatic theme for your bathroom.

Red is a good colour to use if you wish to achieve a luxurious designer look for your bathroom. For a sophisticated look, try using a mixture of cream, brown, black and white. These colours will also give your bathroom a French flair.

The best way to decide on a suitable colour scheme for your bathroom is to perhaps take a look at existing bathrooms to see which colours work best. If you are struggling to get an idea of the look you wish to achieve, then it is a good idea to pay a visit to some bathroom showrooms, where you will be able to see which colours compliment different types of bathrooms.

Another idea is to research different colour schemes. Try looking around on the internet. There may be websites that allow you to test out different colours on an example bathroom or sites that provide advice on which colours compliment each other the best.

If you feel your bathroom is cramped, but you cannot afford to build any extra space, then there are many ways in which you can make it appear bigger, without having to spend too much. There are colours, such as white or cream, which you can use to create the illusion that your bathroom is bigger than it actually is.

If you have items that take up a lot of space in your bathroom, then swap them for smaller items. This will make the room look much bigger. Choose furniture that suits a small room. Some stores offer sinks that have a vanity cabinet attached to them. This provides more floor space and can help your bathroom look larger. ‘Shades’, a bathroom company, offer a selection of space saver products, including small, wall-mounted basins, which are ideal for saving space.

If you have a bit of money to spare and really wish to improve the look of your bathroom and make it look more spacious, then Heritage Bathrooms offer a selection of space saving suites. There are many different styles available, as well as a variety of wall-hung products that create more space. The company also offers washstands, which combine a sink, drawer and shelf at the bottom of the stand. These are ideal for small bathrooms as they offer lots of storage and increase floor space.

Getting rid of items that you keep on the floor will also allow you to have a bathroom that looks bigger. Instead of keeping your bathroom bin on the floor, try opting for a cabinet that has a built-in bin or swap it for a smaller one.

Bathrooms are usually exposed to moisture more than other rooms, so it is a good idea to install proper ventilation. Condensation can lead to damp walls, which can cause mould to build up. By fitting an extractor fan in your bathroom, you can reduce condensation and mould and also stop bacteria from spreading.

Extractor fans are also useful for preventing fumes from spreading. Any cleaning products that you use in your bathroom may contain harmful chemicals, so an extractor fan will help to properly ventilate your bathroom and prevent fumes from lingering in the air. It will also keep your bathroom free of unpleasant odours.

Having a good air conditioning system provides your bathroom with a comfortable atmosphere. It can become extremely stuffy in the bathroom when you run a bath or a shower, so keeping the room cool and fresh will allow you to feel more relaxed. There are bath fans, which you can use as both a light and an extractor fan. If you wish to disguise your extractor fan, then there are lights available that have an extractor fan built into them.

If you don’t feel comfortable with installing an extractor fan, then you could always opt for a portable air conditioning system. These come with different settings, so you can experiment and see which setting you are most comfortable with. Other features of portable air conditioning systems include built in dehumidifiers and extraction hoses.

If you wish to stick with an extractor fan, then there are companies that will provide advice on how to properly install them or even offer to install them for you.

If you choose not to tile your bathroom, but instead decide to paint the walls, and then make sure you choose a waterproof paint which is specially designed to cope with the steamy conditions which running baths or showers will create.

Decorating a bathroom is no harder than painting any other room of the house, but if your suite is fitted, be sure that you cover it up well prior to starting, so that it doesn’t get any splashes of paint on it. It’s very easy to think that you will be so careful that this isn’t really an issue, but paint does and will, drop off your brush and can very easily ruin a bath.

Prior to painting, make sure that your walls are flat and that any rough patches of plaster have been sanded down. Painting will show up any tiny imperfections on your walls and exaggerate them, so take extra care to prepare them so that they look like a blank sheet of paper and are completely smooth. You may also want to patch-up any other imperfections, which can be quicker than if you simply try to sand down the rest of the wall.

Painted bathrooms can look very good, but may be a little ‘cold’ in atmosphere, so you may want to think about introducing a little warmth, with splash-backs over the bath and wash hand basin. A splash-back is simply a couple of rows of tiles, which act as a way of preventing water soaking into the walls.

The bathroom may have remained relatively overlooked in considering environmental issues for some time, but those days are over and the bathroom is now subject to the same scrutiny as other rooms of the home.

In the future, all homes which are sold are likely to be affected by energy efficiency rules, which means that the house will be ‘energy rated’ as to its impact on the environment and whether or not it uses energy and possibly water efficiently.  Toilets already use less water to flush than they did thirty years ago.

However, this does not mean that your bathroom has to be transformed into some kind of sawdust toilet with a jug for bathing.  It is still possible to have luxury and save the planet.

All it takes is a little careful planning and consideration.  Can you maximise natural light coming into your bathroom?  This is great for energy efficiency and natural light really helps when applying make up! Is your hot water system controlled by a condensing boiler? Have you set a timer for water and central heating?

You can also make sure that the bathroom is double glazed, thereby cutting down on heat loss.  Or you can fit water saving devices to take water from the shower or bath and store it for use in the garden, if you want to be really water-efficient. For many people, a few basic energy saving principles are all that is necessary and still have the bathroom of your dreams!

Traditionally, bathrooms have often been decorated with lots of blue, or even just touches of the colour, to reflect the bathing regime and water. Alternatively, they have been white, which resulted in a very cold and clinical feel. Now, however, contemporary bathrooms can be decorated in any hue and the range of colour schemes available is almost limitless, although black may still not be the best option.

Whichever colour you choose, try to pick something that is not too quirky or individual, since this is likely to date very quickly and can become a real problem if you ever want to sell your house. So, whilst starfish, mermaids and appliqué unicorns may look great for the first six months, they can soon take on a quite tired air that quickly dates and looks rather unfashionable. 

It is far better to stick to mainly neutral colours, creams, beiges, whites or even slightly shaded colours with hues of blue, green or just a gentle shade of pink, but nothing too strong. Vibrant colours, if you can’t live without them, can be introduced in your accessories, but should not be on the walls. If they are, then the whole room becomes dominated by the colour and you almost lose the bathroom suite. It is also far from relaxing to be lying in the bath, surrounded by bright red walls, which can be more than slightly oppressive. 

The bathroom should be a place where peace and tranquillity is afforded and gentle colours will do this very well. A colour scheme such as this will also help show off the accessories and bathroom suite to their best advantage.

The type of bathroom suite that you choose will really define your bathroom and say a lot about your taste and your lifestyle, so choose carefully!  Price is obviously something to be taken into account, but there are also other considerations.

Space is obviously an important issue, since there is no point in buying a walk in shower and massive whirlpool bath if they will not fit into the space you have available.

Style is also the other big factor.  You should think about the look that you want to create in your bathroom and how you can achieve this.  Do you want it to be an oasis of calm, or the epitome of urban chic?  If you are a bachelor with a busy lifestyle then think practical and no fuss.  If you are a busy mum with a young family, then you need to think about children’s bathing requirements, as well as time for you and your partner.  You may also need to have some ‘me time’ and the bathroom can be a great place to achieve this.

Bath suites can date quite easily (i.e. the ‘avocado’ suite, that style ‘nightmare’ of the 1980s) ad so with this in mind, a classic, well designed and practical style of bathroom suites can act as an investment, adding to the value of your home.  Thus making it easier to sell on and still looking good in a few years, rather than just looking out-dated.  So spend as much as you can afford and go for elegance, rather than just modern trends.