Bathroom Design Ideas

Freestanding baths give homeowners all the elegance of the tubs of old without denying them the convenience of modern plumbing. Moreover, depending on preference, these freestanding tubs can either have traditional, footed looks or more sleekly-modern and organic shapes. Some are even shaped to evoke natural stone pools, garden objects like buckets and planters, farm objects like troughs, and even animals like swans.

Essentially, whether you have Victorian, natural, or modern tastes, there’s likely a freestanding bath on the market for you. These come from a range of luxury manufacturers including Royce Morgan and Imperial and are, in most cases, guaranteed to last for a lifetime.

Some, like Royce Morgan’s Osaka tub and Carron Elysee’s Freestanding Bath, have porcelain tubs set on wooden pedestals, suggesting the elegance of Asia. Others, like the Imperial Baglioni Cobra Cast Iron Bath and the Imperial Radison Cureo Freestanding Cast Iron Bath, use the clean elegance of metal to give the bathrooms in which they are installed an industrial feel.

Luxury freestanding baths like the Rectangularo Bath even employ lighting options.

More traditional freestanding baths like the Royce Morgan Kensington Freestanding Bath, the Imperial Bentley Double Ended Bath, and the Imperial Ritz Slipper Bath all have feet that evoke Victorian baths of old. Still though these baths, and others like them, manage to harmonize the feet of historical baths with the sleek modern lines that appeal to contemporary consumers. Many of these freestanding baths also employ creative colour palettes – misty greens, deep browns, rosy corals – that will brighten any bathroom.

The bath is one of the most important items in the bathroom. If you are looking to buy a new bath, then you need to choose one that will not only fit your bathroom properly, but will also be the right size for you. You will need to decide whether you would like a twin bathtub, or a normal sized bathtub. Larger bathtubs will use up more hot water, so it may a good idea to stick to just a single bathtub so it is not as expensive.

There are many different styles of baths to choose from. If your bathroom has a designer look, then you may wish to buy a more stylish bathtub, such as a corner bathtub or an oval shaped bathtub. There are also many other different shapes of bathtub to choose from. If you want your bathtub to match other accessories, then you may wish to buy one that is a similar shape to other items in your bathroom, such as an oval shaped bath to match an oval shaped soap dish. If you want a romantic theme for your bathroom, then you can even buy a heart shaped bathtub.

If you have a disabled or elderly family member, then it is a good idea to buy a bathtub that has all the right facilities. Walk-in bathtubs are the best option for elderly people, as it saves them having to climb over the bath edge. Some bathtubs also have a slip resistant floor, which is useful for elderly or disabled people. There is also a seat and a handheld shower for convenience and safety bars available for wheelchair users.

There are a wide variety of products you can use to make your bath or shower a more relaxing experience. For a luxurious shower experience, there is a selection of shower gels to choose from. Original Source, a UK company who specialises in bath products, offers a wide selection of shower gels, with flavours such as lemon, tea tree, lavender, vanilla milk, cocoa and much more. They also offer shower pouches in a variety of flavours, including watermint and lemongrass.

Bath bombs, bath crystals, bath balls and salts are ideal for those who are looking for a luxurious bathing experience. The Bubble Store, a UK store, offers a wide variety of these types of products. Their bath bombs are just £0.75 each and come in a variety of flavours, including tropical fruits, lemon and lime, lavender and peppermint and more. You can also buy these bath bombs as part of a lucky dip that the store offers at a discounted price.

The Bubble Store also offers lots of other great items for the bathroom, such as oil soap, fragrance soap, body butter, lip balm, bath foam and much more. These items are sold separately as well as in gift packs for around £14.99. Their bath crystals come in a selection of flavours and are priced at £1.20.

If you have children, a bubble bath can make their bathing experience more fun. Bath toys such as rubber ducks can help make your bathroom more suitable for children. Bubble baths are offered in a variety of interesting flavours, and some may be more suitable for children than others, so have a look around and see what kind your children would like.

If you are aiming to have a Victorian theme for your bathroom, then there are a variety of accessories available that will help you achieve the look that you want. Victorian bathrooms usually have dark colours and wood. Antique stores are a good place to visit if you are looking for Victorian bathroom furniture and usually have a wide variety of top quality products to make your bathroom look good.

Victorian Plumbing, a UK company, offer a selection of Victorian products to suit your theme, including Victorian basin taps, which can be purchased with a matching bath mixer if you wish. If you are looking for a bath to fit your Victorian theme, then Plumbworld offer a Clearwater Victorian Bath, which is available in Green and White, with stone cast resin reinforcement and is priced at around £530.00.

Having a Victorian theme may be more suitable if you have a lot of money to spare, as some products can be quite expensive. But if you look around on sites such as eBay, you may be able to find a few bargains. There are some stores that offer discounts for products purchased on their website, or you could have a look around to see which stores have items on sale.

Finding a website with an online decorator will help you to see which colours are suitable for your Victorian theme. Visiting showrooms is also a good idea, as this will give you an idea of different layouts, colours and products for your Victorian theme.

Having a traditional theme for your bathroom can make it much more comfortable and add elegance to the room. Furniture made from brass or porcelain is ideal for a traditional bathroom. Visit antique stores and see what furniture would look best for your traditional theme. Going for an Art Deco look is a good idea if you wish to achieve a traditional look for your bathroom.

The Heritage Bathrooms outlet offers furniture that is suitable for traditional bathrooms, such as cast iron baths and a pedestal basin. They also offer a selection of Art Deco products that are suitable for family bathrooms that have a traditional theme.

Searching sites such as eBay will help you to find low cost traditional items for your bathroom. If you are struggling to make a decision on what kind of layout you would like for your traditional bathroom, then visit a few showrooms or have a look on a few websites to see if you can practice with a few layouts and colour schemes. Flicking through a few magazines may also give you an idea of what type of furniture will suit a traditional theme.

You can even find taps that have a traditional look. Tap Choice offers Bristan Colonial traditional bathroom taps, which are priced at around £36.93 with a chrome finish and £52.37 for a gold finish. They also offer traditional bidet mixers and bath fillers, which are also available in chrome or gold. Simple items such as these will give your bathroom the traditional look that you are hoping for.

The bathroom is a place where people often unwind and relax, or even prepare themselves in anticipation of a night of passion. It can be viewed as a room where the senses can either be soothed, calmed or even stimulated and as such it can be a very sensual place.

Traditionally the concept of sensual bathrooms has involved sweetly fragranced candles, rose petals and some soft music. This can be great for the woman, but the man may often find that sharing a bath, whilst being bombarded with sweet fragrances, is not quite so sensual for him.

Why not think about installing some mood lighting in your bathroom, so that you can both relax with the lights turned down low? Non-scented candles can then be used, along with aromatherapy oils to stimulate the sense of smell.

Next, try to have things that appeal to both men and women, such as candles, which are not overly sweet, like ylang ylang. Oil burners with aromatherapy oils, such as bergamot and cedar-wood, are often regarded as aphrodisiacs, but their scent is not too feminine, so they are pleasing to both sexes.

Wooden massagers can often be used to help each other relax, with the wood version being more masculine than a feminine or girlie massager.

Rose petals are fine in moderation, but they can dominate if they are used too liberally. So limit their use, in recognition of the bathroom being for both of you.  All that remains now is for you to simply enjoy your sensual bathroom and each other.

In very many houses the bathroom is indeed quite small with larger space having been allocated to living and eating than has been awarded to functional activities; so for many householders, space is certainly at a premium in the bathroom.

However, this does not mean that you cannot still enjoy a full range of facilities.  There are some spaces saving tips which will help you to make the most out of the space you do have available.

First of all if space is very tight, then you should look at installing a close coupled toilet since this will save you space in terms of how far the toilet projects into the room.

Next, it is also possible to buy baths which are slightly shorter than normal, but still an adequate length (unless you are exceptionally tall).  These are often narrower as well, so allowing you to get that extra bit of space next to, or at the end of, the bath.

Consider installing a shower over your bath and then fitting a bath / shower screen to make sure that the water is contained.

Fit a countertop wash hand basin and, if space is really tight, then consider installing the wash hand basin in the corner.  Storage space can then be created underneath the basin, enabling you to completely maximise your space.

Finally, consider fitting a towel rail over your radiator or have a heated towel rail adjacent to the toilet.  Therefore, you can have all the luxury of a modern bathroom even in the tiniest of spaces.

Cast iron baths are still available and can be easily sourced. This is despite presenting some practical challenges in terms of their weight, the fact that it is not always easy to fit such a bath, since you need to make sure that your floor can support the weight and that they can be difficult to manoeuvre through the bathroom door.

However, before you simply fall in love with the concept of a genuine cast iron bath, do think about the practicalities. Will your bathroom floor support it, if you are installing it in a first floor room? This is actually a serious consideration and although your floor may not instantly collapse when you get the bath into the room, it may lead to structural weaknesses, so check this out.

Next, can you get the bath upstairs? This may sound a stupid question, but it is a real issue. A cast iron bath is very, very heavy and you may well need additional space to get it upstairs, as well as a strong team of people to carry it.

You also need to think about how you use a bath. Give serious thought to the possibility that objects might accidentally be dropped onto it. The surface will chip if it is damaged and this can lead to the formation of rust. You can buy re-touching kits to cover any chips, but these are not easy to apply.

If, after all these considerations, you still feel that a cast iron bath is the one for you and you want that authentic feel to your bathroom, then simply enjoy it.

Freestanding baths can offer a real sense of luxury within a domestic bathroom.  They can either stand proud and alone in the centre of the room, or be close to a wall.  Some are fitted onto legs; others are actually on the floor.  Some have a roll top, which is a very traditional type of bath, but there is actually a wide range of designs now on the market, many of which are very chic, angular and modern in design.

The main design feature of the free standing bath is that it looks much less cluttered and fixed than a standard bath and through installing it in the centre of a room; you can make a real focus of the bath.  You can even have it near a window, so that you can gaze out on the sky.

The legs or feet that the bath has fitted can also make a real statement about your way of life and your sense of style and there is certainly a wide variety of accessories to complement them, so you can tailor your choice to your exact specification.

It is also possible to have a whirlpool bath that is freestanding.  However, if you do choose a freestanding bath, placed in the centre of the room, then you should bear in mind that you will have to have a separate shower, since it will not be possible to fit a powerful shower to the bath; you can have a shower mixer fitted to the taps, but these are not as powerful as an electric shower.

A bath panel will complete the look of your bathroom and it is vital that you choose an appropriate one. Remember that the panel will be something you look at every day and should last for years, so even if you really must have the jazzy one with pink spots, will you still like it when you are 40? You can usually buy replacement panels, but it is still nice to choose one that is stylish and not too extreme, since you may well not be in the same home when you are 40. If you decide to relocate, you may want to swap your beloved jazzy bath panel for something more conservative, in order to make the house more saleable.

So the usual style criteria apply. Try to choose a panel which is subtle and will not dominate the bathroom; be practical, will it cope with normal day to day knocks, or will it look slightly shabby in just a couple of years? Will you be able to clean it easily, or does it have little grooves and architectural detailing which in reality will simply act as a magnet for dust and dirt?

You should also consider its suitability for use with the other items you have bought. Many suites come with a bath panel, but if you don’t like it, then don’t be afraid to look for another that will complement the bath you have chosen and also suit your particular style and taste.