Bathroom Design Ideas

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!

Choosing a pump to power your shower or water system, may not seem like a big issue. Perhaps not, but you need to find a pump which best meets your needs.  So you need one which suits your budget and your system.

If you have a water system which has poor water pressure, then you may need a pump to boost the water pressure between the shower head and the water system. Or it may be that you want to have more than one shower head, in which case you will possibly need a dual pump.

Pumps can vary in quality, size and noise levels, so try to acquire the best possible pump you can afford.  Whilst the initial cost may be slightly higher, you will find that you reap the benefits over time, with increased performance and the pump lasting for a long time. Cheaper pumps can soon burn out; can be noisy or even let air into the shower system, which affects the temperature of the water.

Stuart Turner pumps are generally regarded as efficient and they have been in existence for over one hundred years, enabling the company to enjoy an enviable position as one of the leading forces in the shower pump industry and one which deals with both domestic and commercial premises.

Pumps are available for a wide variety of applications and with Stuart Turner’s extensive experience their products have been designed to overcome most problems associated with either reduced water pressure or simply householders’ demands for increased pressure.

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.

Wash hand basins are no longer about somewhere just to wash your hands; they now make a statement about you, about your taste and about how you like to live.

Recent design innovations have seen enormous changes being made to the traditional, slightly curved, wash hand basin. Now you have the option of curved, angular, square, dual or even asymmetric basins. So which do you choose?

Obviously personal taste comes into it, but there are some design considerations as well. If you have very small children, then don’t plump for the latest Italian geometric styles, with corners so sharp that they look as if they could be used for cutting.  Instead, you should opt for something that is curved and which will obviously still inflict a knock if a little head bangs against it, but which will do less damage than a seriously sharp corner. However, if you don’t have children, or the little ones are past the age where they seem to constantly bang into any sharp edges, then these styles will be worth considering, especially if you like modern, urban design. 

You should also think about the other rooms in your home. If it is a real shrine to the past and you simply adore old-fashioned styles of décor and furniture, then you won’t want your bathroom to be too much at odds with this. So remember not to think about your bathroom in isolation, for whilst it is perfectly acceptable to have contrast, creating too much of a clash will result in ‘dissonance’, which is basically disharmony!

A bathroom obviously needs to be cleaned regularly, both for hygiene purposes and to make sure that it is kept at its best for as long as possible. However, there are some things you need to think about before you simply pour on cleaning agents and get the scrubbing brush out.

It is essential to check that any cleaning product you have bought will actually be safe to use on the type of bath, wash hand basin and toilet that you own. This may sound somewhat over cautious, but some chemicals are quite strong and may work well on one particular type of bath, but not be so good for another. For example, a cleaner can be safely used on an acrylic bath, but if it is applied to a cast iron bath it may actually take off the enamel.

Taps can be damaged by some types of cleaning products, particularly if they are gold effect, since the surface may react badly to any bleaching agent. Frequently the damage does not become visibly apparent for some time and by then it may be too late to rectify the situation easily.

Try to make sure that you use the minimum amount of chemicals on your bath and wash hand basin, as this will help retain their original surfaces for as long as possible.  However, for obvious reasons, it is likely that you will want to ensure that you do keep the toilet as germ free as possible and most have been designed to withstand chemical onslaughts, it is the bath and wash hand basin which can be very sensitive.

A shower timer serves a dual purpose. First of all, it limits the length of time you are in the shower, usually to three minutes. This restricts the volume of water you consume, which in turn helps to keep your energy bills down and assists with the conservation of natural resources.

Timers are also a good way of giving a gentle reminder to those who would rather spend time languishing in the shower, than being ready for work on time. So, as long as you are self disciplined enough to get out of the shower when it goes off, you won’t run as late as you might otherwise do.

The timers are specially designed to withstand the damp and humid conditions of the shower and should therefore last for a number of years. Some people find it easier to locate the unit just outside the shower, especially if they tend to lose track of time. That way, rather than just switching it off, you have to physically step out of the shower in order to reset it.

Because they do not like to waste time, water or energy, there are many people who use the timer when having a shower at any time of the day and not just in the morning, when they are concerned about the possibility of being late for work.

So if you want to do your bit for the planet, as well as ensure that you keep to time in the morning, then a shower timer may just be the gadget you are looking for.

Fitting a bath mat inside your bath or shower, to prevent you from slipping, may not seem very appealing to anyone who is concerned with their bathroom looking very chic and stylish. Yet the humble bath mat has evolved in terms of design and now you can have something that is stylish, but with the slip resistant qualities afforded by the traditional bath mat.

Due to the combination of water and soap, the floor of your bath or shower can very easily become slippery, but the risk is increased if you also use sensual oils or luxurious bath/shower products. It is always better to be safe than sorry, since any knock or fall can be quite dangerous, particularly in the confined space of a bath or shower.

To avoid these potentially dangerous situations, you can now fit an anti slip bathmat with suction grips that will keep it stuck to the floor and which will prevent you from slipping. Mats are available in frosted glass style, with little ‘bubbles’ blown in or wooden type slat ‘bath ducks’ that look extremely stylish in a very modern, minimalist bathroom. In a more traditional bathroom, it would perhaps, be more appropriate to fit the older style of bath mat, perhaps a clear mat or something quite plain.

Whichever style you choose, you can then add another, matching mat, for you to stand on when you get out of the bath or shower, so once again, you have a look that is harmonious and exudes understated chic.

A low flow showerhead is quite a recent invention, but it is growing in popularity as we all become more aware of both saving the planet, in terms of reducing energy consumption, and reducing the amount of water we use.

A low flow showerhead reduces the volume of water that is consumed and this means a saving in both heating costs and water use. Some people shy away from this type of showerhead, because they think that they will end up with a shower that just trickles, rather than providing a proper jet of water.

This is not the case, since the low flow head will not reduce the pressure of your water, so your shower will still pack a real punch. Most traditional showerheads will deliver water at between five and eight gallons per minute, but the low flow model still has the same water pressure, which it delivers at between two or three gallons per minute. If you are a family of four, then these savings really start to add up.

As with everything, there are some models that are better than others. You may, for example, choose one that has a pause button, which means that you can stop the flow while you apply your shampoo etc, thus giving you real control over the volume of water you use. If you do decide to buy a low flow showerhead, then make sure that you buy one that will suit your own particular requirements and aim for a model in the middle of the price range, so that you aren’t compromising on quality.

The choice of whether to have curtains or opt for blinds really depends on your personal tastes, as well as budget. It may be possible to buy curtains more cheaply than blinds, but they can be affected by the damp conditions in the bathroom. Blinds are usually more expensive, but they may last longer. They are also particularly at home in very contemporary or modern bathrooms, whereas older, more period bathrooms will suit a set of curtains.

Blinds also help you to adjust lighting levels in the bathroom, which is very important when you want to use it for personal grooming. Roller blinds are very useful if you want to be able to block light out, or your window is an awkward shape.

Curtains can look quite dramatic in a large and grand bathroom, where you might have a very dramatic flow of crisp white linen adorning the windows. This can really help offset some of the starkness that many modern bathroom designs suffer from.

Whichever you choose, you need to make sure that you clean the blinds, roller blinds or curtains on a regular basis, otherwise they may start to attract mould. If that does happen then take swift action and replace them as soon as possible, because when mould gets hold it can spread very quickly.

Also consider privacy issues when choosing the soft furnishings for your windows and make sure that you pick something that is thick enough so that you are not silhouetted against the curtains or blinds when stood in front of them, especially at night.