Building Your Dream Bathroom

Before constructing a new bathroom spend some time thinking about the layout. Time spent with design really does save you effort at a later date. Dream bathrooms should not be just about replacing your suite with a new one and keeping everything else pretty much the same. For a completely refreshed look you will need acomplete set of washroom essentials including mirrors, tiling, light fittings and new flooring. Bathroom accessories, such as a matching set of towel rails and toilet roll holders should be considered, too, when setting your budget.

A good idea, when building a bathroom, is to make a scale drawing of the room’s dimensions on a piece of paper. Now draw a rectangle in the same scale to represent a bath, another for a shower enclosure, a toilet, a vanity unit and so on. Cut out the shapes and place them in different configurations to come up with a design that fits the size of room. Sometime giving the bath a new orientation opens up space. Try p-shaped baths or corner ones if you are having trouble fitting it all in.

If you have a larger than average bathroom it can sometimes feel a bit sparse with the suite all pushed onto one wall. Consider a free standing bath tub to fill the space and make it more homely. Claw foot tubs are elegant and do this job well. Go for an oversized or double shower enclosure in bigger bathrooms, as well as a tub, so that the luxuriating bathroom experience can be shared. If so, opt for a double vanity unit with twin basins to complete the ‘his and hers’ look.

In smaller bathrooms and particularly en-suites, where space is at a premium, you can save space with an over-bath shower unit. However, it may be worth doing away with a bath altogether and simply having a larger than average shower enclosure. This frees up floor space and makes the room seem larger than it actually is. Another tip for making a bathroom seem more spacious is to go for tiles that allow the light to bounce around in interesting ways. Bumpy or textured tiles do this effectively. If your shower enclosure is in front of a window use a transparent cubicle so that light can continue to flood in.
Also, it is worth remembering that careful positioning of mirrors can help build a dream bathroom. By placing a pair of them on the largest wall you can add to the sense of space and luxury!