Your Home and Garden

Building a blueprint

Design the perfect stylish bathroom with Mico’s expert service and quality products

- NEXT MONTH: Top tips for renovating your bathroom.

Designing a bathroom is all about finding balance between your dreams, your functional needs and your budget. Bathrooms need to work efficientl­y but ideally they also need to give you a little bit of enjoyable me-time amid a busy day.

Take time choosing your bathroom fixtures to make certain you get the right mix of practicali­ty and luxury. We recommend using the 3D

Design Planner at mico.co.nz to create a threedimen­sional model of your bathroom space so you can arrange the fittings of your choice inside it.

1 BATH

Traditiona­l inset baths are ideal for bath/shower combos and are great for families. Freestandi­ng baths can create a sense of space in a small bathroom. Thoroughly measure up your space, including the door frames of your bathroom and home to ensure your bath will fit through the door! View the Mico Bathroom Book online to see the range.

2 SHOWER

For an uncomplica­ted, seamless bathroom look, it’s hard to beat an open shower. The key here is to layer the space by choosing a feature backdrop of glass, niches for storage instead of glass shelves, and a foot nook for easy shaving. For added luxury, a simple slide rail shower can be complement­ed by a rain shower emerging from the ceiling. As for tapware, a family bathroom shower should aim for water efficiency while also delivering a good shower experience within a short time. Understand­ing your water pressure and choosing the right mixer also helps make your shower more enjoyable to use every day. Come in and talk to one of the Mico team about your pressure requiremen­ts and find the perfect shower for you.

3 BASIN + TAPWARE

Consider a basin which echoes the look of your bath and toilet, tonally and texturally. While rustic stone options have become more widespread, metallic basins are emerging as a favourite. It’s worth spending a little more money on a tap you’ll love. A good tap should suit the style of your bathroom and feel good to touch and manoeuvre. Soft golds, brushed brass and gunmetal are trending for 2020.

4 VANITY

Vanities take time to be built so decide on yours early in the process, carefully considerin­g the size, cabinet space and number of basins you’ll need. Mico.co.nz will help you with inspiratio­n and tips. Floating vanities are popular and wood is becoming the material of choice, especially richer versions which add warmth and texture. Take a tile or paint swatch with you to the Mico showroom to help you choose.

5 TOILET

Rimless toilets are no longer a luxury; they are becoming standard as a more efficient, hygienic and easier-to-clean model.

Toilets with lids that automatica­lly open and which feature integrated lighting, heated seats, white noise, built-in deodoriser­s, multiple washing modes and self-cleaning functional­ity are also available.

6 WALLS + FLOORS

Floor-to-ceiling tiling is now common, with shapes moving away from the rectangula­r into hexagons, diamonds, Moroccan arabesque and fish scales. Different tactile materials are also in vogue, including darker marble and honed concrete. Just be aware that too much of one bold choice will overwhelm the space.

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DESIGN
Phoenix Rush Tapware at Mico.
PART TWO: DESIGN Phoenix Rush Tapware at Mico.

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