A FAMILY BATHROOM
TO MAKE EVERYDAY LIFE EASIER
As one of the home’s most hardworking rooms, a well-designed family bathroom needs to be practical for those daily routines, yet relaxing enough to unwind in
Chances are that you start and end your day by using the bathroom. With the daily tasks of face washing, teeth brushing, toilet trips, quick showers, long soaks in the tub (if you’re lucky), washing and drying slippery children, applying makeup, defuzzing – the list goes on – it’s easy to see how our bathroom design has to work well in order to help streamline busy lives. Being essentially a wet room, there’s plenty of water, splashes and steam to contend with, which comes with its own set of considerations. Coupled with the need for good and ideally variable lighting, plus clever storage for our essentials, ensuring you have a practical space that can handle these demands will truly make day-today life that bit more manageable.
A LAYOUT THAT WORKS
‘Getting the layout right from the start is one of the most important things to consider,’ says Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs. ‘Don’t think about how you use your bathroom currently, but how you’d like to use it in the future and use that as a starting point.’ And if your current layout isn’t quite right, ‘make small but effective changes, such as adding in a folding shower screen or wet room to provide a larger area to move around in.’ If you have young children, a bathtub with a built-in shower should be on your shopping list. There are a variety of tub sizes available, so finding a suitable one to fit into even a smaller space is easier, too.
STYLISHLY FUNCTIONAL
It’s not just practicality that needs to be considered when planning a bathroom. Creating an attractive and fun room that appeals to all is a big factor, whether you’re starting from scratch or just making small updates. We all want easy-toclean spaces, but to keep it from feeling too clinical, injecting personality with unique touches is key. Patterned or coloured tiles, brassware finishes and flooring choices all make a huge impact. And since all of these are unlikely to change often, it’s wise to pull together a mood board before hitting buy, to ensure each element works together in a look you’ll be happy to live with for a long time. For smaller updates, fresh colour on the walls, using a bathroom-suitable wallpaper, stencilling tiles, changing window dressings, adding artwork, or revamping accessories can all give a quick lift to a space.
SAFETY FEATURES
Childproofing the bathroom is getting increasingly easy with a multitude of gadgets and designs that can assist. ‘Walk-in shower spaces are rising in popularity, so non-slip trays, toughened safety glass and thermostatic showers that protect against scalding are essential for a family’s peace of mind,’ says Richard Eaton, showering product manager at Bathrooms to Love. And don’t forget soft close toilets for minimising the loud slam or little fingers getting trapped.