Complete Guide for Planning Your Bathroom
The bathroom in every home is very important. For some people, it’s the one place to find peace and quiet. So it is important that careful planning be put into designing your bathroom. The goal is to create a space that is warm, welcoming, and efficient.
Planning your bathroom can seem like a challenging task, mainly because of all the different aspects involved. However, it can be done. There are many different inspiring bathroom design ideas to choose from.
But you must consider your peculiar circumstances, and what you have to work with. And so, here are nine tips to guide you in planning your bathroom.
1. Consider Your Bathroom Needs
The first thing you must consider when planning your bathroom is how the bathroom will serve. Are you planning a private space for yourself or will it be for family use? If you’re going to be sharing with a partner, do you have the same preferences or would they prefer something different? Do you like to take long baths or quick showers?
All of these will influence the kind of fixtures you use and how you customize the space. If you are more of a quick shower person, a walk-in shower might be a great option for you. While if you love to take long luxurious baths, a bathroom freestanding tub will be an amazing fixture for you.
Also, while a personal bath will allow you to splurge on luxuries, a family bathroom might require you to prioritize durability over aesthetics. And also require you to make provision for more storage space. So you must consider the use of the bathroom before you even make your first purchase.
2. Consider Your Space
Another important consideration when planning your bathroom is available space. How much space you have to work with, will determine what fixtures you can use.
For example, a small space might only allow you to use a small wall-mounted bathtub, while a larger space might be great for a two-person freestanding tub.
While small spaces might constrain you to wall-mounted accessories, a large space will allow accessorizing with independent pieces and will give you more room for storage. So before you splurge on that fancy freestanding oval tub, make sure you have your measurements intact.
3. Decide on a Layout
The layout of your bathroom will determine how it looks. It will determine what people see first when your bathroom door is open. It will also determine how comfortable your bathroom space will be. If you’re remodeling and you like the current position of fixtures, consider maintaining them, especially fixtures that involve plumbing.
To change things a bit, you might consider simply adding complementary fixtures to what already exists. For example, you could place a freestanding tub next to the shower or use a wall-mount faucet for a freestanding tub. This way, you won’t have to make too many changes, while also making good use of the space that you have.
4. Prioritize Ventilation
Bathrooms are almost always damp because of the water being used. So while planning, you must make adequate provisions for ventilation. It will be great to have one or two windows for adequate flow of air.
However, where this is impossible, make plans to add exhaust fans with external vents to your list of purchases. This will help make sure that the bathroom stays dry when not in use and free of mold.
5. Think Low Maintenance
When planning your bathroom, you must think about how you intend to keep the space clean. You do not want materials that only sparkle and shine when they’re new. Consider getting your fixtures in materials that are easy to clean.
Most modern freestanding tubs are very easy to clean, especially those made of acrylic. Quartz sinks and countertops are also easy to maintain. So make sure that you’re thinking of ease of maintenance as you plan your dream bathroom.
6. Make Storage Plans
Most people tend to forget about storage in the planning stage of their bathrooms. You must consider how you intend to keep items in the bathrooms. Towels, robes, soaps and lotions, reading materials, and wine glasses all need places to fit in.
So think about how much storage space you will need and bathroom storage ideas to help you make good use of your space. Wall-mounted hooks, hangers, and shelves are great for optimizing small spaces, while cabinets work better with more space.
7. Consider Lighting
When you’re focused on the hardware, it can be easy to forget about lighting. However, good lighting is necessary for improving the overall appearance of your bathroom and also to minimize mishaps. Ambient lighting is best for the bathroom. It is warm and gentle and non-intrusive.
So make provision for windows to provide natural ambient lighting. For artificial lighting when it’s dark outside, overhead chandeliers and vertical fluorescent light fixtures are great options. Mirrors also work well in spreading light across the bathroom, so make provision to add a few.
8. Pay Attention to Tiles
Tiles are a super amazing way to make a statement in your bathroom. There’s a wide array of unique designs to choose from. Graphic ceramics are becoming increasingly popular because of their unique and luxurious designs.
You must however consider space when choosing your tiles. Highly decorative designs can make a small space look too busy or too small, whereas they would be ideal for making a large bathroom space more interesting and warm.
Source: Pexels
9. Decide on Colors
Colors can be an amazing way to add personality to your bathroom. They also make a huge difference in the appearance of your bathroom space. If you’re planning a personal space for just you, you can choose the colors that you love. But for a family bathroom, more neutral colors will work better.
However, you must make sure to choose bright, warm colors. Dark colors will make your bathroom look closed in and cold. Also, make sure that your bathroom fixtures and accessories are in colors that complement each other.
Conclusion
Planning your bathroom is as important as getting the actual work done. You must ensure to set realistic goals for your budget and available space. Make sure that you’re also considering possible changes that might occur in the future. Also, your bathroom design should be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
So while planning, you must ensure that the bathroom you have in mind will meet the needs of its users. Make sure to prioritize lighting, ventilation, and storage. Also, ensure that you choose materials that are durable and easy to maintain.
