A beautiful, stylish bathroom that’s a joy to use often features at the top of a property wish-list and bathroom overhauls are one of the most popular home improvement projects, proving that a space to relax and unwind is important to homeowners in the UK.
A beautiful, stylish bathroom that’s a joy to use often features at the top of a property wish-list and bathroom overhauls are one of the most popular home improvement projects, proving that a space to relax and unwind is important to homeowners in the UK.
I don’t have much space but would really love a free-standing bath.
Free-standing baths have become very popular as they suggest elegance and luxury. The range of free-standing baths available today is far greater than ever before – not only in terms of shape and size but also material and colour – so it should be possible to find one that will fit the most awkward of spaces. Solid surface baths often have a thinner ledge than those made of acrylic providing a large bathing area with smaller footprint. Make sure your choice of free-standing bath has an integral tap hole with space for pipework to be enclosed below or add a stylish floor mounted mixer instead. If a free-standing bath is a must and there really isn’t enough space in the bathroom, why not consider installing in the master bedroom instead. A bold alternative!
I’d like a bath as well as a shower.
If you’d like to keep your options open and want to install both bath and shower but have limited space, then a fitted combination design is the best answer. L-shaped or P-shaped baths are ideal as the baths are slightly wider allowing a little more space at the showering end. These are available from most bathroom stockists or online bathroom retailers. Don’t forget, if you must have both they don’t always have to occupy space in the same room. A roll-top bath in a master bedroom is a luxurious alternative or creating a walk-in shower between two adjacent bedrooms could solve the problem.
My ensuite is very small but I want to make the most of the space.
Ensuites are often the hardest spaces to design and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so it is key to think carefully about how to make the most of the limited space available. Walk-in enclosures with minimalist frameless designs provide a spacious interior giving the illusion of more space while taking up less. Wall-hung toilets and basins work well and are the best sanitaryware items when it comes to making the room look and feel larger as these items free up floor space. Focus on multi-functional items such as a heated towel rail rather than radiator and separate towel rail or a wall hung vanity unit incorporating both basin and storage. Finally go as large as you dare with a mirror which will reflect light and give the illusion of a larger space.
There are no windows in my bathroom, and it feels really enclosed.
The key here is lighting. Creating a layered lighting scheme with wall lights, spotlights and an LED strip will make sure you have enough illumination and provide interest to a bathroom without windows. Equally important is to ensure that any of the lights chosen don’t create shadows – so wall lights either side of a basin or LED strip above a mirror are ideal. In the case of an ensuite, consider ‘borrowing’ light, natural or otherwise, from the bedroom attached. Installing a translucent glass door or a wall of glass cubes will help provide some light which when paired with clever lighting will overcome the feeling of being enclosed. Final point – don’t forget to install decent ventilation – a good-quality extractor fan will remove the moisture in the air, prevent mold and keep your bathroom looking better for longer.