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Just as with any other room in the house, bathrooms respond to changing tastes, trends, and technology. At Bathroom Compare we love all things bathroom – whether that’s past, present, or future - so thought it would be interesting to look back at some of the key bathroom trends over the last five decades.
Last month Bathroom Compare focused on three popular choices for bathroom walls in family bathrooms, ensuites, and cloakrooms.
Tiles and paint were once the only products found on bathroom walls.
Investing in a main bathroom or ensuite is probably one of the costliest home improvements project a homeowner can undertake after the kitchen. Not only is a new bathroom demanding in terms of financial investment, but also in terms of time – researching and planning – as well as the disruption experienced during installation.
In the previous blog, we looked at some of the most common problems relating to space that come up time and time again when designing and planning a new bathroom – how to incorporate a free-standing bath, how to include both bath and shower, how to make the most of a small ensuite and how to provide the feeling of space in a bathroom with no windows.
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.
With space very much at a premium and homeowners either not wanting to or perhaps being unable financially to move, the home improvement answer often lies in a loft conversion. Loft conversions have become more and more popular over the years providing an additional bedroom, home office, playroom, or gym.
In an ideal world money would be no problem when it comes to renovating or refurbishing our homes. For most of us that’s a pipe dream. There is usually a figure in mind when setting out on a home improvement project and most homeowners realise that a contingency budget may also need to be called upon.
Lighting can often be one of the last decisions on the list when it comes to renovating, refurbishing or installation a new bathroom. However, the impact of lighting, no matter the size of the family bathroom, ensuite, or cloakroom, should not be underestimated.
If nothing else, the last 18months have made us all aware of the importance of maintaining hygiene, at a personal level as well as at home. While hand hygiene continues to be critical, the relevance and importance of surface disinfection is also key. To reduce the chances of infection, it is expected that the enhanced focus on wellness and demand for hygiene products will continue to grow in the future and that it won’t be long before many of these behavioural changes become long-term habits.
The time has come to plan your new bathroom. The question is, where to begin?
The first phase is the design of your bathroom and there are plenty of options available - design your own scheme online or visit an independent or high street bathroom retailer or showroom. It’s easy to think that designing a bathroom isn’t particularly difficult. If it’s a case of simply replacing sanitaryware items, then there really is little need for a designer to get involved. More than that? Then it’s definitely worth considering.
Building control can be confusing and, as a result, can often be overlooked. Official approval is required from the authorities for certain work or projects undertaken in and around the home. It is so important, in fact, that there is a whole law surrounding it. Unfortunately, if it is ignored you could get prosecuted and fined. Your local authority could make you pay for faulty work to be fixed and, without approval, you will not have certificates of compliance which you may need when it comes to selling your home.
A well-established look in coffee shops, restaurants, and gastro pubs up and down the country, love of the ‘industrial’ is as popular as ever. Easy to put together and sturdy in design, it can easily take the knocks of family living as well as look good - from matt black taps to warm metallics and striking lights, the style is accessible and appeals to many.
Whether starting with a brand-new bathroom and bare plastered walls or painting over existing paint, the most important thing is preparation even though both routes need to be treated in different ways.
What both have in common however, is the order in which to paint the bathroom. Always start at the top and work down towards the bottom to avoid drips landing on freshly painted areas.
April and we are well and truly into spring. In general, most of us have still got a little more time on our hands than usual even though the country is starting to open up slowly and as we approach two bank holiday weekends, DIY jobs are often top of mind. One of the easier DIY jobs is decorating and as the family bathroom, ensuite, and downstairs cloakroom are often the smallest rooms in the house, these can often be the ones that are the subject of a makeover or quick lick of paint over the extra-long weekend.
It has been 12 months since we browsed bathroom retailers and wandered around showrooms without restrictions. A year ago, we didn’t need to think twice about inviting a bathroom designer or installer into our homes and there were no issues with trade people working alongside each other in an enclosed space.
Whether you are planning a luxurious master ensuite, a practical family bathroom or a simple downstairs cloakroom, there is plenty to think about. Designing, buying, and fitting a new bathroom is a big undertaking. The design needs to balance function and style. Buying needs to ensure personal taste can be achieved within budget. Fitting, whether you take it on yourself or bring in trades people, needs to go smoothly … otherwise you’d wish you’d never started!
As we head into March and with a little more time on our hands than usual, what better opportunity is there than to give your bathroom a decent spring clean. As a bathroom, ensuite, or cloakroom is generally smaller other rooms in the house, they can easily get overlooked. However, it’s the one room in the house that is probably used more often than any other and so requires as much attention, if not more. With a little time and effort, the result is always worthwhile.
Buying and fitting a new bathroom is a big decision. Mistakes can be expensive to put right so it is worthwhile doing all your research up front – design, choice of sanitaryware as well as the installation. Whether renovating, modernising, extending, or adding an en-suite or cloakroom, a new bathroom is a worthy investment and can not only improve your day to day living but also add value to your property. Sadly, get the installation wrong and you will wish you’d never started!
If glamour, luxury, and symmetrical designs appeal to you, then it is highly likely you like all things Art-Deco. Characterised by rich colours, bold geometry and decadent detailed work, Art Deco style reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s and is still very much on trend when it comes to interiors today.