Renovating a bathroom is one of life’s little known pleasures, because you can create something very special for your family. The problem is that homeowners get stuck thinking about all the different tiles, bathtubs, shower screens and vanities and tend to forget some of the less spectacular features of their bathrooms.
So let’s take a look at five of the unforgotten, but essential features of your bathroom – elements that you need to address in the planning stages, to give yourself the perfect bathroom!
1. Adequate storage
Storage is a huge issue in bathrooms, so you need to think twice before you install that beautiful pedestal vanity, because it provides no storage at all! What you really need is storage for all your makeup and beauty products, bath products, cleaning solutions and towels. So consider cabinet style vanity units, shelving and mirrored units installed between the studs and over the sinks. Even bookcase type shelves fitted into the studs, as this takes advantage of additional hidden space and reduces the projection into your bathroom.
2. Slip-proof flooring
Whether you have elderly relatives, young children or dogs, we all know that tiles can be very slippery and dangerous. This is why your priority must be to source non-slip tiles for your new bathroom, rather than finding a nice shiny tile that looks just perfect! There are plenty of trendy non-slip tiles available on the market, so you won’t be stuck with old-fashioned or institutional type tiles. You want tiles with a very low slip risk rating, which means tiles with at the least a R-11 rating.
3. The next owner
As with all home renovations, you should really balance your style against the resale value of your home. Canary yellow tiles might float your boat, but if you need to sell your home in the future, will buyers really appreciate your colour scheme? Focusing on timeless elegance is your best bet, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t have a beautiful bathroom that reflects your style, you just need to be judicious! If you really love canary yellow, introduce it in the towels, light shades, plant pots, window dressings and all the odds and ends that end up in the bathroom.
4. Good ventilation
Ventilation is essential for keeping your bathroom free from mould, but it’s often a feature that isn’t prioritised. You need to make sure that the exhaust fan is large enough for the space and that it vents to the outside, otherwise all that moist warm air sits in your roof, encouraging mould to grow unseen and unmolested in the attic. A window is a great feature in your bathroom, but it’s often not enough to keep your bathroom mould free. So make sure that you install the right ventilation system for your bathroom!
5. Leave room for cleaning
If you have a small bathroom, don’t pack everything in so tight that it’s difficult to clean around everything. You need enough room between the vanity, bath, shower and walls to fit a vacuum head, mop or your hand holding a duster! There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a collection of dirt, dust or dead insects and not being able to clean it because you can’t access the space.
If you need help designing or renovating your bathroom, call My Bathroom on 1300 842 736 or send us an enquiry.
