Bathing beauties

Before we go anywhere, let us remind you that bathroom suites can be ANY colour as long as they’re WHITE! Yup, that means your avocado suite - or your powder pink suite for that matter - has got to go! But don’t panic - these days, re fitting the bathroom has become ever more affordable due to a highly competitive bathroom market that has seen bathroom hard wear price points plunge. These days, in fact, it’s possible to pick up a brand new full depth soaker tub (forget the shallow ones - they’re SO last decade!) and matching sink and toilet set from around £700 and, even if you factor in another few hundred pounds for a plumber (and some bargain basement white tiles) it means that the cheapest bathroom reno’s start at just a thousand pounds. Of course that’s an optimistic overview but, even so, there needn’t be the ‘Oh my God, this bathroom blitz is gonna cost us twenty thousand pounds…’ panic at the merest mention of a refurb. With a little imagination, your pound will go a load further than you might imagine…

Flushed with successFor some of us the bathroom is a priority zone yet for others it’s little more than an afterthought and simply a place where washing and other essential matters take place. Previously considered a low priority by many householders, we’re thrilled to report there’s been a serious flush (if you’ll excuse the pun) of interest in this potentially wonderful domestic zone. For us the importance of the bathroom should never be under estimated and we consider its potential - as the great human rejuvenator - to be colossal. In days gone by bathrooms were very much a case of ‘in and out’ and ‘wash and go‘, yet these days the bathroom is slowly evolving into a ‘spa at home’. Indeed, we often wonder why so many people pay so much money to dash off to exclusive health resorts (which cost a pretty fortune) when the home spa can so easily be moulded and shaped in such a way so as to give wonderful return without stepping out of the front door!

What we also notice from literally hundreds of visits to clients homes - both on and off TV - is that people’s new holy grail fantasy is to squeeze as many bathrooms into their homes as they possibly can!

So what makes for a good bathroom?

Most modern bathrooms tend to err on the side of compact so, with this in mind, you have to play some clever tricks to trick the eye - and you - into thinking that proportions are more generous than they actually are. It could be that mirroring an entire wall, a tried and tested remedy for small spaces, is the answer or perhaps an even easier device is to use a metallic finish wallpaper or even silk (rather than matt) latex paint to help bounce light around. Shiny tiles or the inclusion of stainless steel finishes are another way of introducing ‘perceived magnification’. Or perhaps scaling down to a slightly smaller bath will mean that everything fits in. We’d advise, however, that this is a last resort because we firmly believe that a cramped tub is an unhappy tub! Jiggle layouts or move bathing to another room (see later) as a better alternative. Scale issues aside it is, as with all rooms, essential to spend time analysing what your room needs to ‘give’ you and how it needs to function. Slavishly following fashion is so how NOT to decorate your space. Indeed the things which are - at any particular time - touted as ‘hot’ can change on a whim, leaving you with a space that feels distinctly out of style. If anything, it’s probably even more important to make your bathroom design as simple as possible because, just like the kitchen, it is kind of anchored by built in elements that are hard to change. Its not like the bedroom or the living room where you can tailor mood with a few carefully selected accessories. With this in mind, it’s crucial to get the balance right from the start and to plan your direction accordingly.

If you’re starting from scratch and if you have more than one bathroom in your house, first appraise what you hope to achieve with each space. If you have a house bathroom and an en suite then perhaps it makes sense to think long and hard about whether you really need to have a bath in both rooms or for that matter a shower in both. If you LOVE bathing, then surely it’s best to have a SERIOUS bath (complete with power jets and all manner of bells and smells) in one room rather than narrow shallow tubs in both rooms. And are you really likely to use that bidet or could everything be re jigged in a more effective way without it? Perhaps the floor space could be better used as an airing cupboard or display storage for all manner of lovely bathroom accessories. 

Paint

The paint industry, in recent years, has undergone the most amazing upturn in so far as manufacturing and product durability are concerned. Previously, paint finishes were limited to matt, silk or gloss but nowadays plus ca change. Which is great news for the bathroom as it’s in this space that durability of finish is most important and it‘s here (and also in the kitchen, that this upturn in business has been most useful. The main benefit has been the creation of dedicated bathroom paints, whose surfaces are now much more resistant to water than they were previously. If you think about it, the bathroom is the room that’s most susceptible to damp due to all manner of moisture that is constantly carried around in the atmosphere . These ‘smart’ moisture repellent paints inhibit the production of mould and are more easily maintained than others. And the even better news is that while these paints were often only available in white (or perhaps ‘daring’ bathroom blue) they’re now readily available in an inspired range of shades that will help bring new drama to your space.

Hard wear

With such a huge choice out there it can be daunting knowing where to start. We trade on our reputation as being minimally inclined as we assenble our bathroom projects and the reason we’ve always had this reputation is that we always endeavour to make ‘fixed elements’ as low key as possible. You’ve watched our shows so you know what we mean. You’ve never seen us install anything other than simple elegant fixtures, generally flat sided baths (as opposed to bow fronted options that don’t have ‘box in panel’ potential and therefore can’t have a new tile front added as decorative tastes change) and you’ve NEVER seen us install a corner bath! Again, it’s all about the simple lines that can be decorated around further down the line. The fanciest we ever get is when we choose a roll top vintage bath with elegant lion claw feet or one that’s set on funky timber blocks. Where we will add the extra’s, however, is with luxury features that don’t interfere with the overall visual. So that means YES to baths with built in massage jets, YES to heated towel rails, YES to indulgent shower stalls and even YES to the odd bit of bathroom proof sound and vision equipment. 　

Adding to the comfort factor

As well as working out a plan for where all your sanitary wares should go, it’s worth trying to eek out some spare space for loose furniture such as a chair or perhaps even a free standing cabinet which can double as display for bales of fluffy towels and jars of gorgeous essential bath oils, etc. All the better if you can fit a full length mirror into your bathroom, as doing so won’t only give you somewhere to check your look, it will also help bounce light around to increase the feeling of scale. Hard fit shelving, too, is an element that’s often overlooked when designing bathroom schemes, although it’s one of the primary elements to which we attend as soon as we’re in front of our drawing boards. If you’re fitting shelving, it makes sound sense to incorporate some closed areas too - that way you can stash away all the bathroom paraphernalia you’d rather stayed hidden! TIP - We’ve found that thinking outside the box can pay serious dividends. Rather than consider only specialist bathroom fitters as quote providers, we’d recommend you also speak to kitchen suppliers who may be able to custom tailor less expensive cabinetry to suit your purposes. Yup, just because something was designed for one room, it doesn’t mean to say it cant be useful in another! And, from our experience, the range of colours and finishes available (as kitchen cabinetry) is way in advance of those offered by equivalent bathroom suppliers.

Also think about squeezing out as much extra function from overlooked corners or, for example, by discovering some extra potential from your traditional pedestal sink. With clever joinery, these can be built ‘around’ to provide a useful extra vanity surface as well as great door fronted storage below. Think, too, at planning stage about the optimum positioning of your hard wears (bath, sink loo etc) so as to capitalise upon the very best from your space. If you have a long skinny bathroom then we’d recommend (width allowing) positioning your bath along one wall. At the end that faces you as you walk into the room, build a ceiling height wall the width of the bath and add chunky drywall shelving.At the end that faces you as you walk into the room, build a ceiling height wall the width of the bath and add chunky drywall shelving.

Coping with and minimising the visual problems of plumbing.

Visible plumbing and pipe work are absolute no no’s as far as we’re concerned unless, that is, we’re working on a scheme that has a touch of Victoriana to it and which could benefit from period detailing such as exposed polished brass or chrome tubing. Anything is possible - if you spend enough money that is - and of course ugly pipes can be concealed within dry wall and plumbing can be routed pretty much wherever you want, but there comes a point where we advise not spending more on your plan than your finished project can ‘return‘. Perhaps if required works are such that your redesign is simply too big or too invasive a job, then it might even be worth thinking about re locating a bathroom elsewhere to make better use of available space. It could be, perhaps, that an unused bedroom could be developed into a stunning spa at home (or even an exciting wet room, though these need extra special planning and serious water proofing to protect the floor and the rooms below!) to create a valuable asset that will be used more by you and the family than it would have had it remained an occasionally used guest bedroom. There

It could be, perhaps, that an unused bedroom could be developed into a stunning spa at home (or even an exciting wet room, though these need extra special planning and serious water proofing to protect the floor and the rooms below!) to create a valuable asset that will be used more by you and the family than it would have had it remained an occasionally used guest bedroom. There’s always a balance to be adhered to and, if selling your property is a realistic short term possibility, it could well be that losing a bedroom isn’t actually a good idea if market forces in your neighbourhood dictate that more bedrooms equal more bucks. On the other hand remember that - as far as we’re concerned anyway - the biggest return that a home can give you is on a DAILY basis… So go on - indulge!

Bathroom Lighting

We consider natural light to be important in any room but in a bathroom it seems ever more critical. It’s a space, after all, that is dedicated to cleanliness so it should feel bright and hygienic at all times and good lighting will help promote this. If your bathroom doesn’t have a window then think of ways of introducing natural light - perhaps by installing ‘fan lights‘ over the door so light can bleed in from the hallway. Or, if you’re on the top floor, you could even consider installing a skylight, although for this we‘d recommend talking to the local planning department. If these routes aren‘t possible then perhaps a spread of overhead spot lights will lighten things up. And remember - if illuminating a mirror, it’s better to have lights either side (rather than above) as overhead lighting casts difficult and unflattering shadows which will mean applying make up or shaving will be a great deal harder. On previous projects, where clients have been particularly keen on having something that at least looks like a window, we created frosted backlit panels in the shape and size of a standard window and then positioned faux framework and cross beams to create the illusion of the real thing. And we’ve even gone to the extent of hanging curtains or a blind around the framework to build the image of the real thing even further!

Flooring and wall tile

Ceramic stone or granite are ideal for use in the bathroom and will lend an air of sophistication to proceedings. Neutral is generally best, due to the fact you can redecorate and re colour scheme walls around your design further down the line as tastes change. 　

Five Ways to Make Your bathroom Look More Expensive

If you want a whisper of marble, limestone or granite - but without the big spend of a full fit out - then use budget tiles in a complementary shade to your favourite stone and trim around mirrors or at half height up walls, with a border of genuine stone.

In the same way that co ordinated jewellery (ear rings, necklace and bracelets etc) can up the ante of a basic suit, so too can a sequence of matching accessories (chrome towel rail, toilet roll holder and soap dish) create the illusion that lots of cash has been invested.

Taps can SO update a basic white suite. A few extra dollars spent will make all the difference and will really help set a luxurious scene.

Get rid of the clutter - a messy space looks uncared for and presents entirely the wrong image. A tidy bathroom is a happy bathroom!

Lose all those messy half empty bottles and jars and replace with statement vases full of essential oils and potions. And, while you’re at it, stock up on bales of fluffy towels.

Heating

Because bathrooms tend to err on the compact side, it makes sound sense to keep heating hardware as small as possible so you don’t impinge on valuable space. Wall mounted heaters are great news, but make sure they’re positioned in such as a way so as not to interfere as you move around your bathroom - it’ll be a real problem, after all, if you’re forever burning your legs when you step out of the bath. If alternatives are limited then perhaps boxing in (ensuring, of course, that there’s sufficient air passage around your radiator) with a decorative vented panel could be your solution. Another possible answer would be to install a heated towel ladder (insert pic) which have long been popular in Britain but are now more easily available in Canada too. With these you get ‘double bubble’ - effective heating and somewhere to store and dry towels. Our favourite way of keeping the bathroom cosy is by installing under floor heating, although to be fair this is a job that’s best tackled when completely overhauling your space as it’s obviously a lot more invasive and involves laying a heating element (as the name suggests!) under tile or in some cases timber. As usual, we’d recommend talking to your retailer to check product spec and indeed the suitability of this solution for your project.