Bathrooms along with kitchens are two of the rooms in your house that can really blow the budget. It’s worth doing plenty of research when it comes to these rooms, as there are savings to be had and there’s are definitely tricks of the trade which will ensure that you get it right.

Planning Your Space

The first thing to do is to assess the needs of your bathroom. Whilst we would all probably love a freestanding bath, is that the most practical use of the space? How often do you have a bath anyway? It may be that a larger walk-in shower would be used a lot more and would be more practical. A lot of bathroom companies offer 3d planning services and I would go to more than one if you can, as a lot of the time the designers will think differently about the space. Also, don’t be afraid to challenge them to find out why they have produced the layout they have and if any of the items can be moved into any other locations in the room.

Storage

Look at your storage requirements for the room and the amount of products that you currently have in the bathroom (if you’re anything like me, there will be a lot!). Some of these may look ok in the shower recess, but the likelihood is that you won’t want everything on show. Look for clever ways of building in storage to the room so that you can hide the less pretty bottles and smellies that you have. Clutter is the enemy of small spaces, so make sure you have a good clear out before your new bathroom goes in! Ideas such as concealed wall cupboards, recessed mirrored units and vanity units will all help to give that minimal calm feel to the room. Also, if there’s the option to have a shelf near the bath, this will help to find a home for your bath time products and have them handy!

Choosing Tiles

The colour of your tiles often dictates the feel of a room. If you have a small bathroom, don’t be mistaken into thinking that you will have to choose small sized tiles. Often larger tiles laid in a smaller bathroom will give the illusion of space, especially when continued from the floor onto the walls (this can be the same sized tile or a slightly different size/format, but keep it big!). Also, larger format tiles mean fewer grout lines and less grout to clean which has got to be a win. In general, lighter coloured tiles are best in small bathrooms as they help to brighten the room and make the space feel bigger.

Lighting

Your bathroom lighting should not be an afterthought. Remember that you need your lighting to work well at different times of day and the amount of daylight will alter dramatically throughout the year. In general, I would recommend a warm white hue for the lighting (but be aware that different manufacturers have different versions of what ‘warm white’ is) and consider putting in a range of lighting circuits to suit different moods. You could include recessed lights in the ceiling, lighting points at specific areas of the sanitaryware, such as the bath or basin, and perhaps also mood lighting, which could include LED strips or lighting a niche. In terms of lighting near a mirror, the light should never overhang the mirror! Make sure the fixture isn't extended past the mirror to avoid down lighting, which will cast shadows on the face, ideally place your wall lights either side of the mirror around half way down, to give you the best light possible, especially for putting on make up.

The Use Of Pattern

The use of pattern in a bathroom can be as subtle as you want it to be. From slightly marbled looking tiles, textured tiles, to a full-on colour explosion, there’s pretty much something for everyone when it comes to tiles. Even using the same tile, but in a different formation can create a completely different look. Being a Mum of two boys, I can highly recommend a patterned floor tile in the kids bathroom … it hides a multitude of sins!

Budget Ideas

There are some beautiful vanity units on the market, but if you are renovating on a budget, there are some other options you can consider. Why not try eBay or your local Facebook marketplace to snatch a bargain chest of drawers. This is what I did in our downstairs cloakroom, I found this beauty for £10 and gave her a lick of paint then bought a basin for our plumber to fit on top. Make sure you seal your paint though with something waterproof (I used a clear floor varnish) as the area around the sink in particular will get splashed a lot and wet. Using a set of drawers means that you get a good amount of storage too but bear in mind that the top drawer will be used for plumbing.

If you are looking for help planning your dream bathroom, or would like to have some time with me to pick my brains on more helpful tips for any room in your home, please do get in touch!