The bathroom is an essential space in any home. If it’s shabby and run down it is hard to enjoy the time you spend there. But with the right bathroom renovation ideas, you can turn your purely functional bathroom into a space to be fully appreciated.
How to choose a bathroom layout?
Planning a bathroom will depend on your lifestyle and how you use that space. There is no right way to design a bathroom, but one thing that you do need to have once you have finished is open space to move around in.
When you look at bathroom designs, make sure that you choose one that makes good use of the available space. What you want to end up with is a space that you enjoy using, that is safe and that suits your family – and will be flexible if your family grows.
What you can do is break up your bathroom into functional zones that you want included in your bathroom:
1. Vanity:
This consists of a countertop, one or possibly two sinks (especially handy in a shared family space), a mirror and generally storage as well.
2. Bathtub/Shower:
Having at least one bathtub option is vital for the value of your home for resale. It is an affordable way of incorporating both functions into a smaller area.
3. Standalone tub:
Larger tubs are expensive with the cost of the water to fill them. Smaller versions are more popular and are generally large enough to accommodate two adults.
4. Shower:
When you renovate your bathroom you can choose to expand your shower and may even want to include a seat, so you can soak in the shower or is helpful for older people or people with disabilities.
5. Toilet:
While not a focal point for your design it is one of the most used aspects of your bathroom. You may want to include it in your overall design or create a dedicated space.
Do these bathroom renovation ideas need to fit in with an adjacent bedroom or do you want it to have a unique feel of its own? It’s entirely up to you.
Small bathroom trends
You may not follow trends but they are a good place to start when you are starting your planning. Love them or hate them, they can be an excellent start for your unique design:
1. Wood accents:
Along with a pattern for warmer accents in bathrooms, wood is back. It has a place in almost any bathroom design from vintage to industrial and works well with most colour schemes.
2. Underfloor heating:
Sick of cold bathroom tiles in winter? Add heating under your bathroom floor for that cosy feel in the middle of winter, ideal for various floorings such as tile, vinyl, concrete and wood.
3. Advanced mirrors:
You can have your average mirror hung in your bathroom, or you can have so much more with the advanced options now available. You can utilise unique shapes, have anti-fog capability, link it to your smart home abilities and even USB charging. You can be as creative as you like with the mirrors that you install.
4. Splashes of colour:
Grey tones are no longer enjoying the popularity they once did, and the trend in 2019 is towards splashes of colour combined with all hues of neutral shades, depending on your preference.
Colour is an excellent way of setting moods and adding a unique feature to any room. You can even add a touch of green or an eco-friendly vibe to your bathroom with a 100% recyclable artificial green wall like Pete and Courtney did from House Rules.
5. Industrial additions:
The industrial vanity isn’t for everyone, but with lots of metal finishes available, you can add an edgy look to your bathroom.
What bathroom tile is best for me?
With a wide range available choosing the right tile for your bathroom can be a bit overwhelming. It’s not just the colour you need to decide on it’s also the material its made from and the best size. To help you narrow down your choices we have a few tips to help you get started:
1. Pre-plan:
Before you start looking at tiles spend some time thinking about your colour scheme and the types of tiles that you may want. Spend time surfing sites on the net that can give you ideas about trends and what’s possible. Decide what you like and what you hate before taking a step out the door.
It doesn’t matter if your ideas change once you start looking and pricing options, but at least you have a place to start from, and this will make narrowing down your choices a lot easier.
2. Create a mood:
While ceramic tiles are the most common types of tiles, but there are many others that you can choose from to create the overall atmosphere you want in your bathroom. Consider natural stone, porcelain, glass mosaic, or even 3D can make a gorgeous statement in your renovated bathroom.
3. Floor plans:
Take the floor plans of the bathroom with you or a list of accurate measurements for the areas you want to tile. That way you can estimate how many tiles you need and the cost.
4. Tile size:
If you install large tiles on your walls your room will look bigger, small tiles require a lot more maintenance, and darker grout needs less cleaning than white grout. Essentially it comes down to personal preference, but it’s worth considering these things before making a final choice.
5. Limited styles:
Try not to have more than three different tiles for your bathroom; this includes feature tiles.
Bathroom renovation costs
The cost of your bathroom renovation will be dependent on the fittings you use and the contractor that you engage in installing it. One way you can reduce the cost of your renovation is by creating your design around where the current pipes are connected. Moving these can add a considerable amount to the overall price.
Taking on a DIY bathroom renovation will save even more on your budget. But this would only be advisable if you are experienced otherwise fixing things afterwards can make your renovation more expensive if you have to engage a tradie.
