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Finding the ideal Bathroom Styles

Keep your scale drawings as the master plans and use scale cut-outs of fixtures and tracing paper overlays to experiment with different bathroom layouts.

Obviously, the fewer major changes you make, the cheaper your improvements will be. You don’t want to spoil the grand plan but if you can leave just one existing fitting in place, you will save yourself money. While it’s sometimes hard to determine what constitutes a major change, when you’re an amateur playing with plans, remember that if you have timber floors which give easy access to the pipes beneath, alterations to plumbing are much cheaper than with, say, a concrete slab, when even a small change may require the floor to be broken up. Removing a load-bearing wall or relocating a window is also a major upheaval; installing or shifting a partition wall is comparatively simple.

There is no one ‘correct’ layout, but there are certain desirable elements. First of all, you need to get in and out of the room easily — no squeezing round doors, or bumping into wash basins. Because they are the most used items, washbasins should be placed out of the main traffic flow or anyone using the basin will block access to the rest of the room.

Once in, you need to be able to reach and use all the fixtures, cabinets and shelves and have plenty of space in which to move. Try towelling yourself down in a cramped bathroom! You’ll be banging your elbows and knocking things over — and if there’s someone else in the room you might as well resign yourself to dripping dry. As a rough guide, you need a clear space of about 1000 x 700 mm in front of a shower or washbasin; about 800 x 600 mm in front of a toilet or bidet.

The most economic use of space is to put fixtures side by side; if they are opposite each other you need a good 750 mm clearance. Baths and basins, of course, come in a large range of sizes; start by working with standard sizes. If the layout looks too cramped, investigate the slimline and compact models available; if you have room to spare, look at the more generously proportioned lines.

There is also the aesthetic consideration of what can be seen from the door, especially if the bathroom is off a hallway. Most people prefer to look on to the window or vanity unit rather than the toilet or bidet.

Keep referring to your list of desirable features and decide which should take priority in view of your lifestyle. Lack of privacy in a family bathroom can be a real problem, so consider how this can be improved — an extension, a bathroom partition or a second toilet may be the solution. If your family suffers from a morning rush hour, a second washbasin will prove a godsend. If you have a young family, try to find space for a change table and baby bath — and remember that toddlers prefer baths to showers so try to find space for a bath even in a tiny bathroom. Elderly and invalid family members should also be taken into account; allow for grab rails and, if necessary, space for a walking frame or wheelchair. If the bathroom is being designed primarily for a disabled person, seek professional advice from the start — there is a wealth of specialist equipment to make life easier.

If you’re designing an en suite, don’t make the mistake of skimping on space and facilities, believing that any private bathroom is better than none. If you don’t plan it properly, you won’t use it properly. For example, if you like to check your weight regularly, make sure there’s a convenient spot for the scales — you are fooling yourself if you say ‘Oh, I’ll use the ones in the family bathroom‘. Spend some time working out how this bathroom can really make your life easier. In a working couple’s en suite, you might consider an extra- large shower recess with two showerheads (set at his and her heights and with separate taps, of course!) so that both can be ready to catch that morning train.

The planning stage is also the time to tackle problems like inadequate lighting and poor ventilation. If you would like a larger window or a new extractor fan, make provision for it on the plan. What about heating? The position of a wall heater should be marked, as should vents or radiators connected to a central heating system. Towel rails should be positioned in such a way that towels can actually dry!

Keep moving the pieces round until you find a layout that suits as many of the criteria as possible — it can then be fine-tuned to suit your budget without having to make too many sacrifices.

Take the Bathroom Floor

To get you started, here are some common layouts to suit different rooms, together with their pros and cons. Remember, though, that flexibility is the key. If your bathroom is simply too small to include a shower recess, think whether there is somewhere else in the house that it could be located. A teenager’s bedroom may not be big enough for a full en suite, but a washbasin and vanity unit might easily fit in one corner. Wasted space under the stairs may prove big enough for a toilet and handbasin. Check the Building Regulations before you get too carried away!

The one-wall bathroom

Having all the fixtures in a line is economical on space and also on plumbing. All water- supply connections can be hidden away behind a single false wall and drainage under the floor along one wall. Good for a narrow room — but not very convenient if it is to be used by more than one person at a time.

The L-shaped bathroom

Again, all the plumbing can be arranged along one wall, with the bath taking up one leg of the L. This plan leaves plenty of uncluttered space, giving good access to all the fixtures. as the corridor between them is wide enough — at least 750 mm is desirable. Two walls require plumbing.

The U-shaped bathroom

This is practical in a square room, although with fixtures on three walls, it is more expensive to plumb in. It is easy to use and gives good access.

Plumbing may not be a consideration if it can be shared with an adjacent room, such as the kitchen.

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