How to Design your Bathroom | Interior Design Tips to make the most of your bathroom
April 28, 2021
Bathroom design matters. A good design for your bathroom can convert the room into a sanctuary. It makes the difference between a standard bathroom and a space that feels like a spa. In brief, we want our bathrooms to be not only practical but also aesthetic and calming and good design can achieve that.
We know that renovating a bathroom can be tricky. It requires technical skills, experience, and view. For this reason, it is important to plan your bathroom design carefully in order to avoid costly mistakes.
Your bathroom deserves attention and we want to help you. At The White Interior, we know the importance of making the most of any room. That is why we are sharing our tips to design a bathroom like a pro. Continue reading until the end of this post and discover a real example of a bathroom design for inspiration.
Best Tips to Make the Most of Your Bathroom
1. Think about your bathroom needs
Start thinking about your bathroom needs. The needs of your bathroom will be different depending on who will be using it. A family bathroom has different specifications and needs than an ensuite bathroom or a guest bathroom.
For example, the family bathroom would need to be really practical with a bathtub and plenty of storage while the main focus of the guest bathroom would be more aesthetic with only a basin and a toilet.
This first step is quite easy. It all depends on the type of bathroom you are thinking about and the needs that you have for that room.
2. Ask yourself what do you want to achieve
Once you have the needs on a list, then you can start thinking about what you want to achieve. Forget about your current bathroom and think about what you would like to have in that room.
Imagine yourself using your new bathroom. For example, if it is your new ensuite room, visualise how you want to use it first thing in the morning. Maybe a walking shower in neutral tones to start the day in a calming manner. A nice big mirror with LED lighting to prepare yourself for the day.
Let your imagination bloom, get inspiration from spas, hotels, and rooms where you have good memories, and think about what you want to achieve with your new bathroom.
3. Measure up your room
Now that you have a better idea of what you want, it’s time to have a good understanding of your room.
Bathrooms are usually small rooms, so accurate dimensions are essential to ensure no mistakes. Create a scale plan including all the elements that will affect the design, like windows, doors, radiators, etc. It is also a good idea to know where the current installations are.
We normally create a fast sketch on paper first and then we translate this into AutoCad to create the final layout. If you don’t have this application you can always use graph paper.
4. Search for information
Professional advice is key to avoid mistakes. We always recommend planning your bathroom with an expert eye. There is an infinite number of things that you can miss and this can be avoided with help.
If you are planning your bathroom on your own, visit your local bathroom store. For example, if you want to know if you can install those beautiful wall taps in your new basin, they should be able to assist you and give you information about technical details.
You can also search online. There are designers that offer affordable design consultations tailored to your needs. With this service, you can get the assistance you need to ensure a good design for your bathroom.
5. Get inspired
The internet is an amazing source of information. A good way of starting the product selection is to get inspired with pictures of bathrooms you love. Design websites, tile companies, and Pinterest are our main sources of design inspiration.
Having in mind your needs and what you want to achieve, it’s time to decide the style and mood of your bathroom. This research and the pictures you love will help you realise which is the style for you.
Bring together a visual board to organise your ideas and make sure that all the elements are coherent and work well together in your design scheme. This is the most important part of this step. Usually, we find that our clients have to many ideas and like different styles at the same time. This is not a problem by itself, as styles can be combined, but it is crucial to be aware in order to create a harmonious design.
6. Start your new design
To create a good design, the layout of your bathroom needs to be right. It is important to study which is the optimal location to place each of the elements of your bathroom. Think carefully and take your time as this step will determine the rest of the design.
Have in mind that this is a 3d dimension and take consideration of the walls at the same time that you are planning the floor view. Think about how you will be moving in that space if it is easy to access the shower, to open the drawers of the basin cabinet, or to open the window. Every detail is important.
Maybe the existing layout works well for you already. Think about it twice and if you can not come upon anything better then keep it. It is a cheaper option to keep pipes in the same place.
7. Think about the ventilation
It is quite common that people get excited about the visual part of the design and forget about practical and technical issues.
However, ensuring good ventilation is an essential part of every bathroom design. Condensation is bad for you and for your home. It is not only an inconvenience, it can actually create mold and damage your furniture.
An open window can work in the summer months but think about the ventilation in winter too. You don’t want to be freezing after your shower. Don’t overlook this step and plan the installation of a good and silent extractor fan for your new bathroom.
Pro Tip: Builders normally install extractors fan with lighting. If your bathroom has natural light ask them to separate the switches so you can enjoy a well ventilated shower with natural light during the day or candles on a special night.
8. Consider heating solutions
The temperature in a bathroom is crucial for a nice experience. We always recommend towel rails because we love the sensation of a warm towel after having a bath or taking a shower.
Think about your priorities and your needs while considering different heating solutions. Underfloor heating is great for bathrooms because it saves space and creates a nice warmth starting with your feet.
Our favourite alternative for a family bathroom would be a combination of underfloor heating with a towel rail. For a guest bathroom, a beautiful radiator could enhance the decoration. The design depends on the needs of each room.
9. Plan the lighting of your bathroom
The lighting of your bathroom can change its overall look. The style you selected will influence the lighting. You can go for a minimal look with indirect illumination and LED around mirrors or ceiling, or you can choose a more traditional look with wall sconces and spotlights.
Consider carefully the lumens and watts of the lights. It won’t be comfortable to have a cool and intense light in your bathroom. Think again about your needs and what you want to achieve. Maybe you need good lighting close to the mirror, but you prefer to take a shower with a soft warm light.
We always recommend having at least two different types of light in a bathroom. Ideally, dimmable lighting on the ceiling, so you can select the intensity according to your needs, and soft light on the wall. Having alternatives will give you flexibility for ambiances which is always a good idea.
10. Storage solutions
Every bathroom needs storage solutions. Towels and toiletries need space and planning storage is an important part of the design of your new bathroom.
The most common storage solution in a bathroom is the vanity unit. There are plenty of great options on the market and you can find them fairly easily on the internet. You can also integrate open shelves for decoration and to showcase your favourite items.
If your room has some quirks or if you want to maximise the available space, you would want to consider a bespoke solution. We normally recommend bespoke furniture for small bathrooms in order to make the most of the room.
11. Select the perfect tile combination
The visual board we mentioned before (step 5) comes in handy with tiling selection. Keep in mind, that even though you love those natural pink tiles in that ensuite picture and those glossy blue ones on the other bathroom design you saw, it is probably that they won’t match in the same room.
Selecting the perfect combination of tiles may seem simple, but it is actually pretty hard to get it right. There are a few things worth mentioning but the most essential ones are texture and colour. Go for neutral tones and natural textures when possible. If you like colourful, tiles, stick to one strong colour and then combine it with neutral tones. We don’t recommend using more than 3 types of different tiles in the same bathroom.
Another piece of advice, don’t follow trends unless you love them. It is super easy to go with trends with bathroom tiles. It is also probable that in a few years your new bathroom looks outdated. Timeless design is usually neutral and that’s one of the reasons we encourage this kind of style.
12. Create a budget
It is good to have a budget in mind since the start of your bathroom design plan. If you know your budget, this will guide you and help you in making decisions.
For example, if you have a low budget, then skip changing the layout and try to make the most of your bathroom with what you have. On the contrary, if you are willing to spend more, then you have more freedom and options.
In any case, having a budget will help you prioritise where to spend and where to save. A great bathroom to relax and to feel like in a spa room doesn’t need to be expensive. A walking shower or a freestanding bath are elements that enhance the look of your bathroom without increasing the price excessively.
13. Organise the building works
We always recommend doing this with time to avoid delays on your schedule. Talk with builders as soon as possible and ask for quotes in order to book the job at your earliest convenience.
Make sure that the workers you choose are professionals and people you trust. Ask for references and past jobs so you can have an idea of the work they will deliver to you.
As interior designers, we have worked with plenty of teams and we already have our selected professional people that we trust and that we recommend to our clients. Make sure that your design comes to life properly and remember that the cheapest price might not always result in the best service.
14. Prepare for it
Everything is planned and ready to go. Congratulations! Now is the time to make it happen. We always recommend our clients to leave their property at this stage. If you are lucky and can have some holidays in the meantime you won’t get any of the stress that comes with building works.
However, we understand that this may not be your situation. Be aware that even the tiniest refurbishment makes a bit of a mess, so prepare for it. The time and the mess would vary a lot from some builders to others. When asking for quotes you can also ask for this stage if it is important to you.
Our builders always try to make the job interfering as little as possible with the rest of the property. Covering and protecting the floors is always the first step to make sure that no damage is caused. They also try to prepare everything at the workshop to minimise the dust, noise and mess.
Design your bathroom like a pro.
A real example of our bathroom design method
Now that you know the steps to design your new bathroom, we want to inspire you.
Let’s review the process of one of our latest bathroom designs to put into practice the tips and recommendations above. We’ve selected one of our favourites ensuite bathrooms to show you how we work and our bathroom design method.
Concept Design
We started this bathroom design by preparing a list of needs and specifications that our clients wanted for their new bathroom. The brief consisted of having an ensuite bathroom similar to the ones you can find in a boutique hotel room. A big walking shower, natural light, and a calm environment were a must.
Then, we did our initial survey and measured up the property to study all the possibilities of the room.
With the ideas and requirements of our clients in mind, we started to build a mood board with the overall feeling of the room, inspiration, and solutions for their new bathroom.
Design and Layout
Once we had a better understanding of the concept design, we started thinking about the layout. The room was quite narrow and long, so it made sense to think about having the shower at the back and the basin and toilet closer to the door. After a few combinations, we found the best possible solution for that space.
The trickiest part was getting natural light into that room, as windows were not an option. The clients really wanted to achieve as much natural light as possible in all rooms of the property. We came up with a clever solution that not only would allow natural light but would enhance the look of the entire ensuite.
We designed a glass wall on the right side of the shower. This reinforced the “hotel boutique” look at the same time that allowed the flow of natural light in the room. This glass was communicating with the kitchen, which had a great amount of natural light due to the roof lights.
Details
Besides de natural light we thought thoroughly about the lighting. Dimmable spotlights on the ceiling and a mirror with a LED sensor seemed the best alternative to follow the style of this bathroom.
In this case, storage was not a concern as the clients prioritised the feeling of the room and wanted to keep it simple and minimal. The vanity with drawers was more than enough storage for this space.
Once we had the layout and the overall design clear, we started the tile selection. To continue with the spa look and mood, we proposed using natural materials, and neutral tones. Two different tones of stone were selected: one darker for the floor and back wall and a light grey for the rest. Very subtle and calming to make the most of that relaxing space.
Product list and Contractors
The design was then ready. To start organising the job, we prepared a product list with all the items included in the design and where to buy them. At The White Interior, we always offer great discounts on all products that we recommend. This is very convenient for our clients as they end up saving up to 30% of the total price.
At the same time, we get different quotes to provide our clients with the total cost of the renovation. In this case, we only recommend trusted workers with whom we have worked in the past.
We always help our clients with this step, as it is one of the most time-consuming of the entire process. Planning can be stressful and overwhelming. We are aware of this and we facilitate and ease the process as much as possible. Bringing all the curated information to our clients makes the process easier for them and the renovation much more enjoyable.
Find more pictures and information about this project in Rear Extension in North London
Would you like some help with your bathroom design?
Send us an email and we’ll be happy to have a chat with you about how we work and how we can help you with your project. We’d love to hear from you!
Contact us | hello@starmariet.com
