Perfect Bathroom

10 Steps to the perfect bathroom

Whether yours is a suite petite or a spacious sanctuary, you’ll want to get the right bathroom that’s suited to your space and lifestyle. Follow our ten steps to getting it right…

1 Getting Started
For most of us the bathroom is still the smallest room in the house so when planning an entire refit or even just a revamp you'll want to make the most of limited space. A good starting point is to assess your needs. Jot down what you like and dislike about your existing space.
• Who uses your bathroom? Children? Elderly? Do you need to install a handrail, fit safety locks on cabinets, buy easy-to-use taps and easy-grab door knobs?
• Is there enough space to include all the fittings you want? If you share your space with another could you benefit from a double washbasin or bath for two? Maybe you would like a separate shower and bath, rather than a two in one option, and a bidet as well as a loo. Where space is tight consider wall hung sanitaryware as well as concealed plumbing and fitting.
• Does your current heating system heat the room efficiently? (Moving plumbing and pipes will add considerably to the cost). Do you have space for a heated towel rail - some models are powerful enough to heat an entire room. Or would underfloor heating be a better option? Tilestyle, Dublin supply a Devi mat which can easily be installed under tiles, and will heat your room in minutes, at the flick of a switch.
• What about storage? Will you have space for laundry and cabinet storage? If space is an issue you could get a builder to cut out niches in a wall for shelving. Where will you store towels and bathing accessories? Do you like to use the bathroom as a dressing room? Do you need wardrobe storage?

2 Think about Style
Bathroom design has come on considerably in the last number of years and we're now splashing out even more money than ever on our suite petites. Before you visit a showroom look at your room and think about what kind of style you would like that and what is best suited to the space. Make a scrapbook of colour ideas, fittings and sanitaryware to give you inspiration. Do you want to go contemporary, traditional, country, industrial, hotel chic or all wood? (Check out our hot style guide on page 134)

3 Decide on a Layout
Once you've assessed your needs and thought about style, you can now start to design a layout. Draw up a plan of your bathroom, accurately measuring all recesses and awkward spaces, heights from floor to sloping ceiling and don't forget to mark out windows, doors and radiators. Don't worry if this is not to scale. It's just to give the bathroom supplier an idea of what space there is to work with. In any case, most suppliers will call to your house to take measurements themselves and discuss a layout.

4 Follow the Rules
• Back specialists advise that you don't lean down to use your hand basin, so ignore the standard height of 815mm from the floor if necessary.
• Allow at least 6" to each side of a basin and 36" between double basins.
• Never install a toilet facing a door. Always ensure there is plenty of room for manoeuvrability. Allow for 15" of clearance either side of the toilet and plan at least 2ft of walking space in front. The toilet bowl should be low enough for your feet to rest on the floor when sitting and there should also be enough headroom for standing upright.
• When choosing a shower make sure there's plenty of room to partly dry yourself within the unit. You will need space to raise your arms and bend to reach your feet.

5 Factor in Flooring
The damp moist conditions of the bathroom mean that carpet as a flooring option is out. Ceramic tiles remain the popular choice underfoot, although mosaic can look pretty cool too. Rubber flooring is waterproof, as well as slip resistant and ideally suited to bathrooms. But if you want to make a real statement consider the appeal of shiny metal treads - they might be cold underfoot but they'll definitely enhance a small space.

6 Get the light right
There is often little natural light in bathrooms so lighting design needs to complement the style of the room and be flexible enough to change from bright to moody when required. Consider installing crisp low voltage halogen lights or recessed downlighers into the ceiling; light underneath the bath and highlight recesses or sinks with directional lighting. Before tackling lighting it's best to consult a professional electrician to discuss safety regulations or talk to the experts at the Electro Technical Council of Ireland (ETCI) on Tel: 01 623 9901.

7 Selecting a Shower
Showering should be an invigoration experience and the shower you choose will depend on how many times a day you want to use it, and of course the space available. Do you have room for a walk-in double shower?
Electronic showers are quick and easy to install and the most economical and convenient to use. Electric showers are fed by mains water, which is heated by a heater in the shower unit.
Mixer showers are the simplest form of shower and ideal in homes with a readily available hot water supply. Choose from two types of mixers. A manual shower mixer blends the hot and cold water but is not thermostatically controlled. A thermostatic mixer shower blends incoming water to the required temperature which is at a pre-set level.
Power showers incorporate a booster pump in one compact unit to boost the flow rate. A pump automatically turns on and off every time you operate the shower. Note that a power shower cannot be attached to the mains supply; it can only be used with gravity fed systems.

8 Window Dressing
When it comes to window dressing bathrooms keep it simple with sheer voile or Calico blinds. You might want to forgo full, flowing lined curtains with all that steam and water. If your bathroom window looks out over a private garden and is not visible from a neighbouring house you could just leave windows untreated or fit with frosted glass.

9 Decorating Walls
Paint is of course a versatile and inexpensive wall covering and we recommend you choose a colour from Crown's specially formulated bathroom emulsion range. You will of course need a splashback around the sink, bath and shower, if it's attached to the wall. Tiles are a great choice. Another option is wood panelling which is great for disguising any uneven surfaces.

10 The Finishing Touch
Once you've installed your fixtures and fittings cosy up with fluffy towels, beauty products, back scrubbers and even plants - careful not to clutter!

Safety First
• The only sockets allowed in the bathroom are sockets for shaving. Don’t install these near the sink or bath.
• Consider buying a non-slip mat to lie over floor tiles that may become slippery when wet.
• If elderly share your bathroom its worth installing a fold down seat in the shower or fitting the bath with rails to make getting in and out easier.
• Do you really need a lock on the bathroom door? It’s the worst place to be trapped in an emergency. A sign outside the door should let people know when it’s in use.
• Thermostatic taps are a good idea as they regulate temperature to protect against scalding.
• Avoid trailing flexes or exposed wires.