The bathroom in my house is tiny. It’s full of old things – an old vanity with cracked plastic and a formica surface, manky plastic pipework around the shower, and a three-quarter sized bath (and me, when I’m in there). I would love to renovate it, but where do I start?
Planning renovation of bathrooms is important. You need to identify the things that are important to you. You might not want a bathtub, but you might need a huge shower. You may not need an extractor fan if you have windows that can be opened, but you need to be sure that there moisture can be removed before it damages the surfaces.
You must have the feeling that the bathroom is clean. It’s for cleaning yourself, and that’s hard to do if the area you’re working in doesn’t seem clean itself. I don’t really like a toilet in the bathroom. Yes, it is convenient, especially if you’ve already taken off all your clothes and are about to hop in the shower. But I’d rather get the dressing gown or towel on and trot down the hall.
If cleanliness is an issue for you, you might want to make sure you have an easy-clean bathroom. You’ll want to be able to clean all your surfaces with cleaners that can be bought at the supermarket, and you’ll want to get rid of all those tricky little corners and spaces. Make sure things aren’t too close to walls or each other to let you clean around them.
I like baths, but I realise that space can be a problem. I have a combined shower/bath and, even though the bath is not quite full-sized, neither and I and having it is well worthwhile. I would not recommend this thing that was popular in NZ a few years ago – a shub. All you can do is sit in the bottom of your shower, up to your hips in water. No chance to stretch out and relax. You may as well go outside and sit in a horse trough.
When it comes to looks, this is highly personal. If you like a cool bathroom, go for off-white colours, and pale blues, greens etc. For something a bit warmer, you might go for creams and wood. Using wood (properly sealed, of course) can give a lovely feel to a room, even a bathroom, with overtones of Swedish saunas (now wouldn’t that be nice?). I personally do not like cold bathrooms, so heated floor tiles might be an idea. Carpet is not a good idea, I don’t think. I took the carpet out of the bathroom in a previous house after twice flooding the bath.
When you get stuck into bathroom renovations, the sky is the limit. It can be for the bill, too, so be careful, as you can spend as much or as little as you like. Still, creativity and smart thinking will hopefully give you what you’re after at a price you can afford.