interior dezine and decorating experts providing free information, downloads, courses, ideas and advice.
interiordezine.com - providing free interior design and decorating education to the world
Interior Design   Bathrooms

Bathrooms

An Introduction to Bathrooms


The bathroom is often the smallest space in a house and the most frequently used! Therefore planning is the key to a sucessful bathroom.

It is vital to plan what are the essential items required within the space as sometimes we cannot fit everything in and sacrifices or compromises have to be made.

For example the length of a bath, the width of the shower and vanity, towel rail and heater space.

Many homes have a separate toilet and bathroom, this generally creates a small narrow room housing only a WC and sometimes a slim wash hand basin, and a tight fitting bathroom including a shower over the bath and a vanity. By opening up the space and combining the two a separate shower is often able to be included.

As with any form of design or decoration, there are always questions to be asked. What colour fittings and fixtures? What type of tap / faucet? The selection of shower fittings, to use a slide adjustable fitting or a fixed head? What type of bath? What materials are best used? Tile floor or vinyl? Inset basin or a formed unit? We could go on forever, and that is what it feels like when you decide to embark on renovating or building from new a bathroom.

Test your Interior Decorating Skills then send in your score to be in the draw for 10 Mystery prizes, it's easy and fun. Start your Quiz here


Jump in and try out the baths for size!

Jump in and try out the baths for size!

A porcelain vessel inserted into a rimu timber vanity unit.

A porcelain vessel inserted into a rimu timber vanity unit.

When you go to bed dreaming about taps and shower heads you know that it's time for a break. In our section on bathrooms, we hope to take away some of the "nightmares" about fitting and fixture selection. As with everything in life, it is hard to get impartial advice, especially in the home decorating arena, as most shops you visit want to sell you their product. We hope that by giving you the information before you visit the shops it will be you that is asking the questions to them! As you will have drawn up some parameters that you will work from.

 

That is were we will start - at the beginning as we said with planning.
  • Write down a list of everything that you want in the space.
  • Write down a list of everything that you will have to do ie plumbing and electrical, carpentry, tiling, painting etc.
  • Think of where you want to put heaters towel rails, light switches, toilet roll holders etc, leave nothing to chance.
  • Decide on what type/style of bathroom you want. ie Clean and crisp fittings and fixtures and white tiled walls and floor or warm and cosy terracotta tiled floor, textured wallpapered walls, recessed lights, brass fittings or timber moldings, timber matchboarded walls, heritage porcelain fittings, spoked taps.
This is where you say "but how do I choose which type of style?" We can only guide you here, this will come down to your particular taste, as well as the style of the rest of your house, the way in which you use the bathroom, what the trends are at the time and what products are available to use.

You have already made the first step by reading this - research! Look at magazines, other peoples homes, books, visit show homes, bathroom showrooms. Then you will start to get a feel as to what you like.

I think the biggest fear is "what if I don't like it when it's done?"

This often curbs the creativity and the decisions are made to keep the space simple. There is nothing wrong with that but a little bit of personal flair can make all the difference. Don't be afraid to make decisions that are slightly different. That is what design is all about, as long as you can justify why, then go for it! Add the textured tile border in the shower with matching soap holder, or paint the ceiling aubergine and the cork tiles white, or paint stripes horizontally around the walls, or carpet the floor and splash out on the spa bath! The choices are endless.

One last thing to remember is to try all the fittings and fixtures before you buy them, get into the baths and lie down and make sure you fit into them, sit on the toilets, pretent to wash your hands in the basin, turn the taps or levers. Make sure you know what you are getting for your money. This is another way to feel positive about your choices. I didn't tell you that there are 1001 things that can go terribly wrong in any job that you do, but by simply planning and making the correct selections that suit you there can also be 1001 things that go absolutely perfectly.

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

In this Section:
Bathroom Contents | Introduction to Bathrooms | Tiles and Stone | Decorative Paint | Accessories | Electrical | Paint | Vinyl | Plumbing | Fixtures | Taps / Faucets | Wall Coverings | Historic Bathroom Makeover | Bathroom Color Changes - Bright and Bold Options | Bathroom Resources | Traditional Claw Foot Bath Tub in Calming Blue and White Bathroom | Simple Shower Head in Tiled Cubicle | Luxury Spacious White Marble Designer Bathroom | Dramatic Wallpaper Creates Stylish Bathroom | Victorian Pedestal Basin in Gold Powder Room |

Categories: Interior Design Articles | Color | Construction | Craft Projects | Designer Profiles | Free Downloads | Interior Design Tips | Furniture History | 20th Century Furniture History | Interior Design Finishes | Interior Design Fittings and Fixtures | Interior Design Soft Furnishings | Lighting | Makeovers | Styles and Periods
Tools: Interior Design Tools | Downloads | Your Questions Answered | Newsletter | Tutorials | ebooks | Free ebook | Glossary | Interior Design Forum | Free Interior Design Tips | Interior Design Blog | Interior Designer's Blog | Shopping | Squidoo
E-courses: Free Curtain Design ecourse | Free Interior Decorating ecourse | Free Color ecourse
Directories: Design Directory | Interior Design Resources | Interior Design Products & Designers Pictures
Network Sites: Bathrooms | Bedrooms | Color | Curtains | Education | Kitchens | Modern Furniture Designers | Stairs | Interior Design Styles & Periods | Interior Design Videos
Corporate: Company Profile | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Donate | Advertise with Interiordezine.com
Media Kit: YouTube is Closing the Curtains on Interiors | Free On-line Interior Decoration Course
Site Structure: Glossary | Site Information | Site Map | Website Alphabetical Content A-C | Website Alphabetical Content D-F | Website Alphabetical Content G-K | Website Alphabetical Content L-Q | Website Alphabetical Content R-Z
All Rights Reserved. Users of this site agree to be bound by the terms of the Interiordezine.com Web Site Rules and Regulations.
Copyright © 2009 Dezine Holdings Ltd. All Rights Reserved.