Modern commercial bathrooms: Where hygiene and aesthetics meet

WORDS STEPHANIE STEFANOVIC

From offices to hotels, retail spaces, restaurants and even warehouses, there are countless examples of commercial spaces, which, while different in function, face the same key challenges in terms of bathroom design. Namely, designing bathrooms that can meet the hygiene needs of a high-traffic public space while maintaining a cohesive and contemporary design aesthetic.

Drainage

One of the most crucial aspects of any wet space is drainage. While pooling, flooding and water damage are some of the most obvious issues, design aesthetics are another important consideration. Not only can traditional drainage solutions be unsightly, but they can also add unnecessary work during the tiling process.

These issues can be avoided by using tile inserts, which are essentially a more modern way to conceal how floor waste exits the building. One such example is Lauxes Grates’ Slimline Tile Insert, an aluminium linear drainage solution with a hollow top tray to insert a tile and give an “invisible drainage” look.

According to the supplier, one of the key benefits of this product is that it’s made from anodised aluminium, making it lightweight and easy to cut while remaining strong and durable. The use of aluminium also prevents the tile insert from rusting; an issue prevalent in older drainage solutions that are often made of stainless steel.

The use of linear grates also creates more flexibility in terms of aesthetics, with the ability to insert virtually any tile and create a seamless look. And importantly, it saves time during the tiling process when compared to traditional centre wastes. For example, with a centre waste, the fall of the bathroom needs to be located towards the centre of the room and tiles need to be cut to fit, compromising on aesthetics while also increasing labour time and waste of materials. With linear grates, you only need one fall and can avoid multiple cuts, resulting in a cleaner aesthetic.

One good example of the Slimline Tile Insert in use is in Little National Hotel in the Sydney CBD. Located above Wynyard Station, the Bates Smart-designed hotel houses over 200 rooms, created with affordable luxury at the forefront. The hotel includes 150 Slimline Tile Insert grates throughout, which are used to hold the largeformat white tiles while providing essential water waste drainage. According to the supplier, with no visible holes and an easy roll out cleaning feature, the grates were an ideal solution for the hotel’s design.

Another good drainage option is Stormtech’s 120SCS Shower Screen Support drain. This new product is a versatile linear drainage system that acts as a drain for both sides of the shower screen, plus a support for the shower screen itself. It also includes a Shower Screen Support Channel for any Stormtech grating style.

According to the supplier, wall-to-wall installation allows a simple dual fall across the bathroom. As a result, a single floor waste can drain the entire bathroom, once again saving time in the tiling and design process, as it avoids the need for a traditional centred floor waste. Because the simple dual fall sheds water more effectively, this also makes it possible to use larger-format tiles. Improved waterproofing is another key benefit, as the waterproofed substrate falls towards the location under which the Shower Screen Support Channel drain will be placed, meaning less water will travel through grout joints due to effective water-shedding. And because the drain will be away from the entry door to the bathroom, water thrown towards the door will run back to the drain, lessening the risk of bathroom flooding.