BATHROOM PLANNING Our top tips for a complete redesign

Achieve the perfect BATHROOM LAYOUT

Follow these easy steps to create a successful bathing space that’s both beautiful and practical

Add a splash of colour with bright towels

STAR QUALITY

Make an elegant roll-top bath the focal point of the room

fter the kitchen, the

Abathroom is probably the most important room in the home in terms of resale value. As we want more from our down time, the status of the bathroom has been raised – no longer driven by purely practical needs, many of us are renovating ours with relaxation and pampering in mind.

As well as simple renovations, extra bathrooms and en suites are also proving very popular. Whatever your reason, installing a new bathroom is a serious undertaking and can often be deceptively tricky, requiring quite an array of fittings and skill, often in a very compact space. Careful planning from the start will prevent costly mistakes down the line.

Plan the layout

Start with a scale plan of your space. Measure carefully, and include features such as windows, chimney breasts, doors and boilers.

Cut out to-scale shapes of every fitting – bath, toilet, etc – you’d like to include, and rearrange them until you find a layout that works.

Incorporate plenty of space between the individual elements and consider how the room will work with more than one person in there at the same time. Over-bath shower If space is in short supply, then a good solution is to fit a shower above the bath. A family-sized bath can easily double as a shower enclosure. Either install an electric shower above the tub or swap existing taps for ones with a hand-held shower mixer – check your water pressure will accommodate it, though. ADD A SHOWER BATH Invest in a special shower bath that bows out at the tap end, for room to move when showering. MIX IT UP Combine the two by having a fixed-head shower above and a hand-held spray on the bath taps below – useful for bathing children and pets or cleaning. Shower room Don’t have space for a bath? A wet room or shower is a modern, luxe alternative. The whole room will need to be tanked (waterproofed) as there is no enclosure – the water drains away through the floor. If your budget is tight, a sleek alternative is a low-level tray with a glass screen. CREATE A SHOWER ENCLOSURE In a long room, section off one end with a glass screen to create a walk-in shower. GO FOR WALL-HUNG FITTINGS They will make the room easy to clean and create the illusion of space, too. KEEP THE WALLS CLEAR Fit underfloor heating, so that the room can stay toasty without clunky, wall-hung radiators taking up valuable space. Statement bath Use a beautiful bath as a focal point. Make a freestanding tub the star of the show by placing it in the centre of the room or sit it beneath a window. If you still want the look, but space is at a premium, then a smaller slipper bath or a dunk bath might be the answer. BE PRACTICAL Seek advice on whether your room will bear the weight of a cast-iron bath, as they are very heavy. If it won’t, then composite or acrylic versions are a good alternative. ADD GLAM Use finishing touches such as luxe tiles or wall panelling and striking flooring to lend a touch of luxury. Bath and shower A bath and separate shower let you have the best of both worlds if space allows. Design your room according to how it’s most often used. If your family prefer showers to baths, think about a shorter tub and use the extra space for a walk-in shower. Or, if you prefer to have baths, a corner shower cubicle will allow for a full-sized fitted or freestanding tub. GET IN LINE Build a stud wall at the end of a bath to form one side of a cubicle. SEE DOUBLE Add ‘his and hers’ basins if you have room. Space at a premium? A trough-shaped sink is a good alternative. KEEP IT NEAT Shelves can look untidy, so go for cabinets with doors that can

CHECK THE CONDITION OF YOUR FIXTURES AND FITTINGS AS SOON AS THEY ARE DELIVERED AND FIND OUT THE RETURNS PERIOD IN CASE ANYTHING’S NOT RIGHT

be closed to store toiletries out of sight.

KEEP IT LEGAL

Read through the guidelines at planningportal.gov.uk to make sure you don’t fall foul of regulations. Don’t have a toilet opening directly off a kitchen, dining or living room. Also, if you only have one toilet, it shouldn’t be accessible just from a bedroom. Contact the building control office at your council planning department if your project will include changes to the soil stack or your hot water system. Consider ventilation, especially if the bathroom doesn’t have a window that opens to the outside. Installing an extractor fan to remove steam is a good idea. Speak to an electrician or your bathroom designer about lighting before you buy fittings, to avoid costly mistakes. Any lights you fit must have the correct IP rating for the bathroom zone they’re in.

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