By Sarah Xie
First things first you will need to decide on how you want to use the space. Do you have young kids that you will need to bathe? Do you spend time needing it for putting on makeup and doing facials? Do you use a lot of bathroom appliances such as an electrical tooth brush, hairdryer and straighteners etc.? Do you require extra storage in your bathroom?
Once you have decided on these things on how you would like to use the space you can then decide on your plumbing & lighting fixtures, storage, accessories etc.
Vanity
The vanity will be your most important item in your bathroom and quite possibly your only storage space. Wall hung vanities always make your space looks bigger, the more tiles you see the more spacious your bathroom will look. The downside to having a wall hung vanity is they may look great but you do lose storage space and you have to clean under it. And sometimes it might not work with the plumbing so check with your builder or plumber that it will.
When designing or picking a vanity I suggest keeping at least one set of soft close draws for storage and also consider having an integrated bin. A hidden powerpoint in your cabinet it a good idea so you can hide things like your electric toothbrush and keep bench space clear. An open shelf cabinet is a good idea for the guest bathroom but I wouldn’t use it in the master Ensuite.
Always make sure the Vanity height is good for you. Generally, the bench height is 900mm from the top of the basin to the finished floor height. This means you would need to consider lowering your bench height if you are using above counter basin.
Mirror
A feature mirror could be a statement in your bathroom. An oval or round mirror will add another shape to your bathroom, plus LEDs behind the mirror can highlight your bathroom and help with putting on your makeup. A mirror cabinet is a great idea for extra storage as well as hiding all your small items thank can make your bench neat and clean.
Vanity tapware
I suggest choosing wall mount tapware if you can. The advantage of using wall mount tapware can save your bench space and it makes it easier to clean especially if you have picked an above the counter basin. The little cap in between the miser and the basin is always a nightmare to clean.
Lighting
There are many ways to illuminate your bathroom other than using standard downlights.
A beautiful pendant light or wall light can easily turn your bathroom into a designer space. You can also place feature LED strip lighting around your vanity which can complement your cabinetry design and tapware. LED strip lighting is a cost-effective way to add features to your bathroom, which can even be put on a sensor.
Shower
I like the idea of a shower space being as large as practical, personally, I find a 900×900 shower too small. I suggest a 1000x1200mm for your master Ensuite for your luxury shower experience. I good idea is to have a niche for all your shower areas, it makes a practical place to put all your shampoo, shower gels.
Bathtub
A Freestanding bath will make your bathroom more spacious, and you can either choose a floor or wall mount spout to complement it. If you are concerned about cleaning around the bathtub you can always pick a bath mixer with a handheld showerhead.
Back to wall baths have been very popular in recent years, it gives the freestanding look and it makes it a lot easier to clean as to the traditional freestanding baths.
Tiling
There are many ways you can tile a bathroom. You don’t have to have all your walls be full height tiles. The shower area and the wall at the back of a vanity can be a good place to put feature tiles, and having some VJ panels can act as a good feature in your bathroom.
