luxury bathroom with a sea view

A nice tub

The first stage of your process should be to find a bathtub that provides a bit of indulgence.  Perhaps you will opt for a bath with a Jacuzzi system fitted and let the bubbles massage away your stresses?  Or maybe you prefer a larger bath that is big enough for two people to share?  Whichever option you decide on; be sure not to go overboard and choose a model that is too big for the room.  Otherwise you may end up with a cluttered look that destroys the relaxing vibe you are aiming for.

Beautiful sink

Whilst you are never going to climb in the sink for a quick dip at the end of the day, the item is a very important piece in the bathroom.  The sink is a place where both women and men undertake almost ritualistic acts, such as removing makeup and having a shave.  So if you have enough scope to incorporate a larger sink, then do so.  You will find that the extra space can make these tasks more relaxing and will also appreciate the extra elbow room when someone else decides to brush their teeth at the same time as you.  Also, make sure that you purchase quality taps for the sink and bathtub to complete its aesthetical appeal.

Tiling options

There are a huge range of bathroom tiles now available.  In most cases, those looking to create luxury bathrooms will opt for the natural stone choice.  Granite and marble both deliver a striking look that will last for decades.  However, they do of course come at a price.  For a more affordable option you could consider travertine tiles; which look just as luxurious, but cost substantially less.

Fixtures

Carefully selecting your fixtures will help add the finishing touches to your bathroom design.  For example, a nice heated chrome towel rail can both look great and provide a warm towel when you finally decide to get out of the bath.  Additionally, a large mirror on one of the walls can help to make the bathroom feel more spacious than it actually is.

Lighting

The final factor to consider in your luxury bathroom is a suitable lighting option.  Obviously you want there to be enough light so that you can see what you are doing, without there being so much that is negates the relaxing vibe.  So go for midrange bulbs that offer a nice warm colour rather than a clinical bright white or blue.  You may also wish to consider a separate fitting around the mirror, so that you have the option of extra light when you need it.

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A good fit

Your first step should be to take out your tape measure and carefully work out the dimensions available to you.  This is especially important where you have a small bathroom and it is vital that you make best use of the space.  There is no point writing off a few inches off the bottom of the bath because you have bought a smaller model.  Likewise, it could be that a corner bath would be more appropriate in your bathroom.

Considering budget

Next you need to work out exactly what your budget is.  This should be the maximum amount you can afford to spend on the whole of the bathroom – so be sure to include all items, such as towel rail, vanity unit, tiles, light fittings and mirrors, in addition to your bathroom suite.  Now do a little research and decide what you think is a reasonable price for each item and allocate the amount for it.  Whatever you have left can be used to purchase your new bathroom suite.  Of course, the bathroom suite and tiles are the most important elements of your new design.  So if you find that you are a little short of cash to buy the bathroom suite that you really want; you are best advised to make some changes to your budget.  This may mean reducing the amount you have allocated to some of your extras.  Or perhaps you will decide to hold off on buying that vanity unit or mirror for a month or two, until you have a little more money.

A professional fit

As we have already touched on – your new bathroom design should last for many years, if done properly.  This of course means having professionals do the job right.  So unless you are especially handy, it is a good idea to have a plumber fit the bathroom suite.  Test the system properly to make sure that there are no leaks, before getting a professional in to do the tiling for you.  Once the bathroom is finished make sure that you keep it looking great by cleaning it regularly.  If you have any natural stone tiles in the bathroom be sure to use specialised cleaning products that will not damage the surface.

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Sinks can change a bathrooms looks

When updating their bathroom, most homeowners will opt to purchase a complete bathroom suite.  Obviously this means that they can be confident that the sink, toilet and bath will all match and complement one another.  However, there are some who prefer to let their creative juices flow when it comes to bathroom design ideas.  Rather than go for the all in one package, they prefer to choose their bathroom furniture separately.  And of course, there will also be those that need to replace a certain item that has come to the end of its life, but that wish to avoid the cost of replacing a full bathroom suite.  Whatever reason you have for buying bathroom furniture items separately; you must always give special consideration to the sink.

Centre of attention

When people are considering various bathroom design ideas they will usually think of the bath as being the most important piece of furniture.  However, it is actually the sink that tends to act as the focal point of any bathroom layout.  Selecting the right sink can help to bring together the whole room.  So if you do decide to go down the route of choosing your bathroom suite items separately, it is always wise to start with the sink.

A suitable size

The fact that the sink will be the centrepiece of your bathroom means that it is important to get the dimensions just right.  A sink that is too big can overpower the room – especially in smaller bathrooms.  A sink that is too small will look out of place and may not have the desired effect of bringing the room together.  Be sure to carefully measure the space that you have available to fit the sink before ordering.  If you do have a small bathroom then try to avoid a situation where the sink will overlap the edge of the bath or shower.

The fittings

The final aspect to consider when choosing a new sink is the suitability of the taps.  If you have a bath fitted, then of course you should look to match the taps.  However, if the bathroom only has a shower, you have more freedom in your tap choice.  In this instance you should look at options that are in line with the feel of the sink.  If you have a classical style sink do not go for modern taps with straight lines, as they will look out of place.  They could also throw out the whole balance of your bathroom decor.  You may also wish to consider other items that are in the bathroom, such as the towel rail and mirror and let them guide your choice.  It is worth bearing in mind that some sinks are intended to be perfect fit for both traditional and modern bathroom design ideas – by adding appropriate taps you can tailor the sink to provide the aesthetics that you desire.

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Accommodating

Perhaps the most important factor that makes white bathroom suites so popular is the fact that they look good with pretty much any existing colour scheme.  The neutrality of white means that you can almost always incorporate it into a bathroom, without having to replace the other furnishings already present.

Inoffensive

Strong colours such as poppy red are down to personal taste and not for all.  However, white is a neutral colour that will not offend anyone.  When people are looking to sell their properties they will often update the bathroom to help impress prospective buyers.  In order to ensure that they don’t put any viewers off, white is usually the colour that they go for.  Even if a potential buyer intends to install a different colour bathroom suite at a later date; they will be happy to make do with white until they get round to updating.

Striking

White bathroom suites are very easy to keep clean.  This is perhaps because any dirt shows up immediately, which acts as a visual prompt to give the sink, bath or toilet a quick clean.  And a sparkling white suite has a more striking appearance than any other colour.

Enduring

As we have already mentioned, popularity of the colour of bathroom suites UK changes over time.  Those that did fit an avocado or burgundy suite when they were fashionable have of course had the expense of replacing them – even if the suite was still in good condition.  With a white bathroom suite you know that it will never need replacing due to the current vogue; meaning that you get your money’s worth from it.

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We Need A Plan!

Looking at a glossy magazine page, depicting a stylish bathroom, then looking back up from the publication to see a partially ripped out bathroom suite standing before you, can be slightly alarming. However, planning the various stages of fixture fitting can save you a great deal of time. You wouldn’t say, start by laying the flooring as this could become scuffed or require alteration later on. You also don’t necessarily need to lay flooring underneath the bath of shower units, again giving an opportunity to save some money. Working out the order to install units certainly helps to save time, but it’s also worth thinking practically about getting a usable bathroom back as soon as possible. If you’ve had to go for a prolonged period of time without a bathroom, the novelty of cleaning and brushing teeth in the kitchen sink soon wears off. Prioritise the units you want, and then work out a time frame as to when you expect them to be fitted by.

Tiles, Paint And The Grouting

Once your main units are in there can be a temptation to think that the job is pretty much done. It’s important though that the tiles you chose, flooring materials and even grout match your new bathroom suite. With tiles there is an almost endless choice and choosing between natural stone and porcelain can be difficult, as they both have their unique advantages. Again, many people believe that grout is only available in white but there are several variants to choose from, each suited to different type of tile.

Having a new and perfectly functioning bathroom is incredibly rewarding and although the prospect of getting started can seem challenging the end results are well worth the hard work and patience.

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Making the most of the Space

Bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes and utilizing the space properly has one of the largest impacts on your bathroom’s overall aesthetic. I’m sure many of us have been to friends’ homes or perhaps rented accommodation where you open a drawer to find that it bangs against the open door. Other examples include doors that open and bang into the sink. In either case these are design flaws that many are surely keen to avoid. Help is at hand though and we provide an online bathroom planner that allows you to accurately design your bathroom’s layout, meaning no surprises when it comes to fitting.

Colour Scheme

Again the colour scheme has a large bearing on the way a room feels and considering how the colour of the tiles and paint you choose will contrast with your fittings is very important. White walls and porcelain tiles combined with white bathroom fittings can look clinical. However colours that contrast too much can give the room a smaller appearance. Striking a balance is important but that doesn’t mean you can’t be bold with colour choice, just test that the colours work first before reaching for the paint brush.

Taps and Fittings

Taps and fixtures can often be overlooked and people can be forgiven in thinking that a taps just a tap! With the huge variety of designs though, having the right taps can actually transform the way a sink or bath looks. In addition to the aesthetic qualities, you should also consider how they function. With water fall styles, economy, water saving styles and taps that divide the water up in to precise jets you have to consider how they’ll be used.

Showers, Baths, Basins and Toilets

Considering the main ingredients of any bathroom, selecting the right baths, basins and toilets is an essential. With basins you have to take into account how often you intend to clean them and glass basins for example show up toothpaste marks much more than porcelain sinks. Baths come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes ranging from corner baths to L-shaped baths that are designed specifically for bathrooms that have space issues. Showers again come in walk in and closed door styles, depending on how you want to use them and the space you have available.

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To Tile or Not To Tile…

One of the most time consuming and difficult aspects of bathroom design centres on the tiling. Due to the sheer variety in tiling styles, ranging from mosaic to large dimension tiles it can be a fiddly job both grouting and ensuring that the tiles are flat. Tiles of course need to be cut precisely to fit around the bathroom suits lines and this can be difficult on some swopping bathroom suite styles. In addition to this tiles can also be laid on the floor, which further increases fitting timescales. Taking tiles out the equation prompts the questions – Are there any sensible alternatives to tilling though? Well there are many other flooring options, including carpets and linoleum flooring. While carpets are a traditional choice they often wear badly over time due to their natural want to absorb water and moisture. Linoleum flooring however proves to last the test of time well and can be purchased in a range of convincing faux styles, including wood and stone tile effects. Tiles still prove to be the most effective wall covering solution though and combine there aesthetic qualities with a water proof protection that still rates above the alternatives. Tiling has become easier however, with sheets of mosaic tiles available, making the job of lining them up much easier.

The Finishing Touch

Widely considered the most enjoyable part of bathroom suite décor, adding finishing touches requires far less by way of hard graft. Finishing touches might include adding ornaments, a stylish tooth brush and glass holders and all the other items that work well with a bathroom suite’s functionality. Probably the most impactful and common addition to a bathroom are mirrors. Available in a huge selection of shapes and sizes ranging from the contemporary and modern through to the traditional and lavish, mirrors can make a bathroom feel larger whilst at the same time being incredibly useful.

Over the coming blog posts we’ll be focussing on other areas of bathroom suite design including lighting and painting techniques.

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Function And Form

Historically, there were two sorts of bathroom. Those belonging to the rich and those belonging to the lower classes. The rich would have decadent bathrooms, whilst the poorer classes would have to make to do with only the very basic of fittings. As time has moved on the wide contrast has become smaller and now modern bathrooms can be purchased that share many features commonly found in a top end suite. In addition to this bathrooms are now combining function and form as opposed to trading one off against the other. Older fashioned sinks would have heavy individual hot and cold taps and a deep basin prone to cracking over time. Modern sinks incorporate hot and cold taps into one stylish and easy to operate system, with shapely bowls available in glass, porcelain or even natural stone. Baths have also moved away from the traditional shapes and are now often deeper and more sculpted for optimum comfort.

Living In A Material World

The changes to bathrooms could in part be attributed to the affordability and availability of the materials used in development and construction. Many of these materials were previously very expensive to produce. Modern machining techniques however enable complex shapes to be routed or moulded. Mining of stone such as travertine and limestone has become safer, thanks to heavy machinery. Another element that has a bearing on cost is the ability to now source high quality products from overseas. This helps to keep the cost of high quality material products much lower and in turn more affordable.

As bathroom designs continue to evolve and change it will be interesting to see if new materials continue to enter the market and how functionality will continue to evolve in line with demand.

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Breaking Away From The Norm

Perhaps it’s doing something a little different and off the wall that helps to define the term designer. If you look at the celebrity bathrooms featured on programs such as MTV’s Cribs, their bathrooms would often feature innovative ideas such as LCD televisions, set behind a glass panel above the bath or walk in showers combined with steam room features. While a celebrity will often have a huge budget to play with, these ideas can be scaled down. Other areas such as lighting can be used to great effect.  A fresh modern bathroom suite will look great with regular lighting, but using a combination of spot lighting and floor lighting gives it a more unique, designer look.

Bold Is Beautiful

Perhaps another technique that helps to achieve the designer look is to not be afraid of bold colour choices. There’s a temptation to paint all the walls a natural beige or cream colour, but instead why not try adding a feature wall? You could paint 3 walls of a four walled room white, with the fourth being a deep purple or sumptuous burgundy. Selecting bold colours that work well with the white bathroom fittings can deliver a striking effect.

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Careful Planning

As with many things in life, careful and accurate planning is the key to staying within budget. Firstly then, it’s a good idea to look at inspirational imagery either in catalogues or online to decide on the type of bathroom you’d ideally like, if cost weren’t an issue. There is also a wealth of home improvement publications and also numerous TV’s shows to again help get the creative juices flowing. With design variations ranging from the traditional bathroom styles through to the contemporary and modern, choosing a bathroom suite shouldn’t be rushed. Using an online bathroom planner such as the Splash Bathrooms planner certainly helps to both maximise potential space but also to help you visualise your chosen fixtures in situ. Also using an online bathroom planner makes moving the bathroom’s fixtures around simple, so swapping the shower unit and bath locations around might free up previously unnoticed space.

Prioritizing

Once you’ve settled upon a design carefully decide which elements you want to prioritise. You may decide that you’d prefer to spend money on a specific fitting, such as a more expensive basin and pedestal, whilst saving on other areas by choosing a less expensive toilet fitting.  This could also be applied to areas such as baths and showers. If you have a smaller bathroom you may want to allocate the budget on a luxury shower unit or choose to incorporate the bath and shower together.

For more information on luxury bathrooms and how to best allocate your bathroom budget call Splash Bathrooms on +44 (0)1332 824 166 or email us info@splashbathrooms.co.uk

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