Unless you are simply planning to redecorate your bathroom be prepared for a considerable amount of work and expense.
Note also that once the work has been done, there is little you can easily do should you be unhappy with the results.
According to Bathroom Bizarre’s Jasmin Kraneveldt, the key to successfully redesigning the bathroom therefore lies primarily in the planning and in the correct assessment of your particular problems.
She says that unless all you need is some form of cosmetic renovation – simple redecoration or perhaps fitting new tiles – you will find that there are four main categories of bathroom problems, namely congestion, layout, fittings and sanitary ware, and condensation and cold.
All too often, a single room combines all four, but if you consider each of the problem areas carefully, you may find that solving one may make the others far easier to deal with later on.
l Congestion
A major cause of family friction in many households occurs over too many people wanting to use the bathroom at the same time.
The best solution would be to provide extra facilities elsewhere in the house, so that the whole family does not have to rely on access to a single bathroom.
Remember that a small shower or wet room, comprising an open shower area, small wall-mounted basin, a toilet with a built-in cistern, and sliding-door access, can be accommodated in a space as small as 1 100mm x 2 200mm.
So even if you are not fortunate enough to live in a large house, you may be able to find room for such an alteration.
The main restrictions concern the proximity of waste drainage and water pipes, and proper ventilation will need to be provided.
If you don’t have the space or the budget to build a separate shower room, you can relieve pressure by installing double basins.
Double basins provide extra convenience for high traffic areas – no waiting in line to brush your teeth in the morning, or no shaving cream drying on your face while you wait for your partner to finish with her make-up application. With double basins, there is room for everyone.
There should be at least 750mm between the two basins, measured from the centre line of one basin to the centre line to the second. Less distance is acceptable, but will make it more difficult for two people to use the area at the same time.
l Layout
The two main considerations that dictate layout are the plumbing system and the need to provide sufficient space around the various fixtures for them to be used comfortably.
Otherwise, the only considerations are the positions of the windows and the door.
Kraneveldt offers the following guidelines to help you design a new layout:
Drainage: The first priority in drainage planning is the location of the toilet since this needs to be close to the sewer drain. You should keep the toilet located next to an outside wall for easy access, as laying new drainage pipes beneath the floors is very disruptive and expensive.
It will also be difficult to access, which may be problematic later on should the pipe become blocked.
The waste pipes for other fittings can often run round one or more sides of the room as they tend to be small in diameter, but the ideal is to always aim for the shortest pipe runs, with as few bends as possible. All pipes should slope gently downwards.
Ventilation: General bathroom ventilation is very important and is achieved via opening windows, by extractor fans, or both.
Extractor fans do work, but nothing can compare with an opening window – so it is important to try to include one in the design.
Windows are not only good for ventilation, but are also important sources of natural light for the bathroom.
Plumbing: The position of the various washing facilities in the bathroom are influenced to a degree by the supply pipes for hot and cold water. Long runs of hot water pipe are not recommended because they waste energy, and so should be avoided at all costs.
In a low-pressure plumbing system, the priority is to get a sufficient head of pressure by the correct placement of the geyser or the installation of a pump.
Space planning: One of the major considerations in bathroom design is the space that is provided around the various fittings and sanitary ware. If the bathroom is to be comfortable to use, you have to allow enough space for movement.
The crucial area is around the basin, where there needs to be a minimum of 200mm elbow room on either side and 700mm of space in front to allow for comfortable washing.
Enclosed showers with one or two sides require a clear floor space of 400mm next to the tray for access and dressing, while those enclosed on three sides require a minimum of 700mm of space in front.
Make sure you have easy access to bath taps, and a minimum space of 700mm x 1 100mm next to the bath for climbing out and drying.
Baths can be placed below a sloping ceiling, for example below stairs or under the eaves of the roof – 1 200mm headroom above the base of the bath is usually adequate, but it is advisable to check the space beforehand by physically going through the actions.
Similarly, you can fit a toilet in a restricted space – 2 000mm headroom is required to stand in front of the pan, but the roofline can slope down to 1 200mm behind the cistern. Clear space of 600mm x 800mm should be left in front of the toilet for access. A bidet requires similar space, plus a 200mm knee space either side.
Doors: When rearranging fittings, ensure that enough space is left for the door to swing open and for a person to step into the room and shut the door comfortably. If necessary, doors can be re-hung to open outwards, but take care that they will not hit anyone passing outside if opened suddenly. Alternatively, sliding, concertina or saloon doors offer great space-saving and very functional alternatives.
l Fixtures, fittings and sanitary ware
It is important to choose your sanitary ware before designing the layout of your bathroom – in this way you will be able to measure each piece and design the layout accordingly.
When choosing sanitary ware, bear in mind that these are likely to be changed far less frequently than furniture, so take care of your colour and design choices. Currently fashionable shapes and colours may look hopelessly outdated in a few years, which is why it is preferable to choose sanitary ware and fittings in neutral colours, and add colour into the composition using towels and decor accessories that can be easily and inexpensively changed and updated.
Storage is another important consideration with regards to the appearance and convenience of the bathroom.
The basic rule of thumb is to store items nearest to their point of use – nothing is more irritating than having to climb out of the bath dripping wet to fetch a forgotten shampoo bottle, and collecting a litter of bathtime accessories and toiletries around the rim of the bath is not a solution either, as it looks cluttered and makes the area difficult to clean.
The ideal solution is to provide adequate storage alongside the bath for toiletries and fresh towels. Storage above and below the bathroom vanity is also very important to store items that are used regularly, such as toilet paper, make-up, as well as other grooming paraphernalia.
l Condensation and warmth
Good ventilation in summer, and if necessary some form of permanent background heating in winter, are essential to cope with condensation caused by hot, vapour-laden air meeting cold surfaces.
Improved insulation and appropriate wall coverings help, but are not sufficient alone.
Good ventilation will reduce steamy conditions, but at the same time replace warm air with cold.
A ventilation system should therefore be variable. Air extractor systems are a good option, and today you can even invest in units that offer individually-controlled heating, lighting and fans in one streamlined unit.
Underfloor heating is a great solution to keep the bathroom warm, and installing a heated towel rail is a must for any modern bathroom. - The Mercury