Designing a Family Bathroom
When planning a bathroom for your family there are so many things to consider, especially if your bathroom is going to be used by multiple people in your household. We’ve put this helpful guide together to help you plan your perfect family bathroom, from what bath and shower to go for to handy storage solutions and accessories to make everyone's day-to-day life that much easier!
There are 5 important factors you must consider when designing your family bathroom:
Functionality
Functionality is key when it comes to designing your perfect family bathroom, as you want to ensure you’re carefully choosing products that will best suit the people who are using them.
Practicality
A practical bathroom is a happy bathroom, as you want to be sure that you can get around comfortably and you have everything you need at hand. By introducing handy accessories and storage solutions, you can create an ideal space to suit everyone in the family.
Maximise Space
With most UK bathrooms being on the small side, you don’t want to start overcrowding the room and restricting your floor space. The amount of available space you have in your bathroom will determine the size and design of the products you choose, with slimline and reduced depth items being an option if you’re lacking in room size.
Storage
Storage is a big point to consider when planning your family bathroom, especially when there are multiple people using it. More people will mean an increased amount of towels, shampoo bottles, and extra sponges laying around! By introducing different storage solutions, you can ensure that everyone has a dedicated space to store their things and hang their towels and keep the bathroom clutter-free.
Child-safe
If you have a multi-generation family then safety is a big factor. You want to eliminate the risk of any accidents by choosing non-slip flooring, soft-close furniture, soft-close toilet seat hinges, and cool-touch thermostatic shower valves to prevent accidentally getting scolded.
Keep reading to learn how to design your perfect family bathroom...
Bath, shower, both?
First, you must determine if you’d like a bath and a separate shower enclosure, or a combined shower bath!
A bathroom is called a ‘BATHroom’ for a reason, right? Many people believe that not having a bath in your home will reduce the overall value of your home. But when it comes down to it, if no one in your family would use a bath and would benefit from a larger shower enclosure, then don’t feel forced into having one! Though, there really is nothing better than a relaxing soak after a long day, so here are some tips on choosing the perfect bath for your family bathroom.
Practical shower baths
If your bathroom isn’t big enough for you to have a separate shower enclosure, then a shower bath is an extremely popular option. Generally, a shower bath comes in L-shaped or P-shaped designs, which means one end of your bath is slightly larger to give you a bigger area to stand in when using your shower.
A shower bath is a fantastic multi-purpose space with heaps of both practicality and functionality, as it gives you a bath and a shower all in one place.
Spacious double ended baths
If you have the space to spare, then a double-ended bath is a luxury all on its own. Whether you want to share this bath with a loved one or soak up its luxury all to yourself, luxurious double-ended baths have plenty of space to relax in comfort.
If your family has young children,then a bigger bath also gives them more space to play!
Space-saving corner baths
A corner bath is an excellent way to utilise a corner in your bathroom to give you a larger bathing space without taking up too much important floorspace. They're a bit wider than a shower bath but take up less wall-length so you get ample space without a huge footprint.
For example: A 1600mm (longer) shower bath will hold approximate 190 litres of water whereas a 1500 x 1000 corner bath can hold around 230 litres!
Bath screens and curtains
When using your shower above your bath, you must install a bath screen to prevent your bathroom from getting soaked from water splashback. There are many different types of bath screens to choose from, such as whether you want a static screen you can’t move, a hinged screen that you can swing in and out of your bath, or even a fold-away screen. Bath screens come in different designs and styles to suit your bathroom aesthetic.
Alternatively, for a slightly less expensive option, you could go for a shower curtain. Shower curtains generally extend right across your bathtub, providing excellent protection against splashes from your shower. The water runs easily off the water-resistant fabric to remain contained within your bath, ensuring that your bathroom stays dry and safe. You need to install a shower curtain rail above your bath near the ceiling for your curtain to hang, and then fit the shower curtain by sliding the eyelet holes onto the rail or by using hooks. Available in both simple and bright colourful designs, shower curtains can make a stylish feature in any bathroom.
Separate shower enclosures
if you have the space in your family bathroom for a separate shower enclosure then consider purchasing a low-profile shower tray. Low-profile trays offer easy step access so everyone can comfortably get in and out.
For extra convenience and safety, you can also opt for an anti-slip tray to help prevent any accidents.
Click to read our Shower Enclosures Buying Guide & Shower Trays Buying Guide to help you choose
A shower for the whole family
There’s nothing better than jumping in the shower to revitalize you in the early mornings or to freshen up and reboot after a long day. If there are multiple people using your bathroom, you want to be sure you’re choosing a shower that will suit everyone in your family. With so many showers on the market to choose from, there are several things you should consider, especially when it’s being used by different people. Whether you’re choosing a shower for your enclosure or for over your bath, keep reading for helpful information…
Multiple showerheads
Do you like a large overhead drencher for that rainfall shower experience? Or do you prefer a smaller adjustable hand shower that you can move around? Give your family options by choosing a shower that has both! There are many showers to choose from that feature multiple shower heads, giving everyone flexibility on what they would like to use.
Adjustable shower heads are perfect for a multi-household as the handset sits in a holder which can be adjusted higher or lower on the shower riser rail. This enables everyone to use the shower comfortably as you can freely adjust it to suit your height!
Showerheads also have the option of multiple spray settings, which is a fantastic feature to have in your family bathroom if everyone has different spray pattern preferences. You can choose whether you'd like your shower to be soft and luxurious to relax and wind down, or a powerful downfall to revitalize you in those tired mornings, allowing everyone to truly personalise their shower.
Watch the video below showing an example of different spray settings available...
Digital Smart Showers with multiple user memory settings
Why waste time constantly adjusting your shower to your preferred settings after someone else has used it when you can purchase a digital smart shower that saves it for you every time?! There are smart showers you can buy that feature clever memory settings, meaning multiple users can save their preferred shower settings such as their favourite temperature and flow. With a push of a button, your perfect shower comes to life, so you don’t have to worry about adjusting it every single time.
Watch the video below to learn more about why you should choose a digital shower for your bathroom...
Thermostatic valve
There’s nothing worse than having your lovely warm shower interrupted with a harsh blast of hot water due to loss of cold supply pressure, all because someone used the kitchen tap. Not only is it discomforting, but it can also be dangerous due to the sudden water heat increase, especially for young children and the elderly. A thermostatic shower has been cleverly designed to always hold the water temperature steady. They dynamically adjust the mix of hot and cold water, offsetting the everyday changes in water pressure in your home and allowing other water outlets to be used at the same time.
Safety cool-touch valve
If you have little ones that will be using your family bathroom or just want to keep everyone safe from accidental scalding in general, then a shower with a cool-touch valve is an excellent option. There’s nothing worse than accidentally brushing against your shower and scalding yourself on the metal from the heat of the hot water, so a cool-touch valve eliminates any accidents by keeping the shower valve cool regardless of how hot you have your water.
A basin (or two) for the whole family
Your basin is probably used more than anything else in your bathroom, from brushing your teeth and washing your hands to washing and shaving your face. The type of basin you choose all comes down to how much available space you have in your bathroom, so keep reading to learn what styles are best for a family bathroom…
Wall-mounted or floor standing?
If you’d like to keep your floor space free, then a wall-mounted basin is a great option. You can still opt for handy unit storage underneath or keep things minimal and simple with a standard basin. Floor standing basins can either be stood on a pedestal to hide pipework or with a handy vanity unit underneath.
Double basin vanity for ultimate convenience
If you're lucky enough to have space for one, then a double basin vanity is an excellent choice for a family bathroom as it gives you not just one, but two basins. Vanity units are incredibly practical as they give you a fantastic storage space under your basin to store all your bits and bobs you don’t want on show.
Single vanity unit
If you’re a bit short on space, then there are many single basin vanity units to choose from – some even with reduced depth units and corner designs to save your important floor space!
Soft close doors and drawers
Many vanity units feature soft close doors and drawers to help prevent noise from banging and to protect little fingers getting accidentally hurt!
Easy- clean space-saving toilets
With multiple people using the toilet, the most important thing is to ensure you keep hygiene a top priority. Back-to-wall toilets (or even rimless toilets) have been designed to be super easy to clean, with fewer surface areas to wipe down.
Back to wall and close coupled toilets are more compact, so you can save on important floor space.
Watch this video below to learn more about back to wall toilets...
Read our blog for bathroom cleaning tips by clicking here…Bathroom Cleaning Habits You Can’t Live Without
Toilet seats
When it comes to your toilet seat, we spend more time than we’d think using the toilet so it's important that it’s not only comfortable but practical too. Consider choosing a brilliantly clever soft close hinge toilet seat. The clever hinge lowers the seat and the lid back to the pan quietly and safely so no little fingers are at risk of being squashed.
To make cleaning your toilet even easier, choose a rapid-fix top-fixing toilet seat. The ‘Quick Release’ design also allows for a thorough cleaning, as you can simply lift the whole toilet seat off the toilet bowl to wipe underneath which ensures a deep clean of your toilet.
Watch this handy video below about the benefits of a soft-close toilet seat over a standard one...
Storage for the whole family
If you have multiple people using your bathroom, then that means there will be multiple of everything from towels to products. Storage is an important thing to consider when planning your family bathroom, and there are multiple ways to do it:
- Vanity units – cupboard and drawer space under your basin
- Wall-mounted cabinets – keep your floor space clear and utilise an empty wall
- Mirror cabinet – you can buy mirrors with a cabinet behind which are perfect for hiding and storing things like your toothbrush, mouthwash, toothpaste, shavers, and more
Keep reading for more storage solutions using practical accessories…
Practical accessories
A great way to bring further practicality to your family bathroom is by introducing certain accessories that everyone can benefit from.
Bath racks
Bath racks are perfect for positioning across your bath for an extra piece of storage that you can put your sponges and soaps, making them close at hand whilst you're bathing.
Shower caddies
Save some space around the rim of your bath or basin by fitting a brand new shower caddy. They’re ideal for those with a few too many bottles and lotions lying around the bathroom, allowing you extra space where you didn’t think there was any. They can be used for shampoo, bath bombs, bars of soap, and even your sponges. They come in multiple different sizes, so you can choose just how much extra storage space you need.
If you don’t fancy drilling into your bathroom wall or tiles to install a shower caddy, then there are plenty of non-drill options to choose from such as over-the-door designs, caddies with hooks, and suction cups.
Robe hooks and towel rails
If you have an empty wall, consider utilizing it by fitting robe hooks and towel rings. These handy accessories give your family a place to hang their robes and towels neatly.
Heated towel radiators
Multiple family members mean multiple towels, so by installing a heated towel radiator you can ensure everyone can hang their damp towel to dry. Heated towel radiators come in many different sizes, so you can choose how big you need to buy depending on how many towels you need to dry!
The biggest benefit of installing heated towel rails or bathroom radiators is that they are a two-in-one item, heating your bathroom and drying/storing your towels. They’re a fantastic source of heat so you’ll never need to worry about your bathroom or your towels being cold again!
For more information, click here to read… A Guide to Bathroom Heating
Bathroom mirrors
Other than being a key piece to help you get ready, mirrors are an excellent way to make your bathroom look bigger by reflecting light and bringing in important storage. Many also feature LED lighting, making it that much easier to get ready in the morning.
Mirrors come in so many different shapes and designs, so it is easy to find one to suit your bathroom. From large round mirrors to smaller rectangle cabinets, there are plenty to choose from to find one that suits you and your family.
Mirror cabinets are fantastic for storage – featuring shelves inside to give you a dedicated place to store all your bits and bobs that you want close at hand when at your basin.
Shaving socket mirrors
For ultimate convenience, you can buy a mirror with a built-in shaving socket. Charging your shaver in various places around the house can be a pain, especially if you can do it right there in your bathroom. These mirrors come with a built-in shaver socket that’s been integrated into the side so you can charge conveniently, any time you want!
Anti-slip flooring
Depending on where you’re planning on fitting your new tiles the stain resistance might be crucial to how long they’ll last or how easily they’ll mark. The resistance of a tile is classified using a 1 to 5 scale with 1 being stained easily and 5 having the highest resistance. The below chart will explain more.
Child-safety tips
If you have children in your family, then their safety is a top priority when it comes to your bathroom. The main things you need to consider when planning your family bathroom are:
Water temperature:
Thermostatic/cool touch shower valves help prevent potentially dangerous water temperature spikes and eliminated accidental scalding from a hot valve
Anti-slip flooring:
Prevent children from slipping and injuring themselves by installing anti-slip flooring. Another thing that can help this is by ensuring you have a water-tight shower enclosure or bath screen to prevent any water splashback from your shower.
Soft-close hinges:
Children love to explore, so choosing bathroom furniture and toilet seats with soft-close hinges prevents any fingers from getting trapped and hurt.
We’ve written a dedicated helpful blog on how to keep your bathroom child-safe, click to read more…Tips for Child Safety in the Bathroom
If you found this post useful, you may also be interested in - His and Hers Bathroom Ideas - Under Stairs Bathroom Ideas - Half Tiled Bathroom Ideas.
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