Top Tips For Designing & Creating The Perfect Loft Bathroom
Wondering how you can transform your unused loft space into a much more valuable new bathroom? We asked Fresh Design Blog to share their advice on how best to do it...
How to Turn Your Loft Into a Bathroom
"Loft conversions are a popular home improvement choice and can be a good way of extending a property and creating more space, without the need to move house. One of the common uses for a loft conversion is to transform it into a bedroom and bathroom. Whether it’s an en-suite or a separate bathroom, there are a lot of issues to consider in order to design the ideal room.
If you’re in the process of a loft conversion, or are thinking about how best to use the roof space you have available, here are some top tips and ideas for designing and creating the perfect loft bathroom.
Plan your space
First and foremost, when you're creating any new bathroom design, it's essential that you plan your space first. Measure the space you have available, being as accurate as possible, and draw out a plan of your desired loft bathroom. There are free online room planning tools you can use to help you with this, such as Room Sketcher, or you can get your builder to draw something out for you. Play around with the layout and see if the design would work better with items such as the bath or shower in different positions.
If you’re creating an en-suite bathroom in a loft and have limited space, stick to designing it with the essentials only. It may sound like a nice idea to have a bath and a shower, but when space is at a premium, focus on the facilities that you will value the most. There’s no point squeezing every possible option in if it compromises on design and function.
Of course, if you are lucky enough to have plenty of space available, then a freestanding bath can be a luxury addition to add to a loft bathroom, especially if you get to stare at the stars above whilst you bathe!
Dealing with unusual loft spaces
One of the common issues with loft conversions is that you can end up with some awkward corners and low hanging beams, where standard products won't fit and height might be an issue. In order to create the perfect loft bathroom, you may need to put your thinking cap on and consider how best the space can be utilised.
For example, if you've got awkward corners to contend with due to building in the eaves, consider having custom-built storage solutions. This will help you make the most use of the space you have available and ensure you get the exact fit you desire.
It's worth knowing that products such as corner basins and corner toilets are available that can help solve those tricky issues.
Increase space with design tricks
If your bathroom is small, you can enhance the space you have available using clever design tricks. One useful tip is to choose wall-hung bathroom furniture and sanitaryware, like the Monaco wall hung toilet or the Affine stone wall hung basin. This will enable the floor to be kept clear and help create the illusion that the bathroom is bigger than it really is.
Don't forget that products come in a range of sizes, so if you need a more slimline sink or narrower unit, these are available and will help maximise space.
Related: Guide to Making the Most of a Small Bathroom
Get clever with storage
The perfect bathroom is streamlined and clutter free, but you'll inevitably have products you'll want to have at hand in your bathroom. Wall hung cupboards are always useful to have and will hide clutter from view.
Think about having storage ledges built into the design of the shower to create little tiled shelves – it's nicer than having to add a shelf at a later stage.
If you have a vanity unit installed around the basin, consider whether a drawer can be included underneath, rather than a cupboard. Typically, items can easily get lost at the back of a cupboard, but a vanity drawer can be much more functional and ensure you can see contents at a glance. The Vasari Bella range of wall hung drawer vanity units are contemporary in style and practical in design.
Utilise natural light
Although it’s not essential for a bathroom to have a window, it really makes a difference when it does. In a loft bathroom you can make the most of natural light by having plenty of roof windows included in your design.
Or, if space is limited, choose one large roof window. As the room is in the loft and may not be overlooked by other buildings, privacy might not be such an issue, but you can always add window blinds as well.
Add good lighting
Good lighting in a bathroom is important and a loft bathroom is no exception. In addition to making the most of natural light streaming through your windows, it’s a good idea to think about what other lighting needs you have.
Consider which areas of the bathroom most need light and how you’d like that light to be provided. For example, if you’re having an electric shaving point put in, it makes sense of there to plenty of light in this area to ensure you can get a clean shave on a dark morning. Or you might want extra light around a vanity mirror or makeup area. Look out for illuminated mirrors that have lights built in, as these can offer two solutions in one!
Related: What Lights Can You Use in a Bathroom?
Consider heating
When it comes to heating in a loft bathroom, a luxurious option is to install underfloor heating. If your space is compact, underfloor heating can work out as a cost-effective solution, and will keep the room cosy in the winter.
Wall mounted vertical towel racks can add extra heating, plus provide vital storage and organisation for towels. They're useful to hang in any low-ceiling areas, where you're limited on space. Try one of the DuraTherm square bar heated towel rails in chrome - they're available in a variety of sizes to suit your individual needs.
Pictured: DuraTherm Square Bar Heated Towel Rail Chrome - 800 x 450mm
Focus on the finer details
Finally, don't forget the finer details! The accessories and decorative touches that you add can help bring the interior design scheme to life and provided a well-rounded finish. Choose items in one or two accent colours, in contrast to or to complement your main loft bathroom colour scheme.
Add textures through the use of fluffy towels and a bath mat, bring in comforting or relaxing scents with reed diffusers or candles and make it a bathroom you'll enjoy using."
If you found this post useful, you may also like - Small Cloakroom Ideas - Ensuite Bathroom Ideas - 5 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Look Larger.
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