The bathroom is no longer an afterthought when it comes to designing our home. In fact, more money per square metre is spent here than any other room, with the possible exception of the kitchen (but you’re not putting a $5000 fridge in your bathroom).
The bathroom is our haven, our sanctuary. It’s where we’re naked with ourselves. It’s where we pamper ourselves. No wonder we want it to be a beautiful, comfortable space.
It’s also an easy place to blow out your budget. There’s a myriad of options out there for tiles, tapware, baths and lighting – so it’s also a place where you can achieve that luxury look within a budget, too. Whichever way you go, here’s what you need to know about getting the best design for your spend…
1. Who’s it for?
Is this your en suite or the family room? Let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to spend money on a space that’s for you rather than the grotty teens. It will influence the fittings you use, the layout and decisions on whether there are things you may not want to include, like a beautiful (and expensive) freestanding porcelain bathtub. And who’s using it will also dictate the size of space you need (unless budget is no issue-hint: large is luxury).
2. Set a bathroom budget
Designing a brand new bathroom is easier than renovating one. You can create the shape and size of the bathroom you want, but with a renovation, you start with what you are given. More important, the things you may find when you pull the old tiles off may well be worse than you hope for. Older bathrooms do not have the level of waterproofing of newer ones and it’s a not infrequent occurrence to discover rotten timber, soggy gib board and floorboards in dire need of replacement. With building cost inflation skyrocketing, it’s hard to pin down what your budget should be, but a starting point for a basic bathroom should start at least around $10,000 and then up depending on size and materials used.
3. When renovating, be prepared for a complete overhaul (where will you shower and go to the toilet while the bathroom is out of action?)
This is not a simple or quick job. The entire room is usually stripped bare to allow the plumber and electrician to rewire and refit pipes in all the necessary places. As well as relining the walls, the ceiling will be relined and any floor coverings will be lifted. Waterproofing is then applied before any surface linings like tiles are added.
4. Ensure your bathroom is easy to use
5. Sort your style
Your bathroom doesn’t have to be stylistically identical to the rest of your home, but it should be a comfortable fit. At an early stage in the bathroom design process, take a wander through your local NZ bathroom fittings retailer. With a wide variety of showers, toilets and bathroom fixtures, and display bathrooms in a range of styles, you’ll be able to see what your options are. Think about style, colour and size of units. Before going, it’s a good idea to get hold of some interior design magazines and catalogues.
6. Create a good bathroom design
If you’re going to spend money renovating your bathroom, it’s best to think through all aspects of your sparkling new bathroom space:
- Use of space: most bathrooms are reasonably small, so make effective use of the space. Try out different layouts (don’t feel restricted by what was there previously if you’re revamping an existing bathroom). Consider: how doors will open; the amount of room available when stepping out of the shower; the size of the bathroom vanity and so on. You can create the illusion of space with an uncluttered space and clean lines which draw the eye upwards. Make sure you take accurate measurements so you can select bathroom fixtures to suit the space.
- Colour: stick to light colours if your space is small. Cream, white or a neutral colour is a good base. For some flair, add accessories or feature tiles with some bolder colour.
- Lighting and heating: consider this at an early stage, as wiring will need to be done before the walls, ceiling and floor are relined. You might want to think about underfloor heating, heated towel rails, lighting above the vanity, extraction fans and heating elements to prevent mirrors from steaming up. Lighting should be functional (it’s good to be able to see what you’re doing when preening and cleaning!) and make good use of any natural light sources.
- Ventilation: the bathroom can be a source of major dampness in your house, so make sure it’s well-ventilated to prevent mould and mildew. Ask your building team about a water-resistant lining material, which reduces the amount of moisture absorbed by the lining and prevents it from being absorbed into the structural materials.
- Storage: look for a basin or vanity with adequate storage cupboards and/or drawers. You might want to supplement this with exposed shelves, recessed cabinets or floating cabinets.
- Flooring: tiles are the most durable and easy to clean floor surface in the bathroom. Tiling can be extended up the wall to a height of 1.2 metres (above which the wall is painted).
Whether you’re designing your own bathroom or thinking a bathroom design through before approaching a New Zealand bathroom design expert, make sure you create a space that is both usable and welcoming.