Creating A Beautiful And Functional Bathroom Space

Interior design within a bathroom has the unique challenges of the rest of the house, but condensed. After all, it's not just aesthetics, but also ensuring that it's robust and practical for anyone using it. Here’s how to get the most out of your small, functional space - both visually and functionally.

Color scheme 

Even before you begin considering the type of bath you want, or the tiles for the walls, it’s good to get some basics sorted. The very first of these is the color scheme, as the tones and hues that you will use in your bathroom are essential to the success of its overall design. Not to mention that they will have a bearing on the types of fixtures and fittings you will be able to access, as well as the budget that will be involved. 

Contemporary bathroom color schemes tend to opt for neutrals as the main color and then add additional complimentary colors for interest and texture. In particular, white works well for bathroom neutrals as they are freely available in tile and suite forms in your local DIY store. However, it is entirely possible to combine white bathroom suites and tiles with other colors to create a much more personalized look. 

Practicalities 

Another issue that must be sorted out before you move on to the other factors listed below is the practical issues within your bathroom. These can include the amount of space you have, whether you want to change the layout of the room, and how you will provide privacy and ventilation. 

You can also create a more effective layout and use of space by moving around the fixtures and fittings in your bathroom. Although, doing so is likely to cost more and require the assistance of a professional. 

Privacy and ventilation issues (the latter being essential to ensure your bathroom stays hygienic and looks its best for as long as possible) are also vital. Privacy can be provided by using frosted glass in your bathroom windows which let in the light but do not allow anyone to see inside. Modern designs such as circles, stripes and even sheer frosted glass are available as an alternative to the heavier leaf or ridged pattern designs of the past. 

Ventilation is another task best left to the professionals. Indeed, a good bathroom exhaust fan installation expert will be able to offer you free onsite estimates, and upfront pricing. While at the same time providing master-level electrician services that will ensure your bathroom exhaust fan works efficiently to remove moisture. 

Bath/shower 

Once you have your practical issues sorted you can begin to consider the type of fixtures and fittings you want. Of course, the bath and shower are some of the most important aspects of any bathroom, so you will want to get them right. 

The thing is that there are so many options to consider. The first is whether you will combine your bath and shower into a single space, or have a separate bath and shower cubicle, something that will depend on the space you have available. 

Another consideration is whether you will opt for a traditional fitted tub, a freestanding bath, or even a sunken bath. Indeed, sunken baths offer a wider, deeper and more luxurious bathing experience that can fit well in a modern style bathroom. Modern freestanding tubs are also very popular right now. These tend to come without the more ornate roll-tops, and can also provide a deeper bathing experience which many people favor.

Sinks 

Sinks are also a crucial part of any bathroom, both because of their practical uses, and their aesthetic appeal. Indeed, for a more modern look, half sinks fitted flush to the wall are out and instead unit style pedestals with full free-standing sinks on top are where it's at. 

The great thing about this style of sink is that you can buy them like this from the DIY store, or you can use your own pedestal and sink combination to create precisely the look that you want. Although if you choose the latter you will need to make sure that the unit you choose can house the pipes necessary for the sink to function correctly. 

In particular double sinks, accented by oversized matching mirrors like in the picture below can create a wonderful contemporary and fresh look. 

Flooring 

Flooring is also a decision that needs to be made carefully when it comes to bathrooms. Again it is a feature that can do much for the overall aesthetics but additionally must work practically for the way that the space is used. 

The main practical issue with bathroom flooring is that it is watertight, so it prevents water that overspills from the shower, runs off of feet, and otherwise escaping where it should be. 

The good news is there is a range of options to consider when it comes to waterproof flooring. The first of these is tile, which is supremely fashionable right now. In particularly the back ad white tiles that make up a pattern on the floor can look marvelous, especially when combined with an accent tile on the wall around the bath and shower. 

Stone and slate are also a great option for flooring in a bathroom, although like other natural materials they will need to be sealed to provide maximum water resistance and longevity. You may even wish to choose wood for the flooring in your bathroom! A light beech color can look particularly modern. Of course, the only type of wood that is suitable for the moisture of the bathroom is hardwood as it will absorb less. Proper sealant is a must too to ensure minimal warping and water damage. 

Wall

Most people immediately think of tiles for the wall when decorating a bathroom, and there are very good reasons for this. The first is that tiles provide an excellent water-resistant surface that not only protects the wall behind them, but that is washable at the same time, something that will keep your bathroom walls looking great for much longer, especially around the splash zones of the bath and shower. 

Bathroom wall tile fashions at the moment very much tend towards the slim, rectangular subway tiles, either in a bright white or in richer hues like dark emerald or forest green Black subway tiles are also very popular especially as an accent around the shower or bath, some people even choose to use gold or metallic grouting to add an even more luxurious layer to their design. 

Storage

In a practical sense, bathrooms without storage are a major no-no. After all, there are many lotions, potions, toilet rolls, towels, flannels, shampoos, and soaps that we need fast access to perform our daily ablutions. 

However, in contemporary bathrooms, it's unlikely that you will see some if any of these items on display. Instead, the focus is on making the space functional by having them close to hand, while also having them tucked away out of sight to ensure a clean, streamlined look. 

Of course, the only way that you can achieve this is to have adequate storage, preferably with doors and lids to obscure the view of the contents they hold inside. This is where innovative store solutions come in such as long and lean cupboards that can fit into even the smallest of bathrooms spaces to ensure both aesthetics and functionality.