How to design a bathroom renovation
Renovating your bathroom can be exciting, but without a clear plan, your project could quickly lose direction, making it harder for you to create your dream bathroom and stay on budget.
Below, we explore key things to think about when planning a bathroom renovation.
What to consider when renovating a bathroom
Whether you’re simply updating your existing bathroom layout or ripping it all out to start afresh, renovating your bathroom is a big project. Preparation is key to ensure it all goes to plan.
Remember, every renovation is unique, so it can be super helpful to get an expert consultation to understand the true opportunities your bathroom project could hold. But first, here are a few general ideas to get your cogs turning.
Assess the existing set-up
The first step to any renovation project is to take a look at what’s already there. For bathrooms in particular, details like the locations of soil and waste pipes can really help to define how you renovate the space - as well as the costs involved.
To get you started, assessing what you already have and determining what you like and don’t like can give you lots of ideas on what you’d like to achieve with the reno project.
In many cases, you may already have an idea of what you’d like to add to your bathroom, as this probably prompted the decision to renovate in the first place. So, note down your priorities as well as anything you’d like to maintain about your existing bathroom - this will help you when it comes to specifying the details to your renovating team.
Be clear on physical limitations
Depending on your budget, there are some things that are likely to be out of scope for your project. For example, many people could find relocating the bathroom to another room in the home too expensive, as might knocking through a wall be. If that’s the case, keeping that in mind as you plan can help to ensure your project stays on budget.
Take into account anything that could pose a problem when it comes to layout. For example, this might include:
Windows and doors
Existing plumbing fixtures for basins, toilets, baths, showers and radiators/towel rails
Bulkheads, sloping ceilings or recessed areas.
At this stage, it’s a great idea to take some accurate measurements of your bathroom and anything you’d like to keep (such as a bathtub, for example) so you can begin to visualise the layout.
Important! While it might be more challenging to work around these factors, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If you’ve got something in mind, but you think the physical limitations of your project will get in the way, speak to an expert renovations team. They can often find ways to achieve your dream bathroom that wouldn’t necessarily occur to the average homeowner.
Add practicality
One thing most people want more of in their home is storage, and the bathroom is no exception. Even if you’re not sure how or where storage could be incorporated in your design, try to note down what kind of storage you’d like, or the sorts of things you’d like to store in that room.
Storage isn’t the only practical consideration to think about, though. You’ll use your bathroom every day, so it’s important to get the logistics right for the best results. Consider whether you’ll be sharing this room with anyone, such as spouses, children or other relatives. What would make the room more suitable for them?
In practice, this can help you to make differentiating decisions such as whether to have a bath or a shower (or both!), whether to have one sink basin or two and how much storage space you might need.
Take aesthetic preferences into account
A good bathroom should be both functional and easy on the eye, and it can be hard to strike the right balance without planning ahead. While decorating your new bathroom might seem like it’s a long way off, choosing a colour palette and thinking about any styles or patterns you might like to incorporate can help you to make decisions about key components like blinds, wallpaper and furniture.
At this stage, you don’t have to have picked out the exact item you want to use for every part of your bathroom. It can be enough to build a rough colour palette so you can be alert when you see something you’d like to use.
If colour theory and matching complementary shades is difficult, then don’t start with a blank canvas. Look at images online and in magazines and try to pick out what it is about each scene that appeals to you. This can help you to begin building an idea of your own preferred style.
Don’t forget to budget
Budget is a key consideration in any renovation project, and it’s important to have a clear understanding of how much you’re willing to spend before you start browsing for fixtures, fittings and furniture for your new bathroom.
One thing we recommend is to start thinking about your ideal design without budget in mind, so you can begin to understand what you’d do in a perfect world. This is crucial to putting together a vision of what you really want, not just what you think you can afford.
Then, work out your budget and the maximum amount you’re happy to spend, and you can start problem-solving how you can make your dream a reality with the resources available to you. Renovation experts can be incredibly helpful at this stage because they do this kind of planning all the time - so they may be aware of shortcuts or more affordable alternatives that wouldn’t even occur to you, all to help you get the bathroom you deserve.
Planning a bathroom renovation takes time, and it’s good to make some headway with it before seeking out contractors and professional assistance, as this means you can give the experts a clearer picture of what you’re aiming to achieve. So, why not get started today?