As you know we are planning to build a new family bathroom as part of phase two of our extension. So, we have been busy doing our research, including visiting this website and many others, seeing what is available and working out what we should buy. We have not made any final decisions, yet, despite Pinterest boards to the contrary. But we have picked up some great family bathroom design tips. Many of which you could potentially use when it is time to revamp yours.
Think ahead
The first tip is to think ahead, far FAR ahead. A bathroom that is great for toddlers is not necessarily going to work once your children get older. Take for example, the shower. When your kids are small all you need to worry about is whether you or your partner can fit under the shower. So, it is easy to forget that, these days, most children end up being taller than their parents. This means that when you choose a shower, you need to make sure that it can be adjusted to accommodate people who are taller than you are. Or, if you’re fitting a fixed head shower, put it up nice and high… think gangly teens!
Bathroom suites are not cheap, so you need to think ahead and buy one that will still work for you and your family a decade later. If you’re a multi-generational family living in one space, it is also worth thinking about installing a walk in bath. In the future your elderly parents may no longer be able to safely step in and out of a normal bath.
Storage matters
When your children are little, they don’t worry about what shampoo or soap they use. But, that soon changes when they grow up judging by the piles we’ve already started collating. Suddenly, your bathroom is full of all kinds of bottles! Installing a set of drawers or stackable baskets and assigning one to each member of the family is a practical idea. While they are young, get them into the habit of stowing away the items they use in their basket or drawer. As they grow up, they should continue to do so. A tidy bathroom is much nicer to use, especially if you’re short on space. It is also much easier to keep clean.
Ease of cleaning
Speaking of which, you do need to think about how you are going to keep your bathroom clean. It is going to get a lot of use, so you will have to clean it most days, especially with grubby toddlers on the loose! Be sure to choose materials that are easy to clean such as tiles or vinyl flooring rather than carpet. I’ve recently bought a squeegee and become obsessive about quickly wiping down the glass on the shower door… as sad as that sounds!
Safety
For a family, bathroom safety is a particularly important consideration. Make sure your kids cannot slip over, break anything or burn themselves when they are still little. Buy a non-slip bath or shower mat. A net to keep toys out of the way of the floor. Have a thermostatic device fitted to your shower and taps. You can find out how to fit them yourself, by clicking through to a short video, here.
Glass jars and decorative ceramic items all look nice. But it’s all too easy for them to slip out of wet little fingers and shatter on the floor. When that happens, all too often panic sets in and someone’s foot gets cut. You just need to wait until your children are older to start buying the bathroom accessories you really want… apparently!
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