The 5 Most Common Bathroom Design Mistakes
March 3rd, 2009
Bathroom design often turns out to be a complete disaster. You may run into problems that require drastic changes to your bathroom layout and this can be very costly. Even if you are happy with the layout, you may find that certain aspects of your bathroom design are just not practical. Here are five common mistakes that are found with most bathroom design failures. Will you make these mistakes when you design your bathroom?
Mistake #1 – Plumbing That Is Difficult to Access
Leaks are things that sometimes occur in a bathroom. When they do, you will want to be able to access the plumbing to fix the leak without having to rip up the floor or tiling. This is a major inconvenience and is usually very costly! Check out your pipes and make sure that they are positioned in such a way that they will be easy to reach in the future.
Mistake #2 – No Room For the Door
When you are designing your bathroom layout, consider the motion of all the doors. Whether the cabinet doors or the main door to the bathroom, you will want to make sure that they can open all the way. Nothing is more frustrating or embarrassing than finally installing the door and letting it swing open into a vanity or the edge of the toilet! If you have a small bathroom, you should try to find a door that will slide open and closed or even just a door that opens outwards.
Mistake #3 – Improperly Placed Toilets
If at all possible, make sure that the toilet is screened from immediate view in some way. This can prevent an embarassing situation if somebody walks in when the bathroom is already occupied. You will find that the easiest way to do this is to use the edge of the cabinet or vanity as a screen. If you cannot do this, consider using a simple wooden screen or a semitranslucent panel of etched glass offering a little bit of extra privacy.
Mistake #4 – Poor Ventilation
Warm water and steam can make for a very mold-friendly environment, so make sure that you leave room for a vent to the outside. Don’t count on being able to leave a window open in order to ventilate the room. This often results in a lack of privacy and can also be a problem during Winter. Consider a bathroom exhaust fan that you can switch on or off, or one that operates automatically.
Mistake #5 – Lack of storage
You may think that you don’t need that much storage in the bathroom, but there are quite a few things that you actually use. From towels to hygiene supplies to razors to extra soap and shampoo, they all need storage, so make sure that there is a place to put them. Don’t forget about storage space in the shower, unless you like having soaps and bottles all over the floor.
You can avoid these mistakes if you put in a little upfront effort. All you need to do is create a bathroom floor plan and correct all your design mistakes before you start with the project. Most people find it easier to use bathroom design software to create their plans, but you could also just use a pen and paper for this. No matter which method you use, always ensure that you do proper planning and you will be guaranteed a success with your bathroom design.
Posted in Bathroom Designs
You have started a very interesting discussion on bathroom design. I’m a cabinetmaker who really does not want to make kitchens and bathrooms for a living, because the most of what is done in the US is just boxes with a “choice of doors and drawer fronts,” the most of which are made in a factory somewhere. Boring. I want to do something else if I can, but what?
European design just absolutely blows my mind, and I find myself reading quite a bit on it, even though these are often modular kitchens and bathrooms that one would simply send away for and have installed by a local craftsman. But what fascinates me is the utter innovation of those designs, so I find myself returning to them quite a bit.
I am also looking to design two bathrooms and a kitchen for my wife in too-small spaces in a tract home, which necessarily lets out those wonderful European designs that excite me so. And whenever I find myself going out on a limb with some idea or another, my wife always grounds me by saying, “If you stick with the classics, you won’t grow tired of them.”
So, what do you do that is different and yet timeless and practical and stimulating to make if you’re a cabinetmaker? Damned if I know, but if I ever figure it out, I mean to make it for us and splash those babies all over the Internet!
What you’ve written, though, has given me quite a bit to think about, and I thank you for sharing your concepts.