Purely utilitarian bathroom designs are ancient history. Many modern homeowners want bathroom spaces that reflect their personal brand. A recent survey found that 33% of Americans renovated their bathrooms because they could no longer stand the old one, while 25% did it to personalize a recently purchased home more to their liking.
Successful bathroom remodels require making a series of correct decisions. Given the wide range of design choices to make, thought, it is easy for homeowners to get confused. Those who aren’t careful may end up with stunning spaces that serve little or no purpose, or vice versa.
While there are no hard and fast rules to bathroom design, it’s always wise to learn from mistakes—especially if they’re mistakes others have already made. That said, let’s dive into a few bathroom design pitfalls to sidestep at all costs.
1. Not Accounting for Storage Space
When planning a bathroom remodel, storage is vital. While nobody is blessed with unlimited space, every inch counts.
Custom bathroom cabinets are a great solution for optimizing storage. Not only can custom cabinets be tailored to specific spaces and needs, but they can also match different aesthetics. Think, Shaker-style cabinets for minimalistic bathrooms.
Using boxes, baskets, and fixed/floating shelves is also a good way to cut clutter. Corner shelves are perfect for small items, and dedicated organizers can be used to stash away makeup, cleaning bottles, toiletries, etc.
2.Placing the Drainage System Incorrectly
Flooded bathrooms are a nightmare. The last thing anyone wants is water collecting around their feet while they shower. This usually happens when a drainpipe does not line up with external plumbing properly or is not sloped adequately.
Ideally, unless do-it-yourself plumbing is a specialty, homeowners should get a professional to handle the plumbing part of the job. Plumbers know the local building codes, plus most know a trick or two about maximizing bathroom space.
Homeowners who choose to go the DIY route should measure the bath and shower correctly before installation, plan for pipe and drain locations, plus access local building codes so they know what parameters they need to meet. A little vigilance can go a long way in preventing unsolicited leaks.
3. Ignoring Ventilation
Bathrooms see the most water and humidity of any space in the house, so it’s important they have proper circulation to air them out efficiently. Here’s how good bathroom ventilation helps a home:
- Improves Comfort:As the old saying goes, it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity. Excess moisture in the air can make hot summer days even more unbearable. The same goes for bathrooms. However, with proper ventilation, post-shower comfort is possible.
- Prevents Bacterial Growth:Several strains of bacteria thrive in hot, humid conditions. Proper bathroom ventilation can keep such threats at bay. This is especially significant if there are kids in the home.
- Minimizes Mold and Mildew:Indoor humidity levels should range between 30-50% to avert mold growth. A mold infestation can wreak havoc on a home and trigger serious health problems.
- Decreases Condensation:Proper ventilation reduces moisture in the air, which lowers condensation on bathroom mirrors, windows, and shower walls.
- Reduces Rusting:Trapped humidity will eventually begin to rust the metal hinges on doors and cabinets. Metal fixtures in bathrooms that are not vented properly will need to be replaced frequently.
What are some easy solutions? Simply leaving the windows open can get the job done effectively, but that’s not always possible if it’s raining or cold outside. Some bathrooms may not even have windows, in which case extractor/ventilator fans are a must. Running a fan for about 15 minutes after a shower should suffice. Any longer, and the fan may draw in more moisture than it lets out.
4. Not Planning a Proper Layout
A bathroom’s layout determines how well the space functions in the long run. A great floor plan is one that accommodates fixtures while providing enough space for day-to-day activities.
As they chalk out a blueprint, homeowners need to think about the amount of space they have and the number of people who will use it. They also need to pick bathroom fittings accordingly. While a gorgeous, freestanding bathtub can be a dramatic addition, if it fills too much of the space, the homeowners might be better off with a space-saving shower.
Let’s look at a few other, easy-to-follow bathroom layout tips:
- The location of the toilet can set the tone for the design. Toilets are usually tough to move, so it’s best to plan the layout around it.
- How many people will be using the space? This number dictates how many sinks, drawers, and cabinets are needed.
- Try not to jam too many things into one area.
- If the bathroom is small, clear floor space in front of and around sinks, toilets, doorways, cabinets, and baths/showers may need to overlap.
5. Choosing Absorbent Materials
Using the wrong materials in a bathroom can leave areas prone to water damage, mold, and slick surfaces. The space needs to be able to handle moisture, traffic, and dirt without it looking derelict.
As a general rule, the following materials she be avoided in bathrooms:
Cement Tiles: Cement tiles can add a lot of style to a bathroom, but they require routine maintenance. Cement is porous, etches easily, and stains in no time. Without proper care, cement tiles start to look worn and unattractive after a short while.
Standard Wallpaper: While wallpaper has made a big comeback, not all wallpapers are moisture resistant, and moisture-resistance is crucial for bathrooms. All it takes is a little humidity to bubble and curl the edges of wallpaper that is not designed for use in bathrooms.
Carpet: Homeowners have different reasons for wanting to carpet bathroom floors. Maybe they want to avoid slipping, or maybe they enjoy the warmth that carpet can bring to a space. Whatever their motivation, carpeted bathroom floors are a recipe for disaster. Not only are wet carpets prime spots for mold outbreaks, adhesives in carpeting can deteriorate when exposed to moisture regularly and disintegrate the carpet.
Those with a severe distaste for cold bathroom floors, should consider buying washable rugs instead.
6. Not Focusing on Lighting
Bathroom lighting is often neglected in remodeling projects. However, lighting plays a vital role in making the space feel bigger and brighter as well as making it more functional.
Most homeowners shave, wash, and groom themselves in the bathroom. These tasks require good lighting. Without good lighting, five-o’clock shadow, splotches, nicks, and errant makeup lines are real possibilities.
Rather than relying on ambient light, light bars or sconces flanking the bathroom vanity are a great way to brighten grooming space. Task lights and dimmable spotlights can make for a more relaxed ambiance, while candles can transform the space in an instant (and are easy on the pocket).
Hollands is Here to Help
Putting in a new bathroom is no easy feat. Inexperienced remodelers are bound to hit a few roadblocks along the way. At Holland’s Custom Cabinets, we hope that knowing about the most common bathroom design mistakes can help homeowners nip those mistakes in the bud.
At any point along the DIY pathway, Hollands is here to help. Whether the need is custom cabinets for a brand-new bathroom or assistance making the space work for storage needs, Hollands invites homeowners to reach out today! Hollands combines high-quality materials, precision engineering, and traditional woodworking techniques to create luxurious and spacious bathroom cabinets . . . and more.
