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Bathroom Buying Guide

Bathroom Buying Guide
Homebase
Writer and expert4 years ago
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Our bathrooms buying guide will help you plan your perfect relaxing retreat. Want a bathroom that's both fabulous and functional? It's easy if you give a little thought to making the best of your space. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious bathroom to relax in or a super convenient shower room, then we’re sure you’ll find the perfect bathroom suite from our range of stylish bathrooms. There is nothing quite like sinking into the tub for an indulgent soak after a long day – so it’s worth making sure your bathroom is just how you want it as a space where you can easily relax and unwind.

4 easy steps to achieving a beautiful bathroom

  • Browse our range of bathroom suites and fitted bathroom furniture.
  • Choose from our wide range of baths, shower cubicles, heated towel rails, taps, bathroom lighting, quirky wall tiles, mirrors, toilets and much more.
  • Book your FREE design consultation
  • Visit the store with measurements of your bathroom. Our designer will create a beautiful and practical design for your space.

How much space do you have?

Use graph paper to draw a plan of your existing bathroom. Put in doors, windows and radiators and then mark the existing plumbing and electrics, include the layout of water pipes, sewage outlets, ventilation ducts and light switches.

The space available will provide you with different options – understand for example whether moving a wall or a radiator is feasible for you and suits your budget. Consider the positioning of key bathroom features which may require moving pipes, such as your toilet. Think about the position of the door, the way it opens, the positioning of your cabinet, the basin, bath or shower and importantly the pipe-work. The layout of the room is critical to the final look of your bathroom, and also the practicality. Ensure enough space is left around your toilet, sink and bath for easy movement.

If you can't fit in all the units you want or if the room looks cramped, see if you can rearrange the fixtures or relocate them. It's cheaper and easier to use the existing plumbing, but it's fairly straightforward to rearrange pipes if they're staying within the same area.

You may want to think about extending your bathroom, or adding an en suite to an adjoining bedroom. This will mean a bit more work and increase your budget, but a well-designed bathroom often adds to the value of your home.

What storage needs do you have?

Think how many people use the bathroom so you can work out how much storage you'll need for their toiletries and towels (and those cleaning products!) What about wall cabinets and ladder shelving

They'll help you make the most of wall space. Use the floor too - fit in a laundry basket, for example. Also factor in space for your towel rails and hooks for bathrobes.

Or why not go for the total look and pair your new suite with matching bathroom furniture? Our versatile bathroom furniture will give your bathroom a fantastic, fully fitted finish and offer masses of storage space. Choose from a range of tall cabinets, single and double drawer units, free-standing shelving units, open-shelf storage and mirrored or plain wall units in a choice of modern wood finishes.

Finishing touches & accessories

Give your bathroom extra personality with a selection of bathroom accessories and homewares.

Your bathroom is your relaxation space, so why not make it feel as if it’s your very own mini-spa by refreshing your towels and bath mats to give your bathroom maximum comfort. Work with the existing style of your home to find a style that fits for you.

Updating all elements of your bathroom can really give it a new lease of life. Update your mirror to go with your new bathroom style, or add one that has fitted lights to enhance the atmosphere. Fitting your bath with a new shower curtain or bath screen will not only help practically but also bring your style into full swing.

Finally, adding those essential finishes to your bathroom, like toothbrush holders and soap dishes will really complete the look and will make your bathroom feel homely.

Lighting

Don’t forget to update your bathroom lighting, it can really set the mood for those indulgent moments in the bath where you can allow yourself to drift away.

From light and bright in the morning, to softly lit and relaxing in the evening. It's easy to build atmosphere by using different types of lighting.

  • Spotlights give bright directional lighting where you need it most. They're either surface mounted or recessed and fitted into walls, ceilings and floors.
  • Wall and mirror lights are great for adding atmosphere. They're ideal for your bathroom as the bulbs are tucked away behind a shade or mirror.

Remember that wall and floor finishes reflect light in different ways, changing how your space looks. And of course you need the right lights in the right place - concentrated lighting, for instance, when you're putting on make-up or shaving.

Flooring & walls

Beautiful floor and wall finishes will set your bathroom off a treat - look for the ones specially designed for when there's water about. These tips will help you choose:

Flooring

It needs to be safe, slip-resistant, hygienic and easy to clean. These tick all the boxes: natural stone, ceramic tiles, lino and specially treated wood and laminate. For more help see our flooring buying guide.

Tiles

  • Tiles are both a decorative and practical bathroom necessity.
  • Ceramic tiles are perfect as they prevent water damage to your walls. Choose from gloss, matt, glass and metal finishes, available in almost every colour.
  • Mosaic tiles look very stylish in a bathroom and you'll like the fact that they come in handy sheets for easy positioning.
  • Mirror tiles work really well in modern bathrooms and make your space look bigger.

Paint

Choose a paint specially formulated for bathrooms, and only use in areas not exposed to water splashes. The paint is moisture-resistant and easy to clean, but nothing protects your walls quite as well as tiling.

Tips

  • Before you do any electrical, plumbing or structural work to your bathroom, check with your local authority about rules and regulations for bathrooms and toilets.
  • It's a wise idea to hire a qualified plumber or bathroom installer to fit your bathroom if you’re planning a big job and changing the layout.
  • If you're putting in an electric shower, you'll also need a qualified electrician. Again, this is a service we can help you with.
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