Sydney Architect Adam Pressley FRAIA
runs a residential practice designing homes.

"We custom design new homes and renovations which include luxurious bathrooms, powder rooms and en-suites - all to our clients needs".

Home Design Advice:

Sydney Architect - Adam Pressley, Architects Reg No.6007

10 Essential Bathroom Design Ideas

Below is a list of my top 10 bathroom design essentials. I'm not talking about toilets and basins, but other practical items that every bathroom needs to function properly but which are often overlooked. These interior design ideas are essential to a good bathroom. For additional ideas look at my 5 perfect bathroom ideas and 15 luxury bathroom ideas pages.

1 - Vanity view

Why open to a view of the loo:
Even today I see bathrooms layed out with the toilet on display. Set your bathroom up with a view of the vanity and give the toilet some privacy.

2 - Loads of storage

Addicted to toiletries:
These days, more than ever, bathrooms need a lot of storage. The best place to store toiletries is the shaving cabinet - because they are at eye level and not too deep. Try creating a storage wall that runs the whole length of the bathroom.

3 - Ventilation

Avoid foggy mirrors, mould and damp:
Bathrooms are 'wet areas'. All 'wet areas' need ventilation and cross ventilation is the best. If you don't have access to good ventilation, consider a ventilated skylight or roof window, or an exhaust fan. Make sure the windows can't be closed off completely.

4 - Light your face, not the mirror

You don't want to be blinded by the light in the mirror:
Lighting the mirror instead of the face is a common mistake. The best lighting is wall mounted above or beside the mirror and provides diffuse light to the face. Avoid ceiling mounted recessed downlights as they often cause shadows under the eyes.

5 - Easy clean

Some useful pointers to an easy clean bathroom:
Try a wall hung toilet pan or a flush to wall suite to avoid having to clean all the little gaps. Try using large wall tile to minimise the grout or, where the tiles allow, consider tight grout joints (1 - 1.5mm). Try not having a benchtop, just a basin so items aren't left lying around and there are less surfaces to clean.

6 - Natural light

So much lighter, brighter and cheaper because it's free:
Simply put - light, bright bathrooms are warmer and more inviting. Where you can't get good natural light, try using uplights to bounce light off the ceilings and walls - daylight corrected globes help too.

7 - Non slip shower

Showers can feel great underfoot and be safer too:
Think mosaic tiles, chips of tumbled marble or pepples. These sorts of floors allow you to get really good falls to the drain and can be a lot safer. With all the extra grout, make sure you seal them twice as much as recommended with a penetrating sealer to avoid discolouration.

8 - You can't see the dust

Some floor tiles can hide the dirt between cleans:
It's a fact, some tiles show every spec of dirt and never look clean (eg. shiny black tiles). Look for tiles that are mat in finish, not too dark or too light and a bit grainy to look at (eg. limestone or shellstone are great a hiding the dust and dirt).

9 - Small floor tiles

Fall to the drain easier + improves slip resistance:
Avoid large tiles for your bathroom floor unless you can afford to use those expensive linear drainage systems. Small tiles, like mosaic tiles often create a more slip resistant finish.

10 - Mirrored wall

A well placed mirror can almost double the feeling of space:
The best mirrored walls run wall to wall without visible fixings so that they mirror the space almost perfectly. Make sure mirrors are well sealed on the back to avoid deterioration around the edges.

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