The bathroom is probably the smallest room in the home, yet likely one of the most important. When planning your dream home, it is essential you take plenty of time to think through exactly what type of bathroom (s) you want and how it(they) should be arranged and furnished. However, before starting to plan the interior set-up, you first need to carefully determine how many bathrooms are required to handle those who live there. Unless the home will be for a single person who rarely entertains, it is best to consider more than one bathroom. And, if there are or will be teenagers in the home, it is helpful to have three bathrooms if possible. Of course, all the bathrooms don’t have to be what is termed “full baths” with toilet, sink, shower, and tub. In fact, what is termed a “half-bath” which is a toilet and sink is frequently all that is needed for guests, and a teenager needing time to do hair and make-up. Once you have decided how many and what type of bathrooms you will want, you can move on to other considerations:
Here follow some helpful strategies to make your dream come true:
- What kind of bathroom fixtures suit your fancy? Visit a plumbing store and check online and in catalogs to see the incredible variety available. With so many choices, selecting a favorite may be difficult. Price may be a factor to consider too, which might make the choosing easier.
- Another choice will be what type of shower stall, tub, sink(s) toilet, toilet paper holder, towel racks, under the sink cabinet do you like? What type of shower head for your showers? Do you want sliding doors or a shower curtain for your shower?
- Will you want a medicine cabinet near the sink?
- Do you want a linen closet for towels and bathroom supplies in the bathroom or a hallway? Or maybe you prefer open shelves for towels.
- Will you want full mirrors, mirrors over the sink, or ornamental wall mirrors in your bathroom?
- What type of lighting, especially over the sink do you want?
- If you or someone living with you are elderly or disabled, a bathroom is definitely a place where special considerations need to be taken to avoid falling and help ease bending and sitting. Check on special railings, rough tub and shower bottoms, walk-in tubs, raised toilet seats, and hand bars next to the toilet, tub and shower.
- If very young children will be using the bathroom, what type of step-stool will be useful and attractive?
- Will you want a window in the bathroom? If not, you will need an exhaust fan. If you live in an area prone to tornados a windowless bathroom is a way to provide a shelter during a tornado watch.
- The size of a bathroom is important too. What size are the people who will use the bathroom? For larger folks, a tiny bathroom can be a real problem.
- Flooring is especially important in a bathroom both from the standpoint of keeping clean and avoiding slipping on when wet.
Once you have answered the above questions, you can think about colors, tile, wall decorations, and coordinating towels, and miscellaneous items such as soap dishes and dispensers, tissue holders, hooks for hanging, dirty laundry container, and bathroom rug. Taking time to plan your bathroom(s) in detail will be well worth it for you, your family, and any folks that come to visit.
