By Ian Grainger
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Small bathrooms can prove to be very difficult to design and implement as every bathroom has to have certain facilities, especially if there is no space for a separate toilet. However, with sensible layouts and clever use of storage and functional options, even a small bathroom space can be both stunning and practical.
It is always best to star designing a small bathroom by determining how much floorspace you have to work with and by making note of window and door placements. The best way to do this is to measure up the room properly and use bathroom design software to create a floorplan, adding in the location of windows and doors, as well as which way they open and how far into the room they encroach if they open inwards.
This initial floorplan will provide the foundation for your bathroom design and the home design software will allow you to build a visual picture of the room as you work.
Next you need to decide what facilities the bathroom will include. The bare minimum should be a sink and bath but you might also need to add a toilet should the home in question not have a separate WC or the space for one.
Think about how you use your bathroom - what will be the best location for your bath and your sink? Do you need plenty of floor space next to the bath for bathing children or getting in and out if you are elderly or disabled? Do you need to sink next to the bath or can it be located elsewhere in the room? While answering these questions, always bear in mind where the door and windows are. You don't want to block the door opening fully with the placement of your bath, for example. Also think about who can potentially see into the room through the window. This could have a bearing on where the bath goes too.
Also consider what type of bath you want. Will a normal rectangular bath fit well and suit your needs or could you choose a corner bath? There are also a huge range of sinks available, some of which don't take up as much room as others or can be built into units for better functionality. Consider those too.
Once you are happy with the layout of the essentials - and use the bathroom planning software to do this, it will be a time saver later on - decide what other options you would like. Perhaps you would like a shower. Is there room for a separate shower cubicle? This is unlikely in a small bathroom, so look at the over-the-bath options available and see which one suits the type of bath you have chosen.
Finally, you're going to need storage for towels, toiletries and the like. This is where a sink built into a unit can help, as this will provide cupboard space you could use while taking up comparatively less space. A wall mounted bathroom cabinet with mirrored door and built in light would also be a great use of space. Again, think about the positioning of this - ideally it would be over the sink, so if you have placed your sink in front of the window you might need to rethink this.
This is where using the software comes into its own and saves you time. Using bathroom design software allows you to easily move things around once you've added additional items until you are happy with the layout again, saving you time - and money!
Other storage options to consider are corner shelf stands, over-the-door hooks and heated towel rails to replace radiators.
With all these chosen and in place, you can now focus on the fun part - the colour scheme, decor and lighting! Again, the planner software can help here too, allowing you to play with different colours and fittings of taps, placing of lighting and much more. With your final design decided you can get started with the actual work, safe in the knowledge you're going to get the perfect small bathroom.
Ian Grainger is writing on behalf of Nexus Design Software, developers of kitchen design software, bathroom design software and bedroom design software.
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