Modern Minimalistic Bathroom
It used to be that bathrooms were planned as an afterthought. They once were closets with cheesy fixtures, it’s only use is for basic hygiene. Now, they are the nucleaus of the home, and they are desired to be comfortable, operative, yet classy. Interior design for bathrooms starts with answering some basic questions and some necessary upfront planning.
A start is to visit showrooms and home centers and window shop for ideas. The internet is a very useful resource to see the plethora of features and styles for fixtures, showers, floors, bathtubs. You will also assimilate ideas about what is really important for your family and what you could give up. It is really more than decorations. Whirlpools are nice but most of the time it ends up as a novelty and rarely used. Ask yourself some crucial questions like who is the bathroom for? What is the bathroom traffic going to be like? How big should it be realistically, considering the size of your house. And lastly, what is your budget? Let’s start with the basic bathroom design types.
Interior Design: Family Bathrooms
This is the house’s main workhorse. It will take the majority of abuse and traffic. The bathroom size is usually of limited space, so careful planning of the layout, storage and fixtures, is important. Pick fixtures and bathroom decor that are very durable and undemanding in terms of cleaning.
Interior Design: Master Bath Suites
These are more private bathrooms for a single person or a couple. For couples, it is sometimes desired that the actual bathroom be divided, which means a separate bathroom toiet, sinks, storage, etc. So there are separations but it should also accomodate both people using it at the same time. On the other hand, some couples would occasionally shower at the same time, so it should be big enough for both.
Modern Guest Bathroom
Interior Design: Guest Bathrooms
A distinct difference is that guest baths or powder rooms are used less frequently that your family’s bathroom. Therefore it can accomodate more fragile bathroom decor. These bathroom decorations can be less durable, and more elegant fixtures and finishes won’t suffer as much from moisture damage and stringent chemicals from cleaning.
Interior Design Bathroom Colors and Paints
Bathrooms have many glossy and light reflecting surfaces, so low-luster and matte paint finishes are a better option for bathroom paints and colors. Paints treated with mildewcide should also be used because of the moisture accumulation in bathrooms. There is also a wide selection of products and glues that protects against mold.
Begin with a bathroom color scheme and pick wallpaper and fabrics for it. Use them for color accents or trim, taking into consideration the location and the size of the bathroom. Pay attention to the sight lines outside of the bathroom, the adjacent walls, and the path towards it. Create a harmony with the colors that join each room. Complement design elements if it’s there. If there are stripe patterns in the bathroom, and floral patterns in adjacent rooms, match the colors, for example.
Interior Design Bathroom Shower and Bathtub
Although it is very tempting to decide on a large, antique bathtub, practical interior design calls for showers, surrendering the space-hogging, water-wasting requirements of the bathtub. Nonetheless, if one wants a bathtub, then one should have a bathtub.
The bathtub is at it’s most charming when it is the center of your bathroom, albeit not an efficient position as it will then need a larger overall space. Pairing the bathtub with the shower is a typical compromise and practical since it’s common to rinse off when leaving the tub.
Make sure the towel rack is reachable from the bathtub or the shower. Also allocate enough room around the bathtub for cleaning. Ideally, there should also be a good amount of distance between the bathtub/shower and the toilet and the door.
The heating, lighting, and ventilation system requirements of an interior designed bathroom is often overlooked. Planning ahead for these can avoid a cold, dark and humid bathroom.
Interior Design: Bathroom Heating and Flooring
Since your skin will be bare in the bathroom, the air temperature should be warmer, about 2-3 degrees, than the other parts of the house. A good idea is to have a separate thermostat to control the bathroom’s temperature. But since the bathroom is relative small, it’s not hard to install additional heating like heat lamps and forced air heaters. Ideally, if your budget can handle it, floor radiators or similar floor based heating is the best option.
Ambient Vanity Lighting
Interior Design: Bathroom Lighting
The bathroom’s lighting requirement includes natural lighting, general ambient lighting and specific task based lighting. They can be combined in a smaller sized bathroom however, like the specialized bathroom lighting used for the sink. When there’s space, separate lighting can be provided for the shower, bathtub, and the toilet.
Interior Design: Vanity Lighting
The lighting for the vanity demands special attention. Ceiling based lighting is the worst option, as it casts unflattering downward shadows that are not particularly useful. Lighting at the mirror or eye level is best as it is even and is directed at the face. As can be possible, pick natural colored lighting and energy efficient illumination.
Interior Design: Toilet
There’s a good deal of options for bathroom toilets. The standard toilet is in two pieces, the bowl and the tank, joined together during installation. As a side note, your home toilet has been the object of vigorous competition between plumbing supply companies. The result is more water efficient toilets – the 1.6-gallon toilet now works better than older toilets using half the amount of water. The materials often used for toilets are china and materials that keeps bacteria away.
Modern Vanity