What should I consider when renovating my bathroom

All too often, your bathroom is viewed as a utilitarian space that’s only there for convenience, but there are lots of reasons to use a renovation to redesign the space and create an oasis of calm. 
So what should you consider when planning your bathroom renovation? Our top eight components for a successful bathroom redesign include all of the standard items, along with a few less obvious suggestions.

1. The bath

In our view nothing gives a greater sense of luxury than a freestanding rolltop bath. The beauty of a freestanding solution is that it can be positioned anywhere in the bathroom and gives a real sense of space. Add in some beautifully designed taps and you’ll give your bathroom genuine wow factor. Bear in mind that options for material include fibreglass, porcelain, acrylic, cast iron, cultured marble, ceramic tile, stone and even wood.

2. The shower head

As the space we allocate to the shower has increased, so has the demand for larger shower heads. In reality, the style of the shower head is likely to come down to personal preference, and may also be dictated by the water pressure in your property, but our top tip is to ensure that the distribution of water to each nozzle is balanced. It’s also worth looking at a shower head that has silicone nozzles on the spray plate as that can prevent the build-up of unsightly limescale, especially if you live in a hard water area.

3. Lighting

Our approach to bathroom lighting is to balance the design with the practicality of the space. While it’s fun to experiment with funky lighting, we feel it’s important to ensure that the area around the sink and vanity unit is well lit. This might traditionally be with a light bar or a wall sconce, but a pair of small pendants can also be considered. If you’re looking for relaxation, dimmable spotlights can help to establish a calming ambience.

4. Tiles

One area where you can go to town is in the choice of tiles. There’s no doubt that neutral tones still usually win over more vibrant colour schemes, but there’s no reason not to have some accent tiles. The opportunities for invention are endless, from glass to metallic, urban chic to iridescence, smooth to textured and mosaic to brickwork. The size of the space and the available budget may well dictate the shortlist, but we’d advocate carrying out extensive research before making a final decision on tiles.

5. Heating

There’s nothing worse than stepping out of a warm shower into a cold bathroom, so heating needs careful consideration. From conventional freestanding radiators to contemporary wall-mounted heated towel rails, there are plenty of options for warming the room and drying your towels. And if you’re completely remodelling the space, further luxury can be achieved with underfloor heating.

6. Storage

If you’re opting for a chic and minimalist design, there also needs to be a nod to practicality, not least in the area of storage. Nothing ruins the effect than a visible collection of makeup, toiletries and other bathroom essentials, so we’d recommend thinking the size and position of cupboards and drawers. When it comes to creating an indulgent bathroom, the less clutter the better, so don’t overlook the option of wallmounting cabinets and using the available corners of the room for a sink and vanity unit.

7. Colours

Your preferred colour scheme will invariably be a reflection of the role your bathroom plays in your lifestyle. Whether it’s dark and moody, bright and breezy or neutral and muted, the wall colour will set the tone and influence the accessories you select. Multi-coloured accents can lift a neutral canvas, while complementary colours may work together better than contrasting shades. 

8. Technology

The bathroom is no longer a tech-free zone, and if you’re planning an upgrade to create an inviting space where you want to spend more time, then it’s worth giving consideration to innovations such as voice-controlled lighting, a shower head with built-in Bluetooth speaker or a digital shower with LED temperature gauge. Mirror cabinets can also go hi-tech with touchless control panels to operate the LED lighting, dimming function and mirror heating.

Whether it’s a complete overhaul or a cosmetic change of look, there are several elements that combine to make the perfect bathroom, and incorporating them needn’t break the bank.

"At Refresh we love carrying out bathroom redesigns because we’re able to help clients think outside the box. It’s ideal if we’re starting from scratch as that enables us to factor in moving things around and changing the perspective, but we’re equally at home refreshing the bathroom suite and updating the décor. Ultimately, we believe that every bathroom deserves attention and creativity to elevate it beyond the mundane, and our focus is always on doing so without losing sight of the budget and timescale. - Refresh Renovation Consultant.
"With Refresh, our clients can also track the progress of their project – and the budget – using our exclusive online portal. In essence, the beauty of having us carry out the design and the build is that we can create a concept that excites the client and then deliver the final result with minimal disruption. And when a project comes together there’s no better feeling than seeing the client’s reaction." - Refresh Renovation Consultant.

Interested to find out more? We offer a free one-hour, no obligation consultation – get in touch today.

How much will my bathroom renovation cost?

Interested in knowing more about the costs involved? Check out our cost estimates for bathroom renovations on a small-budget, mid-range budget and high-end budget. 
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