Latest Designer Bathroom Ideas and How To Guides for your Home

Along with your bath and shower unit, perhaps nothing adds more glamour and glitz, along with functionality, than a bathroom mirror.

Depending on the overall design of your bathroom, the mirror can enhance and give your washing area a sense of light and space. However, choosing the correct type of bathroom mirror is not always easy. They vary greatly in price and you should be sure of your budget before buying one.

It is important, regardless of how much you are paying, to make sure that the mirror is thoroughly sealed to its casing. If this is not the case, damp resulting from steam condensation will insinuate itself and cause it to come loose from the fitting.

However, once you have decided on the style of mirror that is right for your bathroom, actually mounting it on the wall is not as easy as you might suppose.

If you intend to fix the bathroom mirror directly to the wall, be sure to buy suitable mastic. This will help prevent the mirror from becoming tarnished when the glue is laid on the wall.

Check that you have some sort of support along the bottom of the mirror. This makes it a good deal easier to frame. In fact, such is the importance of correctly setting your mirror flat on the wall; it could well prove beneficial to use a professional fitter. Remember, if you chip or crack the mirror, then you have essentially lost your money.

Finally, be careful of the size you select. Many a bathroom has been ruined by either too large or too small a mirror.

The two main floor constructions that can support underfloor heating most effectively are concrete and wood. That’s not to say other floor types cannot support an underfloor heating system, it’s just that these are the most popular two and are the ones most commonly used in the building industry. Both types can be installed by either knowledgeable DIY builders or professionals.

In the case of concrete floors there are preparations that need to be made, in terms of insulation, but because of the concrete the heat is able to diffuse really well and this is an incredibly efficient way of heating your home. There is no fear about sealing the pipes into the concrete, as the underfloor heating system is also extremely low maintenance. It is also unlikely that you will experience any problems with the components that are buried in the concrete, as long as a professional installs the system and comes with an industry standard guarantee.

Wooden floor systems are very easy to install, which is excellent, especially if you want to have a go at DIY underfloor heating. However, wooden floors do not allow the heat to permeate into the room as effectively as concrete, so the heat output is lower, meaning you may need the heating on for longer or on higher, which costs more. Although wooden floors are undoubtedly nicer to look at, it may be worth considering a concrete screed from a money saving point of view.

For those households with small children, bath time can be a trying affair and as they get a little older and a little more independent, this can turn into a real source of worry. Perhaps the ideal advice when designing a bathroom in these circumstances is to try to put yourself in a child’s shoes. What are the potential hazards? How is the bathroom to be a safe as well as enjoyable place? What does a toddler need to encourage him or her to use the bathroom without harm?

Perhaps the most obvious improvement, though often the most overlooked, is to have a stool next to the bath. This allows the child to climb in without clambering and slipping on the wet tiles. A bath mat is essential. Vinyl floor tiles are also a good idea.

As they get a little older, a drawer could be reserved especially for the toddler to keep towels and pyjamas in.

Similarly, try to purchase a shower curtain with little pockets for toys. Ideally this should be of a breathable material to reduce the possibility of mould.

As we are constantly warned, children can drown in a very small depth of water. Oddly, parents assume this refers only to the bath, but toilets are also a major hazard. A lock or clip fitted to the seat is a vital safety device, particularly when the child is still very young.

On the subject of locks, make absolutely certain that all the cupboards, particularly the medicine cabinet, are secured at all times.

Be more creative with your bathroom tiling. If you want to get away from the standard, grid patterned ceramic tiles, use two, three or even four sizes of tile. Add decorative border tiles, or lay out different sized tiles next to each other in a bespoke design.

The first thing to do is to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Do you want a strong, colourful design or something a little more traditional with subtle details. Or a muted background drawing attention to your sink or bath?

Mix and match tiles throughout the floor. Break up the grout lines and focus on the tiles themselves rather than the grid pattern. Create squares or rectangles in front of the bath, sink or vanity unit.

Add borders around the perimeter of the bath or shower. This will give emphasis and highlight the fixture. Try darker tiles around the bath mixed with a paler colour in the main body of the bathroom. The same approach could be used to focus on the shower stall and lavatory.

Another effective method is to angle the tiles. When these are turned to a 45 degree angle, the design draws the eye to the edges of the room where you have just created the border. Even if you only angle six tiles, an attractive diamond shape is created that will highlight a fixture.

And experiment with changing the colour of the grout. It now comes in a wide range of colours and will effectively create an individualistic style at virtually no extra expense.

If you have any experience or knowledge of fitting bathroom fixtures, it can be a good idea to install each of the components yourself to keep down the cost. However, installing a toilet in your bathroom is perhaps the hardest task to undertake, and if you don’t do it correctly it could lead to problems.

If you are creating an entirely new bathroom, the first factor you should take into consideration is where the toilet and cistern should be placed. Ideally it is best to have it against an external wall where it is within easy reach of the waste system. It is also recommended to have a space of at least 50cm between the bathroom sink or shower enclosure. If you are connecting the toilet to an existing pipe, it is worth using a flexible pan connector that will be able to move around tight corners. It is vital that you have the right angle for this pipe, so it is gently sloping down to the existing pipe work.

Once you have found the right location, mark the holes that you will be drilling on the floor. Then bolt down the base, without tightening it fully. Once it is in place it will be time to connect the cistern. A rubber gasket will sit in between the base of the toilet and the cistern, which is then secured in place with bolts at the back. Returning to the base of the toilet, fully tighten the bolts to fix it to the floor.

If in any doubt about this kind of work always employ a professional plumber.

When installing a sink into your bathroom, the type of basin will be a deciding factor in the process. Pedestal, corner or inset basins are just some of the options available and will each come with their own installation methods. However, there are some basic rules that should always be followed.

Finding the right location for your bathroom sink will be the primary concern and wherever you choose it is recommended that the pipes connected to the sink are no more than 3 metres away from the main waste drain. When installing the pipe work there should be a fall of at least a quarter of an inch for every foot of pipe.

Most bathroom sinks are installed at a position between 28 and 32 inches from the ground and it is recommended that you carefully mark measurements on the wall with a pencil and use a spirit level for accuracy.

When connecting the fittings, such as the basin taps, it is best to do this before putting the sink permanently into place. If you block off access to the rear of the basin it will prove more difficult to fit the taps correctly.

Basin taps and drainage pipes should be connected to the sink with the correct fittings, and the proper washers and sealant should be used. It is vital that the drainage pipe is fitted correctly in order for the overflow system to function properly. Also worth noting is that there is a British Standard for your basin taps as well as the bathroom sink, so make sure all components meet these requirements.

Bathroom radiators are essential equipment inside your house. They keep your bathroom warm. They have different features that are especially designed to give you the optimum service satisfaction possible.

Bathroom radiators come in different styles and sizes. They have different colours, too. In some instance, you may want to change the colour of your bathroom radiator. Perhaps, the old colour does not fit your taste or it just needs a new coating. You will surely want a radiator that is pleasant to look at. Don’t just brush the paint on the surface of the radiator over the old paint, though. If you do, the original colour will show up after some time. Then, the new paint you just applied will be meaningless and you will need to paint the radiator again and again.

To avoid that, you first need to scrub off the original coating of the material. You also need to remove any rust that might have formed on it. Then, you can now start applying the new paint on the radiator. You can choose any colour that you want, depending on your preference. In deciding what colour to use, you may need to consider the colours of other the bathroom accessories or furniture inside the room. You may think of the colour of the wall as a backdrop.

The process of painting your bathroom radiator may be a little difficult but it is worth your time. With that, you can give your radiator, and the bathroom, a new look.