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Bathroom design has come a long way. It’s a wonderful time in design with so many options available. In this blog I have added images of some beautiful bathroom designs I just love, added a few notes of history and make some practical suggestions. After all bathrooms need to be very functional as well as beautiful.

In Ancient Greece bathrooms were more modern that some bathrooms of the 1800s. They had decorative bathtubs and sinks with running water and water flushing toilets. The ancient Romans, Chinese, Indians and Egyptians all had sophisticated bathrooms. The first modern siphon-jet toilet developed in the 1800s is still in use today.

A beautiful elegant bathroom from a mansion in Melbourne

 The style works so well with the classic styling of the adjoining room

Image via View On Design blog

 Some tips for a great bathroom

1. Workout the position of the bath first as this is the largest item in the bathroom
2. Make sure there is wall space for a towel rail near the bath
3. Select water saving fittings
4. Leave enough room in front of the sink to allow easy access to the cabinet beneath at least 80cm (31 – 32 inches)
5. Position the bathroom door so it swings away from not toward the sink
6. Position the toilet away from the door if at all possible
7. Create good storage space this will help keep clutter at bay

This bathroom is from a home on the Gold Coast in Queensland

The sink table is reminiscent of the early 1900s and

the towels very fashionable in a chevron pattern

I  am not too sure about the colors of the towels

Image via View On Design blog

How to make the bathroom appear bigger

1. Use floor to ceiling tiles
2. Mirrors can add a sense of depth; width and length add more light making the room appear bigger
3. Large plain light colored floor and walls tiles will also make the room appear bigger
4. Select wall-hung sinks, cabinets, and toilets that will reveal the floor making the room appear more spacious. If you're looking for a more traditional toilet that can still help you save space, consider getting a sanicompact toilet.
5. Frameless shower screens can make the room appear bigger
6. Use a sliding bathroom door to enter the bathroom instead of hung doors
7. Place the window close to the ceiling to free up wall space

Luxury bathroom from a home in South Yarra in Melbourne 

Image via View On Design blog

Most important consider Universal Design

Today designers are encouraged to design bathrooms with universal design in mind. The aim is to make sure bathrooms are easily accessible to all people; no matter what their age or physical abilities. This can be achieved in a number of ways the floor should be slip resistant and level with no steps. Semi recessed sinks placed at 80cm (31 – 32 inches) from the floor would be suitable for all even someone in a wheelchair.

Ron Mace rightly states that ‘Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.’

My favorite bathroom from a home in Adelaide

The large window with the tree is  delightful

What a wonderful  place to relax

Image via View On Design blog

Four pronged taps are suitable for all users however mixer taps are also suitable. Many showers are 90cm by 90cm (about 3 feet by 3 feet) in size however a better size would be 120cm by 120cm (about 4 feet by 4 feet). Wet room style shower rooms work well because they are level making it easy to get in and out of the space. Grip bars placed 80cm from the floor are considered good design practice. The usual WC (water closet) or toilet room is 90cm wide by 120cm (about 4 feet) long this is considered too small by universal design practitioners. Following universal design principles in the design stages can save money in the long run.

Sample board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

To find out more on this topic you can visit The Center for Universal Design www.ncsu.edu or www.universaldesign.com  www.universaldesignrenovation.com

Author: Rosena MacFadzean for SampleBoard.com – concept creation online