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Original poster

Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan

48 replies

DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:09

Hi,

We are currently in the planning stage of a complete rip out and start again bathroom renovation, and would like some input on the best way to make it a modern, practical and stylish family bathroom. We inherited the bathroom from the previous owners, and we have finally saved up enough money to begin transforming the room into a spanking new fresher bathroom.

It is quite a small room (2.50 x 1.70), and so having a shower enclosure is out of the question. We will just be keeping a straight bath with a bar mixer shower fitted (e.g. Grohe, Mira, Aqualisa or Bristan).

One issue that is giving us a headache is whether to brick up one of the windows that currently exist, in order to free up the wall space for a large heated towel rail. A plumber who came round last night said it was possible, but it may make the bathroom darker. The room is north facing, so doesn't receive a great deal of light anyway. In the photos I have attached we have put cardboard and carrier bags over the window to try and get a feel for how it would affect the lighting.

My husband has been using the Ikea bathroom planner application to visualise what our new room could look like with a window bricked up. Again, see attached jpegs.

We intend to have a 600mm wall hung vanity unit with 2 pull out drawers underneath the basin, Grohe taps, a large gloss white high cabinet, heated illuminated mirror, and Karndean flooring. As I mentioned above, we'd like to install a heated towel rail on the wall directly opposite the door as you enter.

We'd like a boxed in / or close coupled BTW rimless toilet, and we also intend to tile the whole room with large white tiles (grey grout of course!).

So, to summarise, do people think we are right to block the window on the right centre of the room up, or would you tinker with the layout in any other way?

We would very much appreciate any comments and input, as this is a major project for us. We have a 15 month old daughter who we'd like to get this right for.

Many thanks,

Dawn and David

Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
OP posts:
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Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:10

More pics... don't know how to send more than three at once!

Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
OP posts:
Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:12

More pics...

Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
OP posts:
Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:12

Last pic @PigletJohn

Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
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Home improvement
motortroll · 01/08/2019 20:15

I would board it up and have ceiling spots so it's not too dark. It is only a bathroom so limited natural light is not so bad. Use lights where you need them eg over mirror.

MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:15

Personally I think that window is too small to just have one window. It will feel a bit like a boxed in cell. Can't the towel rail fit in the middle of the two windows?

Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:16

Last thing to add... the photos of our bathroom were taking at 7.30pm tonight.... in fairly gloomy cloudy conditions... we don't think the light is that dark so are thinking bricking up window could be the way to go.

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MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:17

Is the new cupboard above the loo going to be thinner and further away from the window? Looks pretty awful where it is now (soz). I think I wouldn't have a cupboard there at all. Do you need a second cupboard?

Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:19

@motortrolll we have LED spotlights in already after getting a re-wiring upstairs last year... so in agreement with you on that.

@MiniMum97 heated towel rail would be too close to your thigh/leg when you're sat on the toilet if we installed it between the two windows... it would have to be a fairly narrow and shorter one too which wouldn't be ideal.

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Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:22

@MiniMum97 yes you're right that current cabinet is in a terrible place where it currently is against left hand window. Our proposed wall unit does have a shallower depth and would be fixed more into the room away from edge of window. Good spot by you

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MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:22

I also don't like everything In a line on the left hand side. Is it possible to put either the toilet or sink on the back wall and then you'd have a full sized wall for a towel rail.

I had two windows in my last bathroom and the toilet went under one and the bath under the other and had space on wall behind for a towel rail.

Aquamarine1029 · 01/08/2019 20:23

Close up the one window and put in a skylight.

MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:29

Even though that cupboard is further back it still obscures the window looking at your plan images. Can you resign things so that you close up that window and have at least one unobscured window?

MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:29

Rejig not resign!!!

HardAsSnails · 01/08/2019 20:30

I think you are trying to fit too much in. We've got 2 teeny bathrooms and went for electric UFH downstairs and no radiator or towel rail (towels go in airing cupboard) and I wish I'd done the same upstairs as we don't really use the heated towel rail.

MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:31

When I did my kitchen and bathroom I went and had designs done at a few bathroom/kitchen shops and they had lots of good ideas. I would do that to get alternative ideas.

MiniMum97 · 01/08/2019 20:32

I agree with @HardAsSnails. Great idea re the underfloor heating. I also think you need to lose a cupboard and make it less "all in a line".

Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:33

@MiniMum97

Again, you read our minds.... we also considered exactly what you are suggesting about turning toilet through 90 degrees and also putting basin on back wall. See attached pics (forget about radiator in the pic... think we'd only need heated towel rail and not both).

Also, we wouldn't be putting a shower bath in as found out we wouldn't have enough room for it... so imagine it's just a straight doubled ended bath on the right hand side

Do you prefer this other layout?

Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
Opinions on our bathroom renovation plan
OP posts:
Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:37

The sink on our alternative design would be 800mm wide and obviously we'd have a large illuminated mirror above the sink.

@HardAsSnails We've read hundreds of threads on here about bathroom mistakes / tips and people are always adamant that STORAGE is paramount importance... hence why we're trying to cream in the high cabinets etc.

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Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/08/2019 20:38

I'm looking at the main pic on your post at 20.12 ... is that a radiator on the wall opposite the door? If so, why not have a really attractive, combination radiator/towel rail there instead?

Personally nothing would persuade me to block off natural light, especially in a north facing room, so I'd use almost any option except that

Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 20:38

cram* in not cream! Just been eating a custard cream ffs

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ShellieEllie · 01/08/2019 20:54

I really wouldn't lose the window. You're looking at it in summer and believe me it will be so much darker in the winter.

Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 21:00

Get your point about winter @ShellieEllie but in winter we always turn bathroom light on anyway... it's pitch dark at 6-7.30am when we get up for work and dark by 4-5.00pm when we get in from work so not a lot of natural light.

We just feel that the window in the centre-ish part of the window curtails a lot of our options to make it into a better bathroom.

I mean, we could leave both windows in and just put heated towel rail on the wall at the bottom of the bath... not sure if we like the sound of that though as towels might get wet off shower/bath and plus it wouldn't be as accessible or as big

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Original poster
DJDawn83 · 01/08/2019 21:01
  • window in the centre-ish part of the room
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HardAsSnails · 01/08/2019 21:06

Really think about what you need to store in the actual bathroom. If you've got storage you will fill it, more than likely with stuff that rarely gets used!

We've got a really high ceiling in one of ours so we've got high cupboards along one wall above door height, ideal for toilet rolls and spares of things that don't get used up often).

Squirrelonwheels · 01/08/2019 21:14

Is a velux an option? We are bricking up a tiny window in ours as part of our project and replacing with a velux which we are hoping will free up wall space & increase light. Obviously depends on the roof though!