showerbaths and bathroom design for small bathroom

[MardyPig]

Hello everyone

Current renovation of our house going on, and the main bathroom is pretty small so we are looking at a shower bath but trying to work out where to fit it in.

Our project manager/designer person has suggested a P-shaped shower bath but we have three young sons who have baths, not showers. I'm concerned about having access to that end of the bath when the boys are in the bath, and that the screen will get in the way of the bathroom door.

So firstly I'm asking, do any of you have shower baths, especially with younger kids, and how do you find them?

Secondly any insight into our actual layout would be helpful.

For those who like details the bathroom is 183 cm wide and 225 long. The door is on the left hand side of one short wall, the window is on the opposite short wall. We currently have a normal-sized bath on the right hand side, with a shower on a vertical rail, and a folding screen so we can fold it out of the way when the boys have a bath. It works quite well like this. The toilet is under the window (opposite the door) with a towel rail on the left hand wall next to the toilet, and a basin on the left hand wall a bit further down. This leaves hardly have any room for storage or for getting boys in and out of the bath - especially if there's more than one adult in the room!

Dp has suggested a bath across the width of the room, (below the window and opposite the door) but our designer has said that there are loads of problems with showers or baths under windows as unless you really take measures to waterproof that area you can end up with damp in the walls. I like dp's suggestion and we are both wondering if we make the window a bit smaller (so it's further from the shower area) whether we could still make this option work. It would also mean the shower screen opens onto a wall not across the doorway.

But I also think maybe it would be better to get a normal straight bath and folding shower screen just like we have at the moment (only newer)!

I feel I need enlightenment with this as I'm really not sure about what is best.

It was at Cambridge Tiles and Bathrooms, very small place and a good while ago now so check first if you are going on an excursion.

What are everyone's thoughts about storage in this situation? I really like the idea of keeping clear floor space, so going for a wall-hung basin, and for some reason am not keen on the back-to-wall built in look.

Thanks Hearts, is that the one off Newmarket Rd which has some great displays in it?

I think large mirrored wall cabinets (or even a whole wall of mirror with storage behind would look good with a wall hung basin.

I dont like the built in look either but I do think wall hung loos are nicer, much easier to clean around.

Pannacotta it's the shop directly on Newmarket Road, this one. They do have nice displays .

Agree re mirror cupboards. I was thinking of two tall mirrored corner cabinets either side of the window, but one would be at the end of the bath so at risk of getting damp which I'd rather avoid.

One more thought on showerbaths (or any bath with a screen). One person who quoted for us said we should get a wall mounted shower and bath control so we could put the shower on before getting in, or run a bath, because if you have a screen it's better not to open it all the time and it's hard to reach round them to get to the taps/shower control. Probably worth thinking about if you have young DC.

Thanks again Hearts, will try and pop there next time I'm in Cambridge.
Sadly the bathroom showrooms in Norfolk are rubbish in comparison with Cambridge.

Out of interest, are the Bette baths very good quality? Do they look nicer than the average bath (cant quite imagine the difference).
I havent seen them or heard of them before...

Thanks Heartsease. East Anglia no good for me but at least I know what to look for now.

I'm a bit scared of wall hung toilets. Can they break off from the wall?

Pannacotta all the spiel suggests that they're very good (doesn't it always), and they do have a 30 year warranty. You can watch a romanticised video of the manufacturing process here if you want to fall under their spell . I just thought there was something very elegant and fine looking about it -- I am not a fan of bulbous things or of plasticky things which look like they were made by blowing up a balloon in a jelly mould. But that might just be me . I think that with some of the baths we saw, especially the Bathstore P shape, we felt that the walls of the bath were unnecessarily taking up a lot of room, and the Bette seemed to have a slim and elegant construction. I hope this makes some sense.

I am ultimately unlikely to end up with the Bette though, because I think my DP wants the P shape and he's the one who needs the showering space. If you all go and get them I'll be profoundly jealous.

Heartsease they do look very sleek from what I can tell.

If you like the simple style of bath did you look at the link I posted above? Ie a shower bath but in a square/angular rather than curved style, that might a good compromise for you and DP.

Yes, we are quite keen on that style. Lots of fitting people say they won't look right with curved sink and loo but I don't agree -- plenty of people have square shower cubicles which don't match everything else, and since the room is so small it will be fitting between two walls anyway.

WE've got the bette bath you linked to - it's really good quality and does look nice. We got a long one which is great as my dd loves it as she can swim from one end to the other.

The only thing I will say against it is it isn't that deep at the non shower end. Our previous bath was really deep and I don't know whether I was really spoiled but I miss lying in water up to my neck. But on the other hand having got the shower its only my dd who has a regular bath.

That's good to know, thanks Mercedes. Wow, it would be very cool to be able to swim in the bath .

We got a new luxury bathroom suite not long ago from here: www.dovcor.com. It wasn't the cheapest option but as Mbear said I'm glad i spent slightly more on the bath as it's lasting quite well (compared to my last disaster of a cheapo bath)

Hi all, we have just had our loft convered including an ensuite. I want small bathroom accessories, eg mirror, cupboard etc. Anybody seen any?