Would you mind showing me a picture of your downstairs toilet, please?

[KurtseyAllslop]

I'm having an old out-building converted to part of the kitchen with a downstairs toilet coming off.

It'll only be about 500-600mm wide (the width of a sink with a bit either side) and the toilet and sink will be opposite each other with the sliding door in the middle.

It's months away yet but I'm after inspiration. Should I tile all over? Should I tile just behind the sink and toilet and paint the rest? Or wall paper the rest? What colour should I paint it? Or what wallpaper should I use?

Our kitchen is quite modern so although I'd love to go for an ornate, luxury, French-style feel, I think I'll have to hold back.

I've been in pinterested. I'm addicted but also slightly overwhelmed. I need 'real' examples.

Please, lovely people of MN, show me your toilets!!

I wish I'd not bothered with the cupboard under the sink

Why jaffajiffy?

The room will be about the width of a standard roll of wallpaper so potentially quite cheap to paper in fancy wall paper. With tiles you might need to consider the size of the tiles or you'll be cutting dozens of them (I'd look for tiles that span the gap in whole numbers if possible or you could end up with a bitty look - and as a PP said don't forget the adhesive and tiles on side walls will eat up precious mm ).

I'm ridiculously jealous of all you people with downstairs toilets having spent 4 YEARS with barely an upstairs bathroom. 2 months ago I had no bathroom walls, that's right people; and entirely 'open plan' bathroom, now imagine doing a number 2 in that! I was delirious when I finally got a bathroom door about a week ago. Still no sink though, wash your hands in the bath or go downstairs.

I don't live there now but we had a tiny downstairs WC with a high cistern, that somehow made the place more spacious.

cosmicglittergirl I love that wall colour in your hall.

Love that paper porto I have two blinds made in his Harvest Hare fabric and I always get nice comments about them. I'm determined to own one of his paintings one day

Oh my god, you're all lovely wonderful people!

Love the wallpapers porto and jaffa

Any more pictures or ideas please please keep them coming. Actually decorating the downstairs loo is months away. We're just having quotes ATM but I'm getting all ahead of myself and getting exited

Yes, it will be narrow but we've measured, DH has done a scale drawing . It'll be fine!

We are also considering installing a toilet downstairs. Shamelessly marking my place.

Are there any building regulations limits that you need to meet with regards to disabled access? 500-600mm might be a squeeze?

We shall install it in the current utility by taking some space from it. The problem that we need to solve is heating as our utility is not part of central heating network so it is very cold in winter.

DH and I are of the mind that you can really go to town with your alter ego style here and probably get away with it so for us it is going to be a very personal space with outrageous wall paper/ funky floor tiles/etc. All the bright colours that we love.

No pic sorry but:

• I recommend our loo! We have the Villeroy & Boch Subway 2.0 loo, extra compact version which is only 355 x 480 mm. It's very small but doesn't seem it when you sit on it iyswim. Tis this one link.

• It's a wall hung loo which makes the loo seem more spacious (and easier to clean).

• Decor wise I think you want some sort of horizontal line round the middle as this will make the room seem less tall and narrow. So, tiles or panelling to half way up and paint or wallpaper above. Definitely not tiles all over or it will feel like being in a shower cubicle. If you go with light plain tiles to half way, you can get away with a darker colour or bolder wallpaper above (and easy to change if you get sick of it).

• Try to avoid those "compact" basins designed for loos. They are titchy and make the space feel smaller IMO. Since you are having the basin opposite the loo (rather than on the side wall) you can get away with something bigger - try to find something that is the full width of the room or as close as poss but doesn't stick out too far. A good bathroom merchant should be able to help you.

• You definitely want dark flooring as people go in there with wet/muddy shoes on from outside.

• We have dark greeny slate tiles on the floor and we've used the same slate tiles to make a splashback behind the sink.

• Be brave! Our loo walls are off white and I wish I'd been braver and gone for a really deep colour or wallpaper that I loved instead.

• Wall lamps each side of the mirror are a nice touch (and gives you a good place to touch up your make up downstairs before going out).

with regards to wall hung loos check the weight limitations and your heaviest person that might need to use it!

minipie That's all amazing advice, thank you

Not We're doing something similar. We have an outhouse which is 2mx2m-ish, we're making most of it a utility (and knocking through the kitchen) and then borrowing just the end bit for the loo. I don't know anything about building regs, I've got a builder coming out on Monday so hoping for advice on this. I know you can't have a door that opens inwards if the room has no windows in case someone collapses behind it. We'd have a window and a sliding door so no problems there. If you find anything out about building regs, please let us know! I'll let you know what my builder says on Monday as well

We shall install it in the current utility by taking some space from it. The problem that we need to solve is heating as our utility is not part of central heating network so it is very cold in winter.

Heated electric towel rail?
Small oil filled electric radiator?

If space is tight, you can simply paint the bottom half of the room a darker shade than the top instead of tiling. You could even put beading up as a divider and something like Anaglpta panels below it with plain painted wall above.

Here is mine. Like that the cistern is hidden.

Whois, I think it would look wider, eg Puggymummy's pp. There's nothing in it except a spare loo roll which could go in something else. But hey it does fit. Just no room to negotiate ds when he's yelling for me to go and wipe.

Thanks lemon. It's proud peacock from dulux, but it's my living room! Toilet off the living room! You can watch telly whilst weeing!

Sorry for all those exclamation marks.

Oh yes - heating. We have a wall hung basin and a small radiator on the wall under the basin, so that it doesn't stick out from a side wall.

cosmicglittergirl I am noting that down. I will find a room in my house for it.

I would tile to at least elbow height. We are shortly to add to thge tiling on ours. The smaller the loo, the more of a splashy mess people seem to make, especially children. No picture, but our loo has red mosaic tiles which look wonderful.

If we were doing it again I'd be tempted by that marble-look wallpaper you can get.

Jaffa what's that wallpaper? It's really nice ..

well my picture won't upload, so because ours was not that wide and I have a irrational hatred of stupid teeny tiny minute crazy cloakroom basins my downstairs toilet was designed entirely round a 500 mm round blue glass basin

the toilet is a back to the wall one, but extended out from the wall to give a deep shelf for the basin to sit on. Basin is over to the far left, and toilet is off centre to the right so you have just enough room to stand next to the toilet to wash your hands.

Only mistake I made was to make the shelf the full 500 depth...as the sink is a bowl shape it could been less maybe 350 and then the door would not be quite so close to your knees, but there is room nonetheless.

Second time lucky?

hurrah!

also pondering tiling, the top is tiled and i have enough to do a splashback, or I might tongue and groove up to splashback height

...as far as paper goes, I am starting to like the stolen sample patchwork effect. 3)

tondelaya That's amazing! I love the blue wallpaper but I want something similar for my bedroom .

I was considering white tiles behind toilet and sink then the rest painted blue, I like the proud peacock upthread with mustard yellow accessories. But I don't know if I want my study this colour scheme. It'd be odd to have a WC and study the same scheme wouldn't it?