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Original poster

Tips for new bathroom - anything you'd recommend?

57 replies

Growingboys · 02/12/2018 22:19

We're getting a new bathroom put in and I'd love to hear any tips based on what you did.

Any really great ideas?

Anything to avoid/wish you'd done differently?

Thank you!

OP posts:
wineymummy · 03/12/2018 09:13

Towel radiator within reach of the shower and basin.
Shower controls accessible from door so you can turn it on and warm it up before getting in and without getting wet.
Toilet not straight in front of the door.
Shower recess.
Tank tank and tank again in the shower - tile backer board, tanking, seals, waterproof grout, silicon.
Decent extractor fan, the ceiling ones are meant to be stronger.
Sink without too many fiddly bits easier to keep clean.
Tap which you can turn on and off without dripping wet hands everywhere.
Hooks on the back of the door which are positioned not to crash into the radiator/furniture which is directly behind.

(Some of these are mistakes I have just learnt!)

wineymummy · 03/12/2018 09:14

Oh and we also used matt white tiles and anthracite grout. Looks great but it was a real bitch to clean off the tiles as we were grouting. Since discovered magic erasers which work a dream.

WardrobeDoor · 03/12/2018 09:58

We had grey grout - but it was too dark. Which meant that you could see every tiny imperfection in the tiling. Next time we will go for a lighter grey grout

Original poster
Growingboys · 03/12/2018 20:05

Thanks all - this is super helpful

OP posts:
WellTidy · 03/12/2018 21:03

Massive heated towel rail so that you can dry all wet towels at once, as you are all likely to use the shower at around the same time of day.

You can never have too much storage in a bathroom.

Lallybroch · 03/12/2018 21:12

Whatever tiles you choose, make sure they are smooth. Even slight indentations end up 'holding' water and need more cleaning.

SushiMonster · 03/12/2018 23:01

Good and quiet ventilation.

Mirror with de mister pads and toothbrush charger.

Under floor heating.

PurpleFlowersInMyHair · 04/12/2018 22:18

Not a tip for your bathroom per se, but if you live in a hard water area then fitting a water softener makes a lot of difference to limescale build up in the bathroom - taps, down the toilet, on the shower screen and tiles. Can also prolong the life of your kettle and makes your hair softer.

We used to have one in our flat then moved to house without it and noticed the difference. The house were about to move to has it, which I’m very pleased about. You need to top up the salty stuff every few months. No idea what system costs but this stuff is cheap

PurpleFlowersInMyHair · 04/12/2018 22:34

Aqualisa digital showers are amazing

Wall fan rather than ceiling fan are more effective

Mixer taps with pop up sink plug will possibly cause leaks after a while due to the rod action ramming down. Old fashioned chain and sink plug avoids this problem but very difficult to find a mixer tap without pop up. We identified the brand Burlington which has a few of these. Otherwise you’re looking at separate taps - not ideal for children or elderly people.

Bigger tiles are easier to clean- as is a smoother surface. Even bevelled metro are harder to clean

BertBox · 04/12/2018 22:39

White floors tiles show every single hair and piece of grot. I wish I'd gone for grey.

Our bathroom is tiny, but we have a bath panel with pull down panel sections, which means there's loads of room for loo rolls and cleaning stuff under the bath.

ThenBellaDidSomethingVeryKind · 04/12/2018 22:42

Definitely tiled floors and under floor heating, I’d also agree with grey / jasmine / chocolate grout (depending on tile colour). Don’t get those waterfall taps - they’re a bitch to clean

pallisers · 04/12/2018 22:43

Did ours recently and the best things are

underfloor heating - but we also have a vent for our heat/ac too so it isn't the only heating

Decent built-in shelves in the tile of the walls of the bath/shower to store shampoo etc.

Storage - we have 2 big cupboards under both sinks and a full length linen closet next to it.

Put in grab bars now for safety.

PurpleFlowersInMyHair · 04/12/2018 22:45

Shaving bar for the shower (popular in the US)

RavenLG · 04/12/2018 22:46

@BertBox I had no idea those baths existed and we too have a tiny bathroom in need of a redo... this is exciting I thought storage would be impossible in our teeny bathroom!

GreenTulips · 04/12/2018 22:47

Bluetooth mirror
Large shower head and smaller shower head - you can get 3 if you want

Middle taps with a shower attachment for the dog and hair washes and cleaning

Large storage

Light with sensor - as above kids going to the loo and not turning light off - or a blue tooth light bulb with a remote control!!

Underfloor heating

Solasum · 04/12/2018 22:47

I have 3 alcoves in my bathroom and I love them

crispinquent · 04/12/2018 22:48

Placemarking!'

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 04/12/2018 22:51

Don't have mirrors behind open shelving.
Every item on shelf will be reflected and make bathroom look twice as cluttered

loubielou31 · 04/12/2018 23:33

Don't buy bathroom furniture that can't get wet!!!!!!! I mean who makes bathroom furniture that can't get wet?!!!!!!!!!!
Make sure your water pressure isn't too high for you fixtures!

NetballHoop · 04/12/2018 23:41

Don't put in so much lighting that you can't ever relax in there. Put in dim-able or smart lights so you can make it a calm relaxing space.

WardrobeDoor · 05/12/2018 11:01

2 of my favourite things in my bathroom are the Grohe shower hose which is so easy to clean. And a Simplehuman shower caddy which uses tension rods so I haven’t had to drill holes in my lovely new tiles

Tips for new bathroom - anything you'd recommend?
Tips for new bathroom - anything you'd recommend?
HexagonalBattenburg · 05/12/2018 11:10

Storage - we have an under-sink cupboard and then a tall thin floor to ceiling cupboard next to it and having that space makes everything so much tidier as all the bottles are put away but handy when needed.

MN is divided on this one but we have a waterfall style shower head but I also insisted on a conventional style showerhead with hose that you could lift out as well - godsend for washing little kids' hair. We have an L shaped bath with over-bath shower rather than a separate cubicle - the space works better that way than the smallest of small shower cubicle and tiny bath arrangement that we lived with previously.

cloudtree · 05/12/2018 11:13

My old bathroom had a bluetooth speaker in the ceiling. I now take my iphone into the bathroom to play music but its nice not to have to.

adaisy1394 · 05/12/2018 11:15

we had spotlights put in and on a dimmer switch which is lovely for not blinding you in the bath or during the night, I do wish we had some kind of secondary light too though maybe by the mirror/ sink

BuggerFlip · 05/12/2018 12:35

We swapped the layout around and have a long walk in shower where the bath used to be. The builder put the taps at the entrance so you can switch on and let water heat up before stepping in. Great idea! We have underfloor heating but builder either didn't fit it right or told me the wrong size to buy as it's mostly a waste as doesn't heat up the right bits and most of floor is cold and under the sink is warm! Wallsandfloors are great for tiles. I was rushed in the end and had to buy from local tile shop but could have saved a fortune if I'd got the samples earlier. I have a sink with under counter storage and a touch mirror with storage which is great.