When faced with a whole bathroom design, it can be daunting to consider all the decisions that have to be made, the designs that have to work cohesively and even figuring out where to start. Today we are going to look at how to plan and design a whole bathroom and what some of the important factors are to consider. Renovations and bathroom refreshes can make an incredible impact on your home, but they can be disruptive if you do not have a seamless plan and design inspiration.
Now let’s get started on working towards your whole bathroom design.
Create a master plan
If you are planning on replacing your tapware, refreshing your bathroom tiles, investing in a new vanity or giving your walls a new lick of paint - this needs to be a cohesive plan. Completing each of these projects in a vacuum is going to result in an end product that has mixed inspirations and design elements. This is especially true if you are planning on staggering these projects over a period of time. Working on a bathroom master plan will keep you aligned on your design intentions and will eliminate the chance of steering off course and toward a bathroom that just doesn’t work.
You can work with a builder, designer or architect to establish your masterplan, or you might choose to create one yourself with digital tools. This is going to be more than just a mood board as your masterplan will have exact bathroom measurements and bathroom tile selections you are planning to use.
Select your bathroom tiles
Now that you have fleshed out your master plan, you can commence your bathroom tile selection. Generally speaking, this will consist of choosing at least two tile designs. The bathroom floor tile will often be a larger tile given the surface area and the need to work within the floor walls and the threshold area. Concrete floor tiles or stone floor tiles are very popular choices in this area, as they are plain while still having a natural concrete and stone surface design that easily ties in with other tile selections.
The second decision is the bathroom wall tile, and this is where you can have a little more fun with your selection. There are really no rules here - you can have small tiles, large tiles, gloss tiles, and matte tiles - the options are endless! Your bathroom wall tiles will have to tie in with your bathroom floor tiles, so ensure that one is subtle and one is bolder. Your wall tile can be used on all four walls, or you may wish to incorporate a third bathroom wall tile for your shower or your bath area.
Choosing your bathroom ware
Now that you have your master plan and bathroom tile selection decided, you can start to hone in on your bathroom ware. If you are not familiar with what bathroom ware is, it is your taps, mixers, floor grates, towel rack, toilet roll holder, hand towel holder and shower head station. Bathroom ware has become a real statement for modern bathroom renovators, which means that there are lots of options out there for consumers to choose from.
Popular bathroom ware choices are:
- Chrome
- Matte black
- Brushed nickel
- Stainless steel
- Brushed yellow gold
Generally speaking, you will choose one of these bathroom ware finishes and carry it throughout your bathroom. Competing bathroom ware colours and finishes never look good, so commit to one. This is also a great opportunity to tie your bathroom ware in with your bathroom floor tiles and/or your bathroom wall tiles. If you have chosen a terrazzo wall tile that has flecks of gold through the design, then you might like to choose a brushed yellow gold bathroom ware.
To make a considered choice, you may wish to place an order for a sample tile selection so that you can hold these against your bathroom ware. It’s also going to allow you to conceptualise your bathroom space easily.
Bathroom textures and colours
Textures and colours are the lifeblood of any fantastic bathroom design, so you will want this to be something unique. You can achieve different textures with your choice in tile - choosing from matte, gloss, bevelled edges or straight edges. You can also use stone or concrete for a more textured finish, or porcelain for a soft finish. Before your tiles, you can also incorporate texture through your towels, bath mats, decor and even the florals and plants you bring into this space.
Another factor to consider is that texture is also about the look, and now always feel. Bathroom tiles that create visual texture can really add some luxury and intrigue to a bathroom. If that is what you are hoping to achieve, then here are the bathroom tile styles you may wish to consider:
- Terrazzo tiles
- Mosaic tiles
- Encaustic tiles
- Marble-look tiles
Colour choice is another great way to freshen a bathroom, and if you have utilised colour in your bathroom tiles or bathroom hardware - you can extend on this with the aforementioned texture pieces. Bathrooms lend themselves to fresh colours, so take pause before you bring too many bright or deep colours to your space.
The fine details
Any renovation is going to have those finer details that need to be ironed out throughout the process, and a bathroom renovation is no different. Grout choice is an area that many overlook, and the default white is often chosen as renovators do not think to explore the other choices. Tilers can mix new grout colour blends based on your needs, and there are also lots of range in the pre-mixed selections. At Tilemall, we are often struck by how different the same tile can look in two separate homes when different grout is chosen. When you are in your inspiration and mood-boarding phase, be sure that you are looking at tile designs with the grout of your preference so you can replicate it in your renovation and avoid any surprises.
Just like grout, lighting is another thing that can often be overlooked - but it has such an impact on our bathroom! Utilising natural light is a core ingredient to a fresh and airy bathroom feel, and this can be achieved through a skylight or windows. Artificial light is another way to set the tone in your bathroom, so explore ambient lighting for a soft feel. Downlights are very efficient for lighting, but you might want to use them sparingly so that your bathroom is not too bright. You may wish to opt for two downlights, and have some wall sconces on either side of your vanity mirror for the optimal light mix.
~ We hope this guide to planning and designing your whole bathroom has brought you close to conceptualising what your design potential is. A great whole bathroom design includes a cohesive master plan, quality selection in bathroom wall tiles, bathroom floor tiles, bathroom ware and considerations to the small details that finish the look. Place your order at Tilemall today for same-day collection, or explore the previous articles here on the website to learn more about bathroom tile trends and more!
