If you have been stuck in a home with an avocado green bathroom suite and shag pile carpet on the floor, then it’s probably time for a change. The choice of different styles and bathroom products on the market is daunting though, and as installing a new bathroom is a large project, it is important to take the time to make the right decisions for you and your family, both now and in the future.
Pink, green or blue bathroom suites may have been all the rage in the 1970s and 1980s, but if you are considering replacing your bathroom suite today it really has to be white. Even cream is starting to look a bit dated, and white never goes out of fashion. If you are keen to inject a little bit of color into your bathroom then it is easy to accessorise with a bright blind, towels or pictures and these are easily changed when fashions and tastes change. Invest in a good quality, sturdy bathroom suite and have it installed professionally by your plumber to make sure it will last a lifetime. White is also a great choice when it comes to tiles as it makes everything look clean and fresh.
Wall Hanging Units
Storage in modern bathrooms can be a problem, so it makes sense to have a sink unit with storage beneath. Cabinets have been around for a while, but the most modern types of sink unit appear to be floating on the wall with free space underneath. These can make your bathroom look bigger, and give it a sleek, boutique hotel appearance. Wall hanging units are no more difficult to install than standard floor mounted sink units, but take advice from your plumber before purchasing as you may be limited to where in the bathroom they can be located, depending on the size of the unit, the size of your room and the existing pipework.
Under Floor Heating
Nearly all of us prefer to have tiles or vinyl flooring in our bathrooms but it’s not nice to step out of a warm shower onto a cold floor. Underfloor heating does not have to be expensive, and is the perfect way to heat the relatively small space of an en suite bathroom or shower room. Not all flooring can be used with underfloor heating, so ask advice from the professionals about what is appropriate in your home. If you have underfloor heating it also means you don’t have to install a radiator, which gives more wall space for additional storage.
Hidden Handles
The old brass fixtures and fittings and fussy, ornate taps are a thing of a past as we move towards much sleeker lines and hidden handles. Bathroom cabinets which have no handles at all are now on the market, and they are simply opened by pressing in the corner. Designers agree that in the future taps and handles will be simple, with lots of straight lines giving an almost clinical feel. One quick way of dragging your bathroom into the 21st century is to replace the taps, and this is a simple job for an experienced plumber.
Bringing the Outside In
If you are thinking of an interior design theme for your bathroom, in the past you were limited to water related ideas such as beach or nautical. However, there is a growing trend to see the bathroom not just as a functional area to get in and out of as quickly as possible, but as somewhere to relax and pamper yourself. One of the main trends at the moment which seems set to continue is the use of natural images such as flowers, plants and birds on wallpaper, tiles and other bathroom accessories to give the idea of being in a beautifully relaxing garden.
Technology
All sorts of innovative products are becoming available to use in the bathroom. You can get an iPod dock to listen to your music while having a soak, a remote control for the shower to get the perfect temperature before stepping in, splash proof televisions and lots of environmentally friendly ways to reduce your water and energy consumption. We will definitely see more gadgets making their way into the bathroom in the future to save us money and just make life a bit more comfortable.