If there is one thing that most homes need, it’s a bit more space. We homeowners are fascinated by smart storage and consider clever furniture ideas such as hideaway beds as a way of making more space in our homes. And so, when we’re looking at small bathrooms, a corner toilet seems like a good idea.
The thing is, clever furniture only works in some situations. A hideaway bed might pop away in the day time, but you have to clear away the floor every night before you can pull it into place. The corner cupboard in your kitchen might add more storage, but every homeowner will tell you that anything at the back disappears, never to be used again.
Do corner toilets make your bathroom more spacious?
Ideal Standard first introduced their Space range 20 or more years ago, which included a space saving toilet, suitable for the corner of the room. As stockists, we had a sample on display in our showroom in Coventry. There was certainly plenty of interest from customers assuming that a corner toilet automatically made their bathroom more spacious and easy to use. Unfortunately, we often had to disagree.
When we explore the layout of the furniture in your bathroom, our design team are experienced in identifying how best to make use of the space available. That includes considering how each item is used. The activity space for a toilet is directly in front of it, and the same for the basin.
In a typical small bathroom we would most likely place a bath on one side, with basin next to it and toilet next to the basin. This allows you to stand directly in front of the basin or toilet as needed. If we moved the toilet to the corner, the standing room would then move into the basin area. By drawing this out on a plan, we can clearly explain to customers how much this actually reduces the useable space they have available. And that’s not what they wanted.
When corner toilets really make a difference
That’s not to say there isn’t a place for the corner toilet in some homes. We find that placing the toilet and basin opposite each other is most effective. This often suits a downstairs washroom better than in the family bathroom. So, a corner toilet can be effective in certain situations, and can even be a style statement.
If you choose to include one, corner toilets are available in many different designs, styles and colours. They are also corner toilets that are designed specifically to meet a certain need, such as water-saving.
If you would like support in designing an effective layout for your bathroom, arrange an appointment with our design team. With over 40 years’ experience, we’re sure to be able to help you.