Ensuite bathrooms used to be a real luxury… something you only see in homes on amazing TV programmes about wealthy people and of course in lovely hotels.
But now? Well, now many modern homes have ensuite bathrooms as standard (almost) for the master bedroom. Ensuite bathrooms give you perfect privacy and allow you to have ‘guest’ bathroom… or just one that the kids use!
You can do so much with your ensuite bathroom design and we’re constantly giving people ideas for their ensuite. So, in true Alan Heath blog style – here’s the best ones.
Accessory Ranges
We’ll start small. Well, ensuites are, aren’t they? Making the most of your small space can be a real challenge so small touches are often magical. Matching up your accessories (towels, bath mat, shampoo containers and maybe even some plants like we mentioned in our previous blog will really bring it all together.
Mismatched accessories look messy and messy makes a room look small. Organise and accessorise!
Wall Hung Toilets
Floor space is important. Having a lot of room on the floor is often overlooked though. Being able to see under things give the illusion of space. Although a wall hung WC won’t give you more space it will create the feel of space and how we feel in our bathroom is very important.
Show the floor and loose the traditional pedestal in a small ensuite.
Heated Towel Rails
The radiator. A simple invention but one most homes still have. There are many different types of home heating but central heating with a radiator seem to be the common choice for most.
But space is tight in the ensuite and you need to double up. Why have a towel rail and a radiator when you can combine the two?
Save space with a heated towel rail… just make sure you chose the right size for your ensuite. Size matters when it comes to heated towel rails.
To work out the correct size is not an exact science but to give you an idea here’s what our main supplier recommends.
How to work out the correct size for your heated towel rail:
- Take the room dimensions in metres, width, length & height.
- If it’s a bathroom or shower room multiply this figure by 50. This gives you the watts per hour.
- We personally use a mears calculator and this takes into account the type of wall construction, how many outside walls, type of floor construction etc. For example a 1.8 x 2.4 x 2.4 room using the formula above gives 518 watts.
- Using the mears calculator assuming it is a wooden floor with one out sidewall, the heat requirement is 725 watts.
- If this room had 2 outside walls then the requirement would be higher. We need to say that this gives an idea of the heat required.”
Mirror Cabinets
Once again we have two items combined to make one. Every bathroom needs a mirror and of course every bathroom needs clever storage. This may not come as a huge surprise but a cupboard with mirrored doors is a space saver. One item – two jobs.
Mirrors in a bathroom (or any room) give the illusion of space and let you see how great you look after your shower! A mirrored cupboard does all that and keeps your small ensuite organised and clutter-free.
Corner Basins
Corners are often the dead space in any room. Nothing really lives there but cobwebs, and you’re left with square footage that you can’t capitalise on.
But wait… if you move the basin to the corner it not only becomes functional and space saving but frees up space on the other wall. Not all corner basins have to be small but they do make better use of the space in your ensuite.
Corner basins only work in certain situations and this will depend on the room size and you can be limited by design as not all suites accommodate a corner basin.
Storage
Clever storage is your friend in a small room. Your ensuite needs all the space you can give it but it also needs to be self-sufficient too. So, you gotta have all those great items in there but you don’t want them strewn all over the place.
Tall cabinets are a great solution to this problem. By using the space up above, you can fit more in and use up an area that you would normally ignore. Be sure you can reach the top though… or put things there that you don’t need all the time and can access with small steps.
Round shower enclosures
Curves are your friend in a small space. One of the best ways to keep a room from looking too busy is to create curves that float away from the eye and give a clean look.
One of the biggest parts to any ensuite bathroom is of course the shower. A circular shower cubicle not only looks more impressive but gives the illusion of space thanks to its shape. It also a better use of space in many respects.
Skylight in a sloping room
Some ensuites can be found in the eaves of a property and that often means a sloping roof and a very enclosed feeling.
You can combat that by adding a skylight. Although not the cheapest option, the extra light will boost your look and feel and also make your sloping roof feel less intrusive.
Lighting is important
So lighting is important… you know that, right? But too many small bathrooms have inadequate lighting. Get lighting wrong and bathroom will never look as good as it should do.
Ever wondered why a car in a showroom looks better there than on your driveway? Lighting!
Some tips on lighting your bathrooms:
- Spotlights are great as they’re modern and give a very good, crisp light
- LED bulbs are initially more expensive to buy but they use less energy and last longer, saving you money in the long run.
- You could also consider using low energy bulbs but the light they give off can be poor in comparison (sorry Mother Nature!). Select your lights carefully as low energy bulbs are not made equal!
Have a single colour scheme and keep it light
Too many colours are going to create a kaleidoscope for your eyes and that will mean a messy and noisy feel to your ensuite.
Instead – Kiss: Keep It Simple, Stupid
Have one colour scheme and keep it light as dark colours can be overpowering and dominate a room. They’re OK in a large room but more tricky in a small ensuite.
So there you go… lots of ensuite bathroom ideas for you to be getting on with.
We’re off to design some more gorgeous bathrooms and ensuites now.
Should you need our help or advice then please do drop us a line or visit our Coventry Bathroom Showroom.