Modern Bathroom Designs
From sleek wall-hung bathroom
furniture and spa baths to color
therapy lighting and sound
systems, there's more choice
than ever before when designing
a bathroom. For this reason,
it's a good idea to involve the
professionals. If you're
planning a bathroom from
scratch, or you are going to
reconfigure the plumbing and
drainage of the existing room,
then it's best to employ a
designer as there will be
structural and practical
considerations, especially if
you want a wet room. Specialist
bathroom showrooms, such as
Original Bathrooms, Ripples and
CP Hart, provide designers and
can organize installation too.
The DIY stores, such as B&Q and
Wickes, can offer in-store
planning, but advice is
generally limited to the layout
of basic elements, rather than
providing solutions to problems.
When buying for your bathroom,
take along a plan of the room,
with the existing fittings
marked, and make sure you know
the location and type of
water-heating system you have,
so that the shop can help you
choose the most appropriate
fittings.
Basins
The latest basins are wide,
shallow designs, sometimes even
irregular in shape. These can be
inserted into a slab-type work
surface, wall-mounted with
shelves and towel storage below,
or installed as part of a basin
unit. Conversely, deeper,
rounder shapes set into slab
worktops are also popular.
Teamed with dark wood or
lacquered white cabinets, shiny
chrome taps and matching
accessories, they can add a
witty touch to an otherwise
understated bathroom.
Baths
Baths are usually the focal
point of a bathroom, and there
is a huge choice. Modern
roll-top styles, often mounted
in a cradle or on blocks, are
designed to sit in the centre of
a large room, while
non-freestanding designs will
need to be set into a surround
finished with tiles or timber.
New materials for
baths include stone,
cast-stone composites and even
wood. For a larger bath, check
that your hot-water system has
the extra capacity needed. You
should think carefully before
opting for a shower instead of a
bath, as it may decrease the
re-sale value of your property.
Furniture
Modern fitted bathroom furniture
is often in dark wood, such as
ebony, mahogany or wenge, which
contrast well with white
sanitary ware and chrome or
stainless-steel bathroom
fittings.
Walls
Where walls and flooring are
concerned, there's still a
strong trend for tiles, with
limestone or porcelain
look-alike tiles very popular.
To avoid a bland look you can
add bands of color to break up
plain tiles. Fully tiled walls
tend to suffer from condensation
unless the room is well heated.
To solve the problem make sure
your room has adequate
ventilation; a heated towel rail
and under floor heating will
also help. You can update your
bathroom simply by swapping an
outdated pedestal basin for a
chic modern one with an integral
stand.
Brassware
If your bath and basin are
understated, then bold, angular
brassware will create several
focal points. Many ranges have
satin and matt finishes,
sometimes in nickel, which will
provide a softer look. The trend
is for taps to be arched and
graceful and showerheads as
large as possible, especially in
a wet room, to give you a good
drenching. Remember that hard
water causes shiny brassware to
mark and dull quite badly, and
be prepared to dry and buff the
taps regularly. Take advice when
choosing brassware, too, as
products vary in suitability for
high- or low-pressure water
heating systems.
Wet Rooms and Steam Cabinets
The most desirable types of
showers around at the moment are
wet rooms. If you wish to use
the whole bathroom, then it has
to be lined with a waterproof
membrane, which usually costs at
least £2,000. Do take
professional advice, as there
are many points to consider,
from the capacity of the
drainage system to the rate of
water flow and recovery. You
could opt for a semi-wet room,
or a walk-in shower; this will
be spacious but with fewer
technical considerations.
Semi-wet rooms still involve
extensive waterproofing of part
of the room, while glass panels
are used to screen off the rest
of the room and contain the
spray. Walk-in shower enclosures
consist of a tray and side/front
panels, but are without a fully
closing door %u2013 the walk-in
area serves as a drying-off
space. The latest have frameless
glass panels and recessed trays
to create a wet-room look.
If a wet room is not for you,
and you have the budget and the
space, you could create a
spa-like bathroom with a steam
cabinet. Fully enclosed with a
roof, these contain a steam
generator and usually a seat.
Chromatherapy (color therapy) is
also included in some models. If
the bathroom doesn't have the
space for a separate shower,
look at the range of over-bath
showers/steam cabinets from
Jacuzzi %u2013 some models offer
whirlpool bath options as well.
Ceiling-mounted shower fittings,
along with body jets, are de
rigueur in a wet room. If you
want to install a new shower
into an existing enclosure, or
over the bath, consider a shower
panel, such as one from Triton,
which includes a fixed
showerhead plus a hand-held
spray and various body jets.
Aqualisa offers
remote-controlled showers, which
can be switched on before
entering the enclosure; the
Grohe Wireless shower can be
switched on or off from any room
in the house.
You can find more information on
bathroom design and bathroom
design ideas at
http://www.housetohome.co.uk
, helping you create a look
you'll love
Article Source:
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If you are looking for a
bathroom remodeling
contractor in
the Denver area, please call us
today at 303-506-1262 or
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