Bathroom Layout Recommendations

My whole ethos is Make You Smile Style, which means style that makes you feel good, whether that’s an outfit or a room you are decorating. One thing I have learned from our renovation is that the layout of a bathroom is so important, and it’s key to get it right in the early stages of the reno. In partnership with Ferguson Showrooms I’m going to share some of the things I have learned about bathroom layouts. Plus, I’m sharing the products I used in my renovation from Ferguson Showrooms.  What I love about Ferguson is that they have such a great range of Delta Faucet products in a wide variety of finishes. The matte black finish I used in the bathroom was tough to find but Ferguson had it in stock and ready to ship, which ticked something off my reno list with the click of a button!

Back to the layout of a bathroom: it’s really important not to rush this stage. I know sometimes you can’t afford to move something or it’s not physically possible. However, when those things are an option it’s vital to make sure you are optimizing the bathroom space in the best way possible. I have and also seen so many people just accept the first layout they see. Instead of doing this be sure to really take time to sit with the bathroom design and see if there are other layouts that could work better.  Here are my top things to consider when you are thinking about a bathroom layout:

Daylight

The first thing I do is think about windows and light. Look at where the light comes in; I like to take a picture in the morning, midday, and late afternoon. Then, with the pictures, I can keep referring to the light position and show it to people I’m working with whether that be a contractor or architect.

With light, try to ensure the sink is facing or to the side of the window, this will make getting ready and seeing things much easier. Don’t put the sink in the darkest corner! I see this in so many bathrooms. I know, yes, you can have artificial light, but it just isn’t the same as natural light.

Now, also think what your line of sight will be as you walk into the room. First impressions count, not just with people, but with rooms, too. If you walk into a space and see outside, the space feels bigger and more open. That’s true even if it’s a small bathroom. Sometimes during a renovation you can change the window so take advantage of that.  If you can’t change the window then take notice of how the light comes into the room at different times of day, and try to position the sink in the best place.

 Design that saves space

There are so many ways you can save space with fixtures that don’t compromise on style. If anything they help with making the space look better. Here are my three favorites:

1. Wall Mounted FaucetsThe space for our guest bathroom was narrow, so I wanted to be really mindful of anything that would take up space both physically but also in the eye. I chose these Delta Faucet wall-mounted faucets and they worked out perfectly. With the simple matte black finish of the Delta Faucets and clean lines of the concrete sink it makes them perfect for space saving. Ferguson’s product experts are there to help and chat with you, either instore or online, such as all the specs you may need of your desired faucets when having a custom sink like this made.

2. Compact toilets

Don’t just accept the standard toilet size as there are so many options and sizes. Shopping at Ferguson Showrooms is great as they have such a large variety, which saves you so much time from having to go to different vendors. If you have a narrow space to work with. there are plenty of options for you. 

3. Be creative with the sink

In our guest bathroom you can see we had a custom concrete sink fabricated for the space. This was a purposeful decision in order to create a dramatic design statement: I love how the  clean lines draw the eye down and help elongate the space. Custom fabrication can become expensive but don’t worry there are more affordable options. Consider using under mounted sinks such as these and then just use a slab, stone, or stone alternatives. The wall mounted faucets can be found here.

To have a bathtub or not

This must be one of the most common questions: do I need a bathtub in the bathroom or not? Should you do the bath and shower combination or just have a shower? I get it, it’s a personal and tough reno question, so here are my rules to help you figure out what to do! First, if you have more than one bathroom, then at least one of them should have a bathtub, in my opinion. If you don’t, it could make your house harder to sell. That said, taking a bath is becoming less popular but bathtubs are useful and not having one might make it harder in future to sell your home, especially if potential buyers have kids or pets. Second, if you have a bathtub in another bathroom, then I would generally advise just to have a nice well-proportioned shower in other bathrooms, unless you can fit both separately. 

Having a well-proportioned shower is so much better than either squeezing in a small shower or a shower over a bathtub. This is because everyday showering in a large shower will make you feel good and it just looks so much chicer. Here are the shower items , rainhead, arm, wall shower.

Cleverly Hiding the toilet

Lastly, I’m a big fan of hiding the toilet when you can. Mostly commonly this is done by putting it in a separate space. However, let’s get real, we often don’t have space or money for that. So my favorite solution is using the shower to hide the toilet, like I did in our guest bathroom. I think this is a great solution as it naturally hides the toilet out of sight as you come into the bathroom but without having to add additional walls. 

That’s it, here are all my tips for the layout success. I hope they help you as you think about your bathroom renovation.