LAYOUT CONSIDERATIONS IN THE BATHROOM

A bathroom requires careful planning, so before thinking about how you’d like it to look, consider the practical issues—how the room will be used, and which individual components will work best. Will more than one person regularly use the room at the same time? Do you need to make space for double sinks?  Should you install a separate shower? How can the room be organized to make it work well for everyone?

BATHTUB

Plan the room’s layout and functionality around the tub, since it is the biggest item and you may have little choice about where it will sit. If space is an issue, choose a tub that sits against a  wall, and ideally in a corner. If you have a larger room, consider installing a  freestanding bathtub, but check first with your plumber so that it won’t cause drainage issues. Consider, too, where the  tub spout and knobs will be positioned: freestanding tubs, for example, don’t usually  have these fittings attached, so they will have  to be attached to the wall or be “floor  standing.” If your bathtub is to have a shower above it, the tub should be positioned against the wall and screened to prevent water spillage.

WHAT TO DO WHEN RENOVATING YOUR BATHROOM

When redoing your bathroom, it is important to have an organized plan and to tackle the work in the correct order—otherwise, you could find yourself running out of funds or having to do the same jobs more than once. If you follow the sequence shown here, you shouldn’t run into trouble.

1. WORK OUT YOUR BUDGET

Assess your finances and decide how much you can afford to spend, then establish what you will be able to do with the money available. It is a good idea to build in a  10 per cent contingency plan in case of unforeseen costs.

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If your kitchen looks a little tired, give it a fresh new look by making small changes, such as replacing cabinet hardware or changing the colour of a wall. If you are feeling more ambitious, you can  make bigger changes that, although they will require a little more time and effort, can create more impact.

1. CREATE A FEATURE WALL

Add interest to your kitchen by painting or wallpapering one wall in an eye-catching colour or pattern.

CHOOSE SOME NEW ACCESSORIES in colours that tone with the wall to pull the design scheme together.

CHOOSE KITCHEN LIGHTING

Kitchen lighting needs to be chosen with precision because it’s the one area of the home—other than a workshop or home office, perhaps—where you need spaces to be lit well enough for you to work. Include ambient lighting, too, and accent lighting to show off any design elements.

CHOOSE YOUR LIGHTING

How you light your kitchen depends to some degree on its size. If it’s a tiny room, you will probably want to focus on ambient and task lighting. You can be more creative if the room is large or part of open-plan living space.

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The floor in your kitchen is likely to suffer from more wear and tear than flooring in any other room in your home, so choose something that can deal with all your requirements. In addition to choosing something that looks good, you also need to consider how much maintenance it will require. 

CHOOSE THE LOOK

Flooring that’s suitable for a kitchen broadly falls into three types: tiled, wood, and seamless. Tiled and poured floors create a  contemporary look and can withstand the most wear; wood and tiles are good choices if you want an informal, rustic look.

TILED

A tiled floor is a classic choice for a kitchen. When choosing tiles, consider the size and finish: large tiles make a space look contemporary, while smaller tiles give a room a more traditional feel.  The more grouting there is, the more cleaning the floor will require.

WOOD

Wood floors should be well sealed, and must be able to withstand both the foot traffic of a busy space and the raised moisture levels of a cooking area. Planks can appear visually longer and wider, so are a good choice for small and narrow kitchens.

SEAMLESS

Seamless designs, which include sheet vinyl, rubber, and linoleum,  and poured floors like concrete and resin are essentially one piece of flooring without any seams. The latest sheet flooring designs are upmarket and good for small areas.

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