5 things to consider when designing a family bathroom

Family bathrooms get a lot of activity throughout the day and night – everyone brushing their teeth, showering / bathing, doing their hair, washing their hands – the list goes on and on! So, it’s extremely important to carefully design your family bathroom to be functional for everyone’s needs. We’ve rounded up our top five things for you to consider when designing your family bathroom.

Family Bathroom Tip #1 – How big is your family?

Each family is unique and you will need to consider the ages of your children over the next few years. After all, you may choose not to have a bath at all (if, for example, you have older teens who all use the shower) and you could use that bath space for something else. Do you plan to add to your family? While your children may currently be outgrowing the need for mum or dad to bathe them, if there is a possibility you may add to your family, then you will need to consider how the new family members will use the bathroom as well.

Family Bathroom Tip #2 – Bathing children

If you have small children, you’ll know already that they love baths and it’s a great way to get them squeaky-clean. When designing your family bathroom and accommodating space for a bathtub, don’t forget a nearby and handy set down area or two. These can be used to put down their fresh pyjamas, bathing equipment like cloths, soap and shampoos and as a place to keep their bath toys.

A set-down area to keep these items allow you to keep an eye on your child while they are in the bath and not need to duck off to grab something you need. It also prevents items such as their pyjamas or towel getting wet if they are on the floor or hung over the side of the bath.

We understand that some bathrooms can be smaller than others, but we cannot stress enough to carefully consider the positioning of the bathtub. You will want ample room to put the child in and out of the bath, and if they are small, wash their little bodies as well. While glass screens can be handy to prevent splashing if you have a shower and bath combo, it can be quite difficult to reach around and wash a child from the outside.

Family Bathroom Tip #3 – The vanity

It’s not overly common to find a couple (let alone an entire family) who enjoy sharing the sink and mirror at the same time. So, if your whole family is sharing the bathroom vanity, here are a few tips and tricks to make it a more pleasant experience for everyone.

The most important consideration is space – you will want to include the largest vanity you functionally can. A large vanity can accommodate everyone’s toothbrushes and toothpastes, hair brushes, cosmetics, creams and all the other items we use in the bathroom. You will also want lots of space to store many of those items in drawers or cupboards when they are not in use. The less clutter you have on your vanity bench, the tidier your bathroom will look.

Would it work best for your family if each member had their own personal drawer for their items? Or if that’s not possible, what about boy’s / girl’s drawers, parents / kids drawers or you could itemise the drawers into toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair, creams, etc.

If the thought of everyone having to share the one sink makes you cringe, then consider adding in dual sinks if possible. By allowing two people to wash their hands or brush their teeth at the same time, you can cut down on grooming time and you might even get everyone out of the front door quicker in the mornings!

Another tip is to go large with your mirror – extend it the length of the vanity if you can so that family members can stand side by side to see into the mirror and not have to peek over shoulders to get a glimpse. If the bathroom gets really packed, then consider adding a mirror with a demister – that way the mirror won’t fog up if someone is having a hot shower.

Family Bathroom Tip #4 – The shower

As children get older, even if they still favour the bath, you may find that they will be using the shower as well for quick washes. We’ve got a couple of tried-and-true tricks to share to ensure their shower time is a pleasant experience for all.

Consider a walk-in shower, which is a shower without screens or doors allowing ease of accessibility (and as a bonus for who gets the lucky job of cleaning the bathroom – it’s much easier to clean as well!). Built in shower nooks perfect for children’s bathrooms, because the kids can grab and replace items such as shampoos, body wash, etc as opposed to having to lift the products over the rail of a shower caddy (which are usually placed over the shower head making them too high for little family members to reach).

Depending on how many members are in your family, you may want more than one shower nook. Children’s shampoo and body wash can differ to adults so having them in a separate place to the adult’s products will stop any confusion, and also give the child independence as they learn to shower themselves.

Family Bathroom Tip #4 – Comfort

While many Instagram bathrooms look drool-worthy, make sure that your bathroom is also a happy place for the kids. Skip the moody themes or uber-trendy looks and incorporate colours and décor the kids will approve of. Treat their little feet (and your own) with underfloor heating. For their little tooshies, you might want to consider a family toilet lid which works the same way as a regular seat but has a child sized toilet seat in between the lid and regular seat.

Family Bathroom Tip #5 – Storage

Our littlest family members may be small but they sure do take up a lot of land space! Ensure you have plenty of bathroom storage space to accommodate everyone’s items. Babies can go through a lot of towels so make sure the towel cupboard is of a good size.

You will also want to consider places to keep bulky items like the baby bath and potty. While it is possible to build a hideaway step into the cupboard, if your child is using a portable step stool to reach the tap, mirror and toilet, you might want to consider a storage place to keep the room tidy when it’s not in use.

While a family bathroom can certainly be chaotic at times, we like to think it’s a place where lasting memories are built and conversations are created. If you’re looking to create the perfect family bathroom in Sydney, contact our friendly and experience team today for a free chat.