When planning a bathroom renovation, it is easy to become quickly overwhelmed. There are so many gorgeous images available online and in magazines, it can be hard to know whether they will work in the existing or allocated space you have.
At Brindabella, we consider the ideal starting point in designing or renovating a bathroom is to first identify what style of bathroom you are working with (or for) and go from there. Here are our top 5 bathroom styles and a little bit about each of them.
Bathroom Style #1: Small Bathrooms
We believe small is still beautiful and, with some clever design and visual effects, you can still bring big ideas to your small bathroom. The crucial time to make changes to maximise space for a small bathroom is at the beginning of the design or renovation, rather than ad hoc ideas later so make sure to take your time to be truly satisfied with the finished result. Strategic placement is your best friend when it comes to small bathroom. Avoid ‘bulk’ or protruding items as much as you can – think about utilising niches for storage, handless drawers, wall mounted taps – all things that sit flush or backwards and the room will look and feel a lot bigger.
Small bathrooms also benefit from rounded washbasins and baths as they allow a user to easily walk past without bumping into edges. Smaller bathrooms will feel larger with a light colour scheme (shades of white will really brighten it up!), and a strategically-placed mirror will bounce the light around the room.
Bathroom Style #2: Modern Bathrooms
Today’s modern bathrooms are sleek with a neutral palette (usually either light or dark) and push the boundaries of design. Modern bathrooms often use storage to keep items off display, utilise a floating vanity and have one or two feature items like an attention-grabbing grand basin or bath. Rather than the cosy and more individually personalised bathroom of years past, modern bathrooms ooze sophistication and stick to one colour scheme. Popular choices to add to a modern bathroom include gloss finishes on a push-close vanity, stainless chrome or matte black tapware and black or white large format tiles (think luxe tiles like marble). Modern bathrooms are the easiest option for homes that are looking to be sold or rented in the future and due to being ‘current and modern’ have the most readily available furnishings in stores to buy.
Bathroom Style #3: Traditional bathrooms
For those who love an inviting bathroom packed with character and classic in design, look no further than a traditional bathroom. A traditional bathroom welcomes you in to its homely space to relax and wash off the day’s worries. Often featuring a bath or spa, a traditional bathroom’s vanity is often furniture-like and features wood grain finishes. The colour palette of a traditional bathroom can also have a more feminine touch with creams or pink hues a popular choice.
Thanks to their timeless beauty, elements of traditional bathrooms have been recreated with a modern touch, allowing a mixing or pairing of traditional and modern bathroom styles. Think a traditional vanity with painted wooden cupboards with a modern granite benchtop sitting atop paired with a modern splashback. Or add traditional tapware to a modern bathroom for a different touch.
Bathroom Style #4: Ensuite bathrooms
An ensuite bathroom immediately connects to an adjoining room, most commonly the master bedroom and has grown in popularity to now be considered a must have on many real-estate hunter’s lists for its privacy and proximity. Ensuites allow quick access to the bathroom in the middle of the night and are great to complete your morning routine before you even leave the bedroom. Ensuites come in a variety sizes depending on the available space though, as they have increased in popularity, so have they in size. Today’s ensuites can now include a double vanity, toilet, shower and even a spa bath, giving you a private exclusive oasis. While, typically, ensuites have a dividing wall and door, some choose to bring the bathroom into the bedroom and use a clear glass panel to separate the two areas or even nothing at all!
Thanks to the privacy of an ensuite, they are able to be customised and decorated to suit the user’s taste and don’t need to impress anybody else so you can really personalise it and make it your own. For those wanting an ensuite but the space doesn’t allow it, and the bathroom happens to adjoin to the master bedroom, a two-way bathroom is an option. A two-way bathroom has an extra door that enters the master bedroom. This allows the close proximity of an ensuite and by closing the main entry door, gives all the benefits of an ensuite (minus the exclusivity).
Bathroom Style #5: Large bathrooms
Large bathrooms allow endless options of inclusions such as dual-ended showers, a spa, double vanity, a bench, heated towel racks, storage cupboards, a seating area, a bathtub in the middle of the room and large mirrors. While it seems heavenly to have the room for all your heart desires, a large bathroom can become cumbersome or difficult to take care of if you don’t consider dividing the room into wet and dry zones. Keeping the wet (bath, shower) and dry (toilet, vanity) areas separate will avoid wet feet walking through dry areas. Keep the high traffic areas close to the entrance for your own quick access and prevent visitors walking to the other side of room. With more space comes more potential to create a mess, so use some of that space for storage whether it be cupboards to hide it all or shelves to neatly have things on display.
Designing and renovating bathrooms can be an exciting experience. At Brindabella, we custom design all of our bathrooms to fit with your needs and we will work with you every step of the way from the very beginning to the glorious finish. So why not give us a call and, together, let’s build your perfect Sydney bathroom.
