The bathroom is one of the most regularly used areas in homes. In fact, upon waking up in the morning, a trip to the bathroom is the first thing a person does.
A bathroom big or small regardless of its size should be carefully planned to make it comfortable to use. Like any space at home planning of the area is very crucial to its functionality and many design considerations should be remembered. Space planning in a bathroom is affected by many factors. Some of these factors may include budget, area, adjacent rooms, window locations and the needs and wants of the users. There are two types of bathroom spaces planning strategies that can be applied. First is the small and compact bathroom, and secondly the large and compartmented.
For small and compact bathrooms these are more challenging to plan. The challenge is how to fit all the necessary fixtures, utilities and circulation areas into the limited space given. There are many ways to achieve this. One would be providing with a wall-hung toilet and lavatory, this will in effect, visually, of enlarging the room. In addition to this there will be easy cleaning and maintenance to the area. Another way is to use one-piece plastic tub and shower to eliminate the need for wall tiles. The use of monochromatic colors or hues can make the bathroom seem larger. Opt for lighter colors to make the illusion more effective.
Another strategy is to make a small bathroom look larger are through installing mirrors but make sure it does not produce glare from the lighting or from the light from windows. For storage, maximize space by using hanging cabinets and corner cabinets which can be placed on unused corners of the bathroom area. To economize in plumbing costs, having a bathroom can be placed near to the kitchen.
For larger bathrooms, it is wise to provide compartments in each bathroom activity in order to maximize privacy and usage of the said area. One may opt in using a built-in tiled vanity, a stall toilet with swinging doors for added privacy and two lavatories provided. Space planning in bathrooms can be much easier but some principles applied in planning small bathroom spaces should also be used in planning larger bathroom spaces.
Other things should be remembered in space planning in bathrooms. If possible, don’t locate windows behind a tub or toilet to avoid awkwardness. Both windows and mirrors should be carefully located so as to minimize glare from these two. Lighting should also be carefully located. Light can either enhance or deteriorate the effectiveness of a bathroom, lighting should be carefully located.
Shadow trap effect is one common problems encountered in bathroom lighting. Shadow trap is when not able to see oneself very well when looking in the mirror.
One reason for this effect to take place is because of the use of recessed lighting fixture. When recessed lighting fixture floods over the head of the user, the floodlights then cause shadowing. Halogen recessed lighting are more likely to cause shadow trap. Additional sources of light should be provided and located on the eye level in order to combat the shadowing effect of the recessed lighting.
Space planning in bathroom may be tedious but can be rewarding at the same time. Taking account of the principles in designing bathrooms would surely create a wonderful and life-long functionality of the bathroom space.