Clever solutions for small bathrooms

Read article : Clever solutions for small bathrooms

In any room, a shortage of space can make renovating and decorating tricky, but a small bathroom can be particularly challenging when you think about everything you're trying to fit in it. That's not to say it's impossible though. With a few clever tricks you can easily transform a pint-sized bathroom into a stylish, spacious and spa-like haven. Here are our top tips for living large.

1. Add a splash of colour

When it comes to small spaces, it’s best to avoid blocks of dark or bold colours. Light neutral colours, such as white, cream and soft pastels, are your best pick for the overall colour scheme and bathroom suites. You can then use splashes of bright colours in your accessories, towels or even on a feature wall.

Bright white bathrooms look airy and spacious. Add a few splashes of statement colour for maximum impact. Photo: Nick Watt / bauersyndication.com.au

2. Let there be light

Well-lit rooms always feel bright and airy so follow their lead and use natural light to create the illusion of space in your bathroom. If you're designing the room from scratch or planing a total refit, opt for multiple windows, a floor-to-ceiling glass door or a skylight. You'll reap the rewards of more light immediately. If you're on a budget, try changing the type of glass in your windows — transparent will obviously let in the most light, but if privacy is an issue, soft frosted glass still lets in a fair share of natural light. When it comes to fixtures and fittings, use halogen light bulbs. They're known for their brilliance and will help open up your space.

One way to save space? An integrated toilet design. The Roca Meridian In-Tank Back to Wall Pan is far less bulky than a traditional toilet. Photo: supplied

3. Go for an integrated cistern

Toilets can be one of the bulkiest items in your bathroom, but unfortunately they’re non-negotiable so it pays to shop smart when you’re designing a small space. Look for a concealed or in-wall toilet solution that allows the cistern to be “hidden” in a wall cavity or under a vanity benchtop. Or, for the ultimate small space innovation, opt for the Roca Meridian In-Tank Back to Wall Pan. The game-changing design integrates the cistern and buttons into the pan for a compact toilet that's both sleek and stylish — a lifesaver for small bathrooms.

4. Make your storage smart(er)

Clever storage that makes the most of whatever space is on offer and delivers multipurpose solutions is key when working with a pint-sized room. If vanity space is sparse, or nonexistent, install shelving units above toilets, sinks and baths. Or, you could go the other way, and stretch a vanity benchtop across a bath surround, boosting your storage space dramatically. Recessed mirrors and shaving cabinets are also another winning option for smaller bathrooms.

If in doubt, accessorise all areas! Photo: Hallie Burton / bauersyndication.com.au

5. Small doesn't mean dull

Don't be disheartened by what you have to work with — you can pack a lot of character into a small room. For instance, multiple mirrors work on many levels; they're practical, look good and visually open up a room. Hanging rails can house several coloured or printed towels which serve a dual purpose as a place to dry hands and a way to add a pop of colour. Trolleys or stools also make a welcome addition in place of a built-in vanity and together, all of them create an eclectic, maximising vibe.

6. Do sweat the small stuff

When space is at a premium, every little bit counts. Don't just focus your attention on the big ticket space savers — such as the bathtub, the shower and the actual foundations of the room — spend some time thinking about smaller details, too. The tapware, the towels, the tiles. They all contribute to the overall look and feel of your bathroom so opt for streamlined faucets, wall-hung accessories and hardware and penny-round tiles that will all enhance your space.

Carve out a little extra space — it all adds up — by opting for sleek and streamlined hardware in place of clunky, oversized taps. Photo: Martina Gemmola / / bauersyndication.com.au

Brought to you by Reece Bathrooms

7 stunning bathroom trends for 2017 revealed

Read article : 7 stunning bathroom trends for 2017 revealed

The bathroom is first and foremost a functional space, but it is also a space that can be beautifully designed to make it a standout feature visually as well.

Aside from the usual practical aspects of this space, Kyle Turner from Luximo, the local distributor for the luxurious ROCA sanitaryware brand, offers some insights into the main trends influencing bathroom design going forward:

1. Organic is back

Kyle says organic elements can add warmth, uniqueness, and a rich tactile sensation to the overall composition. As such, materials such as wood, stone, metal and ceramics remain popular.

It is understandable why designers and homeowners alike admire Mother Nature as the ultimate source of design inspiration - organic elements can add warmth, uniqueness, and a rich tactile sensation to the overall composition. As such, materials such as wood, stone, metal and ceramics remain popular.

“Natural materials are being used to great effect to bring nature back into our homes. To stay within budgets, and to ensure easy maintenance and longevity, lots of indistinguishable imitative products are gaining popularity,” says Kyle.

“These warm organically-inspired or natural materials are used to great effect when juxtaposed with modern materials and super clean, streamlined design lines that offer practical and simple arrangement of spaces.”

2. Leading colourways

Darker more moody tones are making a huge comeback throughout the home, as well as in the bathroom.

“Darker tones, especially the rich palette of grey hues, are proving to be enormously popular. In the bathroom, they can be used on the walls and floor, and juxtaposed against brilliant white sanitaryware for maximum visual impact,” says Kyle.

He says can also integrate other popular colours.

“Matte, nude and neutral colours offer the perfect combination when paired with darker greys and blacks, and offer a great way of introducing some contrast to the overall colour palette,” says Kyle.

“Combinations of pastel tonalities in blue, green, salmon and ash are also on the rise, but only when used as accent tones. And of course, the classic all-white monochromatic bathroom never seems to go out of fashion.”

3. Metal and marble mania

“These warm organically-inspired or natural materials are used to great effect when juxtaposed with modern materials and super clean, streamlined design lines that offer practical and simple arrangement of spaces,” says Kyle.

“Marble cladding on the walls and metal accessories in gold or copper are bang on trend,” says Kyle.

“There has been a stylish revival of this 70s aesthetic - brass has really become that most fashionable metal for the bathroom, and when paired with the nobility of marble, it makes a truly irresistible combination.”

4. Play with geometry

A variation of geometric shapes inspired by the strong lines of architectural and structural elements has really come to the fore with regards to tiling and ceramic cladding.

“Hints of the Orient and the Mediterranean are being introduced in a modern and dynamic way in new trendy bathroom tile ranges,” says Kyle.

“An example of this is the rising popularity of the hexagonal tiles used for wall and floor coverings - it is proving to be a very popular design combination with multiple variations that can interpreted in many ways.”

5. Water efficiency rules

Water has always been a very precious commodity, but it is becoming a very high priority, especially in light of the severe water shortages we have been living through of late.

Kyle says awareness of water shortages has made choosing sanitaryware that is water efficient a must.

“You use more water in the bathroom than every other room in your home combined. Choosing water-efficient options is the right thing to do, and it can save thousands of litres and lots of money in the long run,” he says.

“Matte, nude and neutral colours offer the perfect combination when paired with darker greys and blacks, and offer a great way of introducing some contrast to the overall colour palette,” says Kyle.

“Water-efficient taps, double-flush cisterns, and low-flow showerheads all make a big impact on reducing your water consumption in the bathroom. However, there are other really clever and innovative products - one of them being the exclusive ROCA W+W, which reuses the water from the basin to fill the cistern after filtering it, further reducing water consumption by up to 25%.”

6. Smart storage

Adequate storage is essential in any bathroom space, and today, it takes on the role of being both functional and visually pleasing.

“Bathroom storage needs to provide you with easy access to all your items - it prevents the items from getting lost inside the furniture unit. ROCA’s range of bathroom furniture, for example, boasts drawers with full extraction systems that display all their contents so that you may access even the farthest corner,” says Kyle.

“Some models also include a concealed drawer to facilitate the tidiness of?the smaller objects.”

However, he says that modern bathroom furniture has also become smart.

“ROCA’s Statum-N Base Unit, for example, allows you to connect your smartphone to the Bluetooth speakers of the furniture unit and enjoy your music while you shower or get ready to go out. It also offers a built-in socket in its drawer so that you can use to plug your hairdryer, electric shaver, or straightening iron in.”

“Combinations of pastel tonalities in blue, green, salmon and ash are also on the rise, but only when used as accent tones," says Kyle.

7. Deluxe showers

The bath has always taken centre stage in bathroom design, however, there is a trend to replace the bath with a super-luxurious and grand shower instead.

“Showering is water efficient, it is quick and easy, and it provides one of the few occasions in which we are relaxed, calm and away from the stress caused by our everyday lifestyle,” says Kyle.

“It is no wonder that it is really starting to take centre stage in modern bathroom design. From the shower walls, shower heads and faucets, you can customise your shower according to your budget and needs.”

He says another important element to consider is the shower floor or tray.

“Gone are the days when acrylic shower floors were your only option, as ROCA now also provides shower trays in STONEX, steel and vitreous china. Shower trays manufactured in STONEX, a resistant and long-lasting material, may be installed levelled to the floor, and thanks to their textured surface, offer a high anti-slip feature,” says Kyle.

“They are also available?in different natural finishes to meet the needs of all kinds of bathroom environments, providing a very modern look - Helios, wooden texture, Terran, stone texture.”

Adequate storage is essential in any bathroom space, and today, it takes on the role of being both functional and visually pleasing, says Kyle.

Kyle says steel shower trays are functional, long lasting and extra slim so that they are perfectly integrated in the shower space, and it is only necessary to clean them with a wet cloth and soap.

“For greater comfort, ROCA’s In-Floor or Blues XL collections include an anti-slip base,” says Kyle.

“If you are searching for an economic shower tray that is easy to clean and resistant to chemical agents, those manufactured in vitreous china - such as ROCA’s Malta shower tray for example - are a good option.”

All ROCA products are currently available at Bathroom Bizarre outlets countrywide.