Boutique-style bathroom from a spare room

Read article : Boutique-style bathroom from a spare room

Add a false wall

Create a unique, contemporary space by using decorative panelling (Above) to make zones for all your bathroom elements, from the bath and shower, to the basin and WC. The Nuance range by Bushboard features polyurethane trim-free panels bonded with high-pressure laminate that can be installed without any fixings being visible for a sleek result. Plus, shower fixings or sanitaryware can also be attached. With a high-definition printed design, the Dolce Vita True Scale has the look of real stone, but only costs from £70 per m².

Opt for all-over colour

Choose your favourite shade and go for a design that uses it all over the bathroom. To complement the bold blue mosaic tiles and accessories, the bespoke Silestone by Cosentino worksurface in Limited Edition Acqua Fraccaroli was created to suit this scheme. As the material has the ability to be moulded to create thick widths, long lengths and even be shaped along walls and upstands, it’s a great way to create a unique look. Silestone by Cosentino costs £400 per m².

Indulge in a spa-like shower

There’s nothing more luxurious than a relaxing shower, and with the Gessi Minimali chrome-finish recessed showerhead, you can re-create a spa feel at home. With aerators to minimise water consumption, while maintaining a power-shower sensation, the head fits into the ceiling seamlessly for a streamlined finish. Dia.35cm, it costs £950 at CP Hart.

Be creative with vinyl

The ideal choice for bathroom flooring, luxury vinyl now comes in an array of colours, patterns and textures emulating real wood and stone. Amtico’s latest Signature collection features a range of stylish motifs to create an eye-catching focal point in your space. This Myron Motif, Dia.91.5cm, £120, shown here paired with Sedimentary Grey Stone vinyl flooring, £70 per m², provides a modern contrast.

Pick a bright colour

Whether you’re decorating a small or large bathroom, adding a statement shade to the walls is a great way to refresh the space. Use a modern, trend-led shade such as Valspar’s Simply Brilliant all over the room, on a feature wall, or simply to update a stool or storage unit; £27.98 for 2.5 litres of Kitchen and Bathroom

Be bold with your bathroom basin

A far cry from the dated avocado suites of the past, coloured and patterned sinks are enjoying a revival. Update your master bathroom, en suite or cloakroom with the stunning Adriana porcelain basin, H15.5xDia.41cm, £690 from The London Basin Company

Co-ordinate finishes

Made to suit a humid environment, these blue café-style shutters in Crown Dance Hall from Shutterly Fabulous are made to measure from poplar wood. Also available in full-height, solid pane and tier-on-tier designs, the shutters can be painted in a colour to suit your scheme, for example, to match a statement bath and accessories. From £320 per m2 for a custom finish.

Apply lots of pattern

Why not create a real statement by using a print you love on both your walls and floors? The Baked Tile Company’s Elle porcelain tiles, W44.2xL44.2cm, £33 per m², are suitable for both surfaces, plus they’re hardwearing and easy to clean. Team with neutral fixtures and fittings, or add further wow factor with pops of bright colour.

Create a wet room

If you dream of a wet room but don’t want to tank your entire suite, opt for a recessed shower tray. At only 2.5cm thick, Roca’s In Floor steel shower tray is fitted at floor level, creating a walk-in shower with a streamlined drainage outlet built in. Designed with an anti-slip coating, in six sizes up to L140cm, the base costs from £744 for W90xL90cm. Combine with a slim, frameless glass shower screen for a minimal, contemporary look.

Use the latest materials

A must-have for kitchens, concrete details are now making their way into the bathroom, too. Introduce the look with Fired Earth’s large-format W60xL60cm waxed porcelain Berlin tiles in Reichstag. Inspired by the ‘utilitarian cool’ of East Berlin, they have a realistic, textured finish and offer a neutral backdrop to colour and pattern. The tiles can be used on walls (as shown) and floors, £49.97 per m².

Use market trends in deciding on a bath, shower or both

Read article : Use market trends in deciding on a bath, shower or both

Actress Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in the famous shower scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film |Psycho.|" />

Actress Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in the famous shower scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film
Psycho.

TO bath or shower? That is the question.

I am not inquiring about whether you would rather have a relaxing soak or an invigorating shower.

I would like to focus on the decisions to be made if you are in the throes of planning renovations or extensions, or are about to build your new home.

In today’s modern housing market how do you decide on bath or shower?

Always include one bath or is it not worth the bother?

Are baths still relevant in all homes?

I was hoping to provide some up to date, recent in-depth research statistics about what Aussies want in terms of baths and showers in their homes, as considerable research has been undertaken about the water consumption for each washing option.

Like research showing that us Australian types are washing more frequently than other nationalities.

But these reports failed to focus on the simple question: do Aussies prefer a bath or shower given the choice?

Not forgetting the combination option of a bath with a shower over it.

So I will use my understanding and knowledge of the real estate market and its general preferences.

In my experience I would say the following rules apply generally, but of course there will always be exceptions.

■ In one or two-bedroom properties, or where every square metre is at a premium, the walk-in shower tends to rule.

Undersized baths or showers over a bath are usually not as popular.

We would usually swap a compromised bath option for an oversized shower in this property type.

■ For the more compact three bedders, townhouses, villas or some units, this can be a little more complex, as that extra accommodation can attract small families.

So including a bath in one bathroom could make sense.

But in a one-bathroom home go with the oversized shower as the bath/shower combo is rarely sought after.

However, minimum size baths are not ideal, so unless you can fit a bath 1650mm in length or more, don’t bother.

■ For larger homes, at least one bath is still a desirable and preferred option.

That bath should still be of a reasonable size — ideally 1800mm in length or more — but not too large.

Buyers might look at the huge bath as having little advantage with the cost and time to fill it up being rather prohibitive.

If you only plan one bath for the larger home that is usually enough, unless the property is at the upper end of the market.

But the question is where to locate this. In a family home, ideally the one bath is located in the family bathroom.

Alternative placement is within the main bedroom, ideally not in an open-plan design form, as other family members might want bathing privacy.

As a general guide, the small spa bath and the corner bath are all generally out of favour in my opinion across all property types.

The bath-in-the-room concept is often perceived as a luxurious option but not ideal if it is the only bath.

Baths are always popular for families, especially if you have young children, cold winters or quite simply a large home.

The shower I believe is king overall but most seem to dislike the standard size shower of 900mm x 900mm.

So go those extra few millimetres, minimise glass screen areas as they just need constant cleaning and don’t forget the recessed niche to place your shower products, ideally on a wall out of sight from the main space.

Andrew Winter is host of Selling Houses Australia on Lifestyle