Interior Design & Decor

Here are 10 tips to consider when it comes to making sure your new bathroom will work for the whole family and be easy on your housework time:

1. When setting a budget and choosing the products you’ll be using, remember that installation will soak up around 50% of your costs.

2. What are you going to be able to fit into your new bathroom and what products will offer you the best use of space? Do you need to consider a wall-hung bathroom vanity and wall-hung furniture to free up the floor area and make the bathroom look bigger?

3. Have a think about who will be using the space. Family bathrooms, for instance, have to cope with a lot of traffic. This may affect the finishes you choose. Tools such as the Clearlite bathroom planner can help steer you through the choices.

4. Make sure that the shower and bath etc that you select can be easily cleaned without the need for special maintenance products or lots of elbow grease, especially if they’re not manufactured specifically for our market.

5. If you’re going to theme your bathroom – creating, for example, a French or Italian look – check that accessories such as bathroom vanity cabinets and shelving will be OK in heat and damp as well as delivering the image you’re after.

6. Ensure your ventilation, heating and insulation are up to the job of minimising moisture build-up and condensation on the walls and ceiling.

7. Install an extractor fan of the right capacity for the room size and vent it to the outside. Window joinery with passive vents is another idea. Use a water-resistant lining, such as Gib Aqualine, on the walls and ceiling as a base for paint, tiles, or wallpaper. When renovating, removing and replacing linings allows framing to be checked, insulation to be installed, and plumbing to be relocated if necessary.

9. Use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom with antibacterial silver protection and MoulDefender to inhibit mould growth if painting, or a solid vinyl applied over Shur-Stik size if papering.

10. An emergency floor drain is a good idea in case of overflows.