When it comes to balancing interior design with kid-friendly features, the most difficult room to tackle is the family bathroom. With so many bath-time toys and sensitive skin products to store, as well as our daily challenges as parents to consider, how can you design a space that’s functional as a bathroom, but also practical in terms of storage? I’ve been thinking about this very topic a lot recently, and I’ve come up with a few key ways to do just that…
How to design a functional family bathroom
Fixtures, fittings and floors
Everything you pick for your new bathroom must have the children in mind. First of all, make sure you invest in a non-slip flooring tile, wood or laminate, as children have a habit of running everywhere, even when wet surfaces are around. Accidents may happen, but you can reduce the amount of damage that’s done by slowing them down. In addition, instead of a standard bath mat, opt for a larger rug – an anti-slip device masked as a stylish accessory.
Opting for a wall-mounted toilet will conceal any of the important pipework where tiny hands might get trapped, while a wall-hung sink will allow you to store a stool for little ones to use when they need to reach the sink, without anyone tripping up over it. In the shower or bath, stay away from fixed shower heads, and go for ones which can be hand-held for washing hair. You can find all these products at very affordable prices at some of the larger online retailers, such as www.betterbathrooms.com.
Think practically
Next, think about what problems you’re likely to encounter in your family bathroom. What will your daily activities be? Some of the best things you can do for making a child-friendly environment are the simplest, such as fitting a lock to the entry door which can be unlocked from the outside. Although you don’t want to think about worse-case scenarios, doing so now will help you prevent any accidents in future.
Or, how about installing motion sensor lighting so that your children can see if they need the toilet during the night, without needing to reach the switch? Another tip is to factor in a chair to the bathroom, as it’s likely you’ll want to sit beside them whilst they play.
Maximise on storage
This is the number one consideration for any family. With numerous people in the house, all with varying amount of skincare and hygiene products to store, there never seems to be enough places to put it all. The first tip here is to look for any spaces that require a tailored solution.
For example, if there’s a wall recess, can shelving units be added to fit the space? Then consider what space you have behind doors – can you hang a linen organiser on the back to make use of dead space? If you do opt for wall-mounted units, make the most of the underneath by fitting a unit there.
How did you design your family bathroom?
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