Creating a Family Bathroom that Makes a Big Splash

Ask your kids how they feel about bathroom design, and they’ll probably politely inform you that they really don’t care. It’s certainly not one of their priorities when it comes to the home. They see the bathroom as somewhere you do what you need to, and then that’s it. To be fair, you might not be that bothered either. You might prefer to spend your time designing the perfect lounge to relax after a hard day, a lovely dining room to entertain friends and family and pretty bedrooms that help everyone sleep and rest. No one spends that much time in the bathroom, so does it really need to be anything more than the essentials?

But, your bathroom can be so much more than that. As a mother with children running around, it can be a haven (not that you’ll get much alone time in it!) It can be where you relax in a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine and a good book. You’ll never be able to relax in an old fashioned, musty and messy bathroom. But, create a peaceful home spa area, and you’ll enjoy it much more.

When it comes to the kids, a bathroom that they love and that they find easy to use is something that they’ll want to look after and use. They’ll be much more likely to brush their teeth well, to wash and to use the toilet if they feel happy, safe and comfortable. A bathroom that makes a splash with the whole family, that everyone loves can help to encourage good hygiene habits, and independent use of bathroom facilities, which will make the kids much happier, help them to prepare for growing up, and make your life a whole lot easier. It might even be easier to clean. Here are some tips to help you to create the perfect family bathroom.

Keep it Simple

It can be tempting to go completely crazy, filling your bathroom with ornaments, designs, toys and tools. But, this just makes your life much harder in the long run. Too much going on will make your bathroom much harder to clean. It’ll give bacteria and germs plenty of places to hide and to grow, it will be hard to replace things that need updating or replacing over time, and from a kids point of view, it will mean that it won’t last. They grow, their tastes change, and the designs that they love today, they might have outgrown next week.

Instead, keep things simple. Aim for simple designs and a few extras. It’s often the finishing touches that make it after all. Don’t just focus on creating a bathroom that suits your family and looks great today. Think of how it will look in five years time.

Choose a Theme

Simple, also means that it’s easy to add a theme. If your tiles, accessories and flooring are relatively plain, you can easily add a few touches to give the room cohesion and add some fun. For young kids, pirates or sea life can be popular. But, try to stick to one to avoid making it confusing and random.

A few toys, some artwork and other accessories is all that you need to give your bathroom a theme. Then, as the kids get older take the toys out and add some extra decoration to keep your bathroom up to date.

Add Some Gadgets

Bathroom gadgets are awesome. They add some fun to the room, and kids and guests alike will be amazed. You might find that bathroom gadgets even make the space cleaner and more hygienic. Think waterproof radios, taps with sensors, large shower heads or waterfall taps from tapwarehouse.com to start with.

But, don’t get carried away. There’s no need to show off or to make things too complicated. Cool taps are fantastic, but you might want to steer clear of anything too costly, fancy or complicated.

                       Image : Flooring Clarity

Don’t Forget Fun

You might have added some toys to match your theme, but in truth, most kids are more than happy with bath water and bubbles, anything else is just a bonus. But, what about the rest of the time that they are in the bathroom? They won’t be playing with bathrooms while they are brushing their teeth or using the toilet. Nor should they be, these toys should be confined to the bath area.

If you want to create a bathroom that they enjoy being in and make sure that it’s somewhere that they can feel safe and comfortable, you need to add some more fun, so that they’re not just happy when surrounded by bubbles.

Your shower curtain is a fantastic place to start. It’s large and eye-catching, and it should be kept open when not in use to reduce the risks of mould growth. Stick to your theme or colour scheme, but find a curtain that features a cartoon character or animal. Fun floor mats and cool artwork can also work well. Just don’t overdo it.

Make Sure They Can Reach

One of the main problems that children have in the bathroom is reach. Sinks and toilets are quite high, and this can be especially problematic when your children are just starting to want to do things for themselves.

You might buy a step and a seat for the toilet, to keep them safe and comfortable, but what about everything else? Ask them if they can easily reach things like their toothbrush and the soap. Ask them if they can easily reach the toilet roll when they are sat on the toilet. They shouldn’t have to stretch. It should be easy for them. If they can’t, make some adjustments, and consider shelving or storage that could be moved up as they start to get taller and more confident using the bathroom alone.

Add Splashes of Colour

If you’ve ever seen an old fashioned green or peach bathroom, you know that colour isn’t always a good thing. You might also feel that sticking to whites and stainless steels will make things easier to clean and muck easy to spot. You’d be right, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t add colour elsewhere. Coloured towels, mats and decorations can make things much more fun. You could even add some fresh flowers.

Add Plenty of Storage

 

As we get older, we seem to accumulate more bathroom stuff. Your kids will have toys, toiletries and their own towels. You might have makeup, wipes and cleansers, creams and medicines and electronics. Bathrooms can quite quickly become overrun with clutter, which can be unsanitary and dangerous.

Storage can be the answer. Plenty of shelving, drawers with dividers, a towel rack and a high, or lockable cabinet for anything that little hands shouldn’t be exploring. This will make your bathroom safer and much easier to clean.

Consider getting your kids their own storage space. Perhaps a hammock or something similar in the bath, to keep their toys and their own shelf or unit will help them to feel grown up and special.

Keep Everyone Safe

Of course, you should never leave young children alone in even shallow water. But, the bath isn’t the only danger to your child in the bathroom. You’ll eliminate some risks by keeping things clean and tidy and making sure that what they need is within easy reach. But, you can do more.

Bathrooms get slippery. So, make sure the floors are kept dry, and that there are mats on the floor. It’s also a good idea to add non-slip mats to the bottom of your bath or shower. You might also want to ensure that any taps your children can reach aren’t able to get so hot that the water could burn them.

Don’t Neglect Your Own Needs

Creating a bathroom that your kid’s love is great. But, that doesn’t mean that you should neglect your own needs. Your bathroom should also be a place where you can relax and unwind. Or where you can have a quick and easy shower before work in the mornings.

Make sure toys are easy to hide, to give yourself space to relax. Keep your own products, candles and other bathroom must-haves out of the kids reach, but easy to get to when you crave a bubble bath, and consider adding some seating, so that you’ve got somewhere to sit while bathing the kids. You might also want a stool or table so that you can take a cup of tea or glass of wine with you when you bath. Remember, it’s your bathroom too.

Make Hygiene Easy

Your kids will be more likely to wash their hands and brush their teeth if it’s easy. Ask them what they need, or what you could do to help them. Small accessories like tooth brushing timers can make all of the difference.

Your bathroom might not seem as exciting as some other areas of your home. But, it can be if you make it so. It can be more than somewhere where we get clean and use the toilet. It can become a space family are happy to use, where they feel safe, happy and comfortable. It can even be a room that the kids get excited about. If you are lucky, they might even let you have a bath in peace once in a while.