For over twenty years, Balnei & Colina have been renovating homes throughout Sydney. In that time, we've renovated countless bathrooms, turning tired, rundown spaces into fresh, inviting sanctuaries that elevate the homeowner's every day. 

Often the smallest room in the home, the bathroom needs to be highly functional whilst promoting cleanliness and providing a relaxing and calming space when needed. Even the tiniest washroom can operate perfectly and feel uncluttered with intelligent space planning and design. 

With homeowners undertaking a bathroom renovation every 12-15years, and the average bathroom renovation investments starting at $20K, it's crucial to get it right the first time.

In this month's B&C Home Journal, we share our insights into the most common design issues arising in a bathroom renovation project and provide you with practical advice on overcoming them.  

Robert Fonti

Director, Balnei & Colina

Balnei & Colina | Bathroom Renovation Sydney

My bathroom layout doesn’t work!

The essential first step of any bathroom renovation is designing a practical layout that works with the space's dimensions. The key is to leave ample room to move around the toilet, vanity and shower area and ensure that door and cabinet openings don't conflict. At Balnei & Colina bathroom renovations, as a general guide, we allow for a minimum clearance of 700mm from the front of the washbasin to the nearest wall or object, at least 600mm clearance in front of the toilet, and a minimum of 200mm from either side of the toilet bowl for elbow room.

Design tip: Choose fixtures and pieces that are the best fit for your bathroom layout. Small, inaccessible gaps between the bathroom furnishings will be hard to clean, leading to grime and moisture build-up and potentially causing costly future issues. 

Image Credit: Lisa Cohen Photography

 

Balnei & Colina | Bathroom Renovation Sydney

My bathroom fixtures aren’t at the right height!

Related to nailing the layout is the importance of specifying the heights of taps, showerheads, towel rails and other fittings. Getting the measurements right is crucial to creating a functional room and workspace. Guidance from a Balnei & Colina bathroom renovation expert will ensure a beautiful bathroom renovation outcome that works for the whole family.

Balnei & Colina Bathroom Accessory Guidelines

• A standard towel rail is generally 1200mm above the floor but can be adjusted to line up with other features such as the vanity height.  
• Showerhead placement is on average 2000mm off the finished floor height, but you might want to reconsider this if you live with or are a tall person! Shower tapware approx 900mm-1000mm off the finished floor level.
• Base the mirror position on the average height of the eye levels of the people in the household. The general height is 1600mm to 1750mm.  

Image via Pintrest

 

 

Image via Inside Out Magazine

I don’t have enough bathroom storage!

The right amount of bathroom storage ensures that everything has a place and clutter is minimised, creating a tidy and organised room that's calming and efficient when in use. 

Style and function merge with custom vanities, clever joinery design like wall niches create greater storage capacity. Remember that bigger isn't always better: bulky shelves and deep cupboards are harder to keep organised and take up valuable floor space. The Balnei & Colina bathroom renovation team focus on designing smart bathroom storage solutions that don't take up valuable space. 

Utilise vertical storage options when space is at a premium. Well-positioned wall hooks, towel racks and niches, and bespoke design solutions, such as a recessed mirrored cabinet, will help keep the essentials accessible and organised. 

With a custom bathroom from Balnei and Colina's team, every millimetre of space is utilised optimally to maximise storage, regardless of the bathroom's size or shape. 

Fun trivia: Toilet paper as we know it today originated in the 1850s and was marketed as "Medicated Paper for the Water-Closet.”

Balnei & Colina | Bathroom Renovation Sydney

 

Balnei & Colina | Bathroom Renovation Sydney

 

My bathroom is hard to keep clean!

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a self-cleaning bathroom? Although we aren't quite there yet, with the right bathroom design and a careful selection of products, you can minimise the time you spend on cleaning and maintenance. 

Consider the following: 

• Choose larger format tiles that reduce grout lines.
• Where possible, avoid tapware and tiles with intricate ridging and textured detail as this creates areas where grime and dirt can build up.
• Correct waterproofing and sealing can prevent unsightly water damage and staining, especially if you have chosen natural stone finishes. At Balnei & Colina renovations, our bathroom waterproofing specialists are fully licences and qualified with years of experience.
• Rimless toilets are easier to clean compared to traditional toilets with hard to reach nooks.  

Image Credit: Decus Interiors

 

Image credit: Marnie Hawson Photography

My bathroom is mouldy!

Preventing the build-up of mould is easy with adequate ventilation reducing the amount of trapped steam and humidity. An extractor fan and added windows or doorways will help keep the air flowing as well as keep the room feeling fresh and hygienic. 

Fun trivia: Italian beauty and actress Sophia Loren received a 14-karat gold toilet seat from her late husband for her 40^th birthday. 

Balnei & Colina | Bathroom Renovation Sydney

I don’t know how to start my bathroom renovation!

Still unsure about how to turn your bathroom into an organised, peaceful and calming sanctuary? 

Let the expert bathroom renovation team at Balnei & Colina help! For more information about our bathroom design services or book a design consultation, call 1300 450 320, send us an email at info@balneiandcolina.com.au or send us your project details via this contact form.

Looking for further inspiration and ideas for your next renovation? Signup for our newsletter or stay up to date with the latest design trends by connecting with us on Instagram and Facebook.

 

Image via Beaumont Tiles

Image credit: Adore Home Bathroom Blog

Image Credit: Becki Owns Designs

Image Credit: Krista Kollard Interior Design

Image via DecorPad