CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

Installing a shower enclosure in your bathroom is rarely going to come cheap, but if you do some shopping around and a little research into fitting shower cubicles you could save a substantial amount.

Of course, the most basic designs come recommended for anyone on a budget and, if you are able to provide the space for a standard size shower tray (usually measuring around 100cm¬2), this will also help reduce the cost. Square shower trays are easily the best option and will also be easier to fit, therefore also reducing labour costs.

Both square and rectangular shower trays can be fitted with a standard open-and-close door, whereas curved trays will come fitted with a curved frame and door which could add more to the cost. Square shower trays usually measure between 75cm2 and 120cm2, but if you are stuck for room in your bathroom, another option well worth considering is a pentangle shape, which is not only able to fit into a tight corner, but can also be fitted with a regular open-and-close door. This is easily the best option if you are trying to fit your shower enclosure between the toilet and bathroom sink, and will also add a touch of style to your suite.

Also recommended is to install your shower enclosure close to the existing pipe work, as there could be increased fitting costs if the job takes more time than usual. Power-showers and heads will also vary in price and a bit and shopping around is sure to help you stick to your budget.

If you have a small bathroom and you want it to look bigger one of the best solutions is to engage in a little bathroom remodelling. However, this is not always possible, because it tends to be very expensive. A cheaper way lies in bathroom design, which does not call for extensive reconstruction work.

In many cases, colour plays a huge role in determining how big a bathroom, or any other room for that matter, looks. To make a bathroom that is small appear bigger, it is best to use mainly light soft colours that can be accented with some bright and bold shades. The use of bold and dark colours should be very limited though, since they can have a tendency to make rooms look even smaller.

In situations where the bathroom is wallpapered, big prints or patterns that are too busy should be avoided like the plague. The recommended wallpapers are those with subtle patterns and you should consider leaving at least one part of the wall plain.

Light colours on the walls will make a small bathroom look roomier and the same principle also applies to the floor covering. The best colours for a small bathroom floor are light blues, tans and light greys.

By replacing some of the bathroom fixtures with smaller versions, you can also make a small bathroom appear larger. For example, a smaller, pedestal sink might replace a wide countertop or vanity. Pedestal sinks are usually available in a wide variety of colours and styles and it is therefore possible to match them with the rest of the bathroom decor. On average, a pedestal sink increases the space in the bathroom by up to 10%.

Since many bathrooms are built adjacent to another room in the house, most often the bedroom,  it is a good idea to design it proportionally. The bathroom should ideally be smaller than the room that it is connected to. Bathrooms that are bigger than the room that leads into it will give an unbalanced feel to both rooms and may lessen the prominence of the connected room.

For this reason, you will need to take careful consideration about how the bathroom design will affect the room adjacent to it. If you determine that you will need to increase the size of the shower area in the bathroom for example, see if you can take the space from another area of the house instead of taking up more of the bedroom floor space.

You should also plan for your expansion needs accordingly. This can be quite hard to do with a family that is still growing, with more potential family members coming along later on. Planning things out so you can expand without compromising the rest of the house however will ensure that your bathroom does not take up too much prominence yet is large and spacious enough to meet your needs for the future.

The elements in the bathroom present another challenge. If you have to reduce space even further in the interests of having a proportionally sized bathroom, consider building a combination bath and shower in one space, and opt for bathroom furniture that fits neatly into the wall or with each other.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that most of us have to deal with limited living spaces nowadays. Whether you live in a cramped apartment or a modestly sized house, it seems that there is never enough space for the type of room that you want. As you can imagine, the bathroom always takes on a lesser priority when compared to the other rooms in terms of allotted space. So how then do you design for a small bathroom?

The first thing you will have to consider is what colour to use on the walls. Lighter colours will not only make a bathroom look brighter, it will make it seem bigger as well. You should also try to keep the walls as clear and open as possible. Large areas of open wall space will reinforce the feeling of space while, conversely, adding plenty of bathroom fixtures on the walls will make it look even more cramped.

You will also want to leave as much of the floor open as possible, allowing you to move in and about freely. Instead of bringing in a hamper or a towel rack that will take up precious floor space, you way want to consider building these into the wall instead.

As for cabinets and shelves, you can design them in such a way that they fit into the wall instead of extend out into the room. Remember: when space is at a premium, you will want to use every little bit that you have available to you.