Advantages and Disadvantages of Popular Bathroom Styles

Although it’s one of the most essential areas of the house, it can be hard to get excited about the design of our bathrooms. We put up with poor design and bad decoration choices for years, until we have no alternative but to come up with a new design or style for the bathroom, often when the replacement of our aging bathroom suites can’t be put off any longer!  Everyone’s bathroom is different, but there are some major style trends in the bathroom world, all of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of each can help you think about what style suits your needs the best.

White and Crisp

One of the predominant styles for bathroom design in recent years has been sleek white units, white floors, white walls and a very minimal look. There are certainly advantages to this sort of look in that having cleared surfaces makes it easier to keep your bathroom clean, and putting things in cupboards rather than having all your soap and shampoo out on display can make the room seem bigger too. There is however the drawback with this sort of design that too many shiny white units can make your house seem more like an operating theatre than a bathroom, and it can feel cold and unwelcoming.

If you feel your bathroom has become too stark and clinical, then it’s easy to make it feel warmer and more welcoming by adding some bright accessories, putting up a colourful roller blind or buying a soft new bath mat.

Traditional

Traditional, Victorian style bathrooms are eternally popular and this is also one of their major advantages. Contemporary styles can quickly look dated – remember the green and pink bathroom suites which were so popular in the 1980s? Yep, I also wonder how people didn’t go blind looking at those terrible colours back then – although maybe they were blind in the first place to ever consider using them! It’s true that classics of design like a traditional bathroom will not date as quickly, and therefore can be a good investment if you don’t have the funds to be able to change your bathroom design each time fashions change, or if you just want a classy and timeless look.

Another point to consider is that if you own a Victorian or Edwardian property, then an ultra-modern bathroom can look out of place. Matching the style of the bathroom to the style of the house overall makes a lot more sense. However, if you are living in a new-build house, a traditional bathroom might not be the best choice either. If you really want to go down the traditional route then take some time to consider how it will look in relation to the rest of your home.

Modern and Trendy Bathrooms

Pages of the glossy home interior magazines and upmarket bathroom showrooms are full of the latest trends in bathroom design. Oddly shaped baths, floating sinks or shiny chrome surfaces are hugely fashionable at the moment and having this sort of bathroom in your house lets everyone know that you’re interested in fashionable trends and are keen to keep up. However, style often comes at a price and the “latest” in anything is going to be more expensive than items which are more conservatively designed and available in every high street shop. Fashion also moves in cycles and what is hot now might be very out of date in a year or two. That’s fine if you have the cash to replace a bathroom every couple of years, but more budget-conscious homeowners might find steering clear of the very high fashion items a better decision in the long run.

There’s also the view that something touted as ‘fashionable’ can actually look a bit, well, odd. However, if you want to be unique and stand out from the majority of average-looking bathrooms out there then just may be the road to go down.

Wetrooms

A wetroom differs from a traditional bathroom in that it is a fully waterproofed space. In a wetroom you don’t need a shower tray, and if you are tight for space in your bathroom then this can be a great choice. Wetrooms are usually fully tiled and this can make them easy to keep clean too. They are practical for older people and the disabled as there is no need to step in and out of baths or over the lip of a shower tray.

The main disadvantages of wetrooms are that they can be very expensive to install. As the whole room needs to be waterproofed, installing a wetroom means taking the room right back to the brick so that the room can be tanked. It’s disruptive and messy too. Wetrooms will add to the value of your house, but as they are so much more expensive to install than a standard bathroom, you may not see a good return on your investment if you are planning on selling soon.

For more bathroom design inspiration, take a look at the following posts - Contemporary Bathroom Design Tips - Copper & Gold Design Inspiration - Brushed Brass Design Ideas to Inspire.

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