How to Childproof a Bathroom, Without Compromising on Style!
Having a really luxurious bathroom is often seen as the pleasure of those who don’t have children or those of us whose children have grown up. However, it doesn’t have to be so; a glamorous, comfortable bathroom can be both child and adult-friendly and you don’t need to give up on style to ensure that yours is child-proof either.
Bathrooms are often sadly neglected in terms of comfort and style and are usually thought of as utilitarian rooms, which need to be hard-wearing and practical. Whilst this is certainly true to an extent, it’s not set in stone either. Of course, there are certain issues which do need to be taken into consideration in terms of safety for your children and in terms of keeping the room in good condition. The main issue in the bathroom is, of course, the presence of water – and lots of it! Kids often equate bath time with fun time and that means splashing and mess.
Safe bathroom storage
When designing a child-friendly bathroom one of the main things to consider is where to store items such as medicines and razors safely always for little hands. A wall-hung bathroom cabinet or mirror cabinet is a great choice as they provide plenty of space for small items such as perfume, tablets, and sharp items like razors and are tall enough to be out of the reach of children.
A mirror cabinet is a wonderful choice as it not only provides much-needed storage space but some also feature beautiful LED lighting and shaver sockets, making them a stunning and practical feature for your bathroom.
Soft close vanity units
Vanity units are the perfect place to store away all your bathroom essentials out of sight but with children, these can be a potential safety hazard. Most vanity units have doors and drawers at levels children can easily access so items kept in here should be child friendly such as bath toys and spare towels.
When choosing a vanity unit it might be a good idea to consider ones with soft close doors or drawers as not only are they safer for children – less chance of little fingers getting trapped, but also help to prevent any unwanted loud bangs throughout the day or night.
Thermostatic showers
A thermostatic shower is a great addition to a family bathroom, as they have wonderful safety features such as a maximum temperature stop and precise temperature control. Thermostatic control means the shower will always hold at a steady temperature, allowing for inevitable water pressure changes, that occur in family homes. This allows you to keep the temperature of your shower at a safe level for both children and adults.
Anti-slip floor tiles
Family bathrooms are likely to have a lot of water splashed around throughout the day, potentially making the bathroom floor a dangerous slip hazard for both children and adults. That’s why you might consider choosing some anti-slip floor tiles.
Anti-slip floor tiles come in all shapes, sizes and patterns however they tend to be textured as this adds to the successfulness of the anti-slip feature.
However, if your bathroom tiles are new or don’t need updating but aren’t anti-slip then purchasing a bath mat or a bathroom rug is a great alternative, as they help to soak up any excess water making the floor less of a slip hazard.
Soft close toilet seat
The last thing you want to hear is a loud bang from the toilet seat slamming down constantly and that’s why a soft close toilet seat is perfect for a family bathroom. A soft close toilet seat simply needs a slight nudge and will close the rest of the way by itself, slowly and quietly, also helping to prevent little fingers from getting squished.
Child friendly bath
Some people think when designing a family bathroom, a bog-standard bath is the only option for child safety. However, virtually any bath can be made child-friendly, meaning you don’t have to compromise on style, even a freestanding bath can be child-friendly.
One thing you do need to consider when purchasing a bath for a family household is whether the black is slip-proof. Now some baths come with inbuilt slip protection, however, if you have your heart set on one without this feature then simply purchase a slip-proof bath mat to fit your new bath.
A slip-proof bath mat can simply be placed in your bath and fastened down in most cases with attached suckers. You can purchase plain ones to fit the style of your bathroom or ones with patterns on especially for children, making bath time more fun for your little ones.
Splash-proof bath screen
One of the simplest ways to deal with this is to install a bath screen on your bath; they’re easy to mount and not too expensive to purchase, but they can make a huge difference when it comes to keeping the water off the floor and in the bath where it belongs. There are lots of lovely designs out there including opaque glass-effect options which are shatterproof and some which can be created to match your bathroom tiles. If you do decide to opt for a bath screen then you won’t find it difficult to find a stylish one to match your bathroom decor.
Playing with Toys
While you want your bathroom to be childproofed you also want it to be child-friendly and one of the best ways to childproof a room is to ensure that the resident children do have access to interesting things which will entertain them. This makes it less likely that they will play with your things! A net hung near to the bath is a hygienic way to store damp bath toys and if children have easy access then they’ll be less likely to get into bother.
Bathrooms should be fun and relaxing places to be, they’re after all the place where we wind down before bedtime and also the place where we wake ourselves up in the morning. Add plenty of colour and plenty of lovely products; let your children know where their personal bath supplies are such as soap and flannels. As you well know most children love to have some responsibility for their own things and will take care to put them away after they have used them and this is another great way to keep your own things safe and out of tiny hands!
If you found this post useful, you may also be interested in - Designing a Family Bathroom - Tips for Child Safety in the Bathroom.
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