I was watching the Block on Sunday night to see the bathroom reveals and could see straight away that Mitch and Mark’s (albeit) beautiful bathroom looked like it would be hard to open those drawers without banging into the shower screen. There are some important key dimensions to keep in mind when designing your bathroom, especially when it comes to being able to move around the space.
900mm is your minimum
When it comes to working out how much space you need to move around, 900mm is your minimum. So, your overall shower width and depth will always be a minimum 900mm (450mm to the centre of the shower head) and your toilet will have a minimum 900mm width (again, 450mm to the centre of the cistern). Why 900mm? So you can actually move comfortably without knocking shower screens, vanities and/or walls. You should have a minimum of 1200mm from the wall supporting the cistern to any obstruction at the end of the pan (ie wall opposite) but 1500mm is more comfortable.
Have a separate toilet?
Then the width should ideally be 1000mm wide to allow for the standard 820mm door to open. You’ll be looking at a minimum of 1800mm long to allow for a wall mounted basin in the same room.
Vanity depth
Vanities are typically 450mm deep, so not as deep as your kitchen and laundry cabinets, but deep enough to store everything in. Like your kitchen bench, they should be 900 - 950mm high, BUT this is to the top of your basin. So, if you are after an overall height of 900mm, with an above counter basin that is 120mm high, then your cabinetry will go to a height of 780mm.
Double vanities need a minimum of 1500mm in length to fit two bowls, but this is still pretty tight. Consider having an 1800mm long vanity if you want two basins. Allow at least 100mm to 200mm between the end of your vanity and a shower screen or wall so you don’t bang your elbows and so you can clean around it.
You should allow 900mm between the edge of the vanity and the wall or other object opposite it (ie shower screen). This way you can actually open the cupboard doors or drawers and still be able to move around without hitting anything.
Wall mixers
Allow 150mm above the top edge of your basin if you have wall mixers. This means they will be at a height, from finished floor level, of 1050mm to 1100mm depending on the height of your vanity and above counter basin.
Freestanding bath
If you want to be able to clean around your freestanding bath, then allow at least 200mm between the end of the bath and the wall behind, and 300mm from each end. If you’re tight for space, consider a back to wall bath which still has the look of a free standing, but is set into the wall behind.
Have a small bathroom?
Then you may want to either ditch the bath or have a shower/bath combo. I’m not a massive fan of this for a few reasons – the most important being accessibility every time you have a shower if you’re a little unsteady on your feet.
Form over function?
Never, always function first. You can make it look pretty after you’ve got the space worked out. And be willing to make compromises if you’re short on space. Bathrooms are expensive rooms and if you don’t get the layout sorted out, then you’ve spent a lot of money on a room that doesn’t serve you properly.
Need help
As always, I’m just an email or phone call away. If you need help designing your bathroom, or just want someone to look over what you’ve put together, feel free to get in touch.
Comments