Bathroom renovation dos and don'ts

By Alex Brooks

DO plan to turn your bathroom into a practical sanctuary where you can relax but also be in and out in minimal time. Select practical storage, fittings and fixtures that are low maintenance but also practical and will serve your needs.

DO choose colour carefully if you’re dealing with a tiny space. To give the illusion of more space, choose colour schemes that are pale, rather than adventurous. Cool colours, such as blues and greens, will add a feeling of calm and space. If you’d prefer bright tones, consider mixing them with liberal amounts of white.

DO save money by positioning new fixtures in the same location as the old. If you haven’t got the money, you don’t want the plumbing expense of relocating the bath, toilet and shower.

DON’T let the lack of light get to you. Maximise what there is by installing extra lengths of glass (frosted, ribbed or stained, instead of curtains or blinds), adding stretches of mirror to reflect all the light there is, going for clear glass shower doors and pale colour schemes.

DON’T live in the dark ages – put aside the money to install a skylight. Nothing beats natural light – plus this provides excellent privacy.

DON’T think you can’t afford it. There are ways around the problem. If you can’t replace tiles, there are special paints that allow you to paint over them. If the price of glass mosaics stops you in your tracks, use them sparingly or scatter like mad.

DON’T forget the fickleness of fashion. When choosing any tiles, err on the side of plain, rather than strikingly patterned.

© 2007 Alex May