Have you ever been in a bathroom and thought, “There’s no way that wall and floor space is being used efficiently. What’s going on here?” If so, you aren’t alone. Most people have felt this way at one point or another. So it should come as no surprise that having an overly cramped bathroom is one of the most common layout design faults. That’s because it makes for a challenging environment for any homeowner to live in. But why is that? To understand the issue and its consequences, let’s take a look at how layouts are developed in bathrooms more generally.
What makes a bathroom layout bad?
Like any other area of a home, the layout of your bathroom will be determined by a variety of factors. But there are some common ones that can lead to a bad layout.
Good layouts have specific criteria
When it comes to designing a bathroom, there are certain criteria that you need to pay attention to. These will help you achieve a more functional, efficient layout.
The first is the size of the room. The key here is to design a bathroom that’s as big as, or slightly bigger than the area you have available. If you have a small space, you can still create a functional layout. It’ll just be a little cramped.
The next criterion is the size of the fixtures. Generally, bathrooms are fitted with the smallest fixtures available in the market. This is due to a few factors. For one, water is an essential utility for daily life. Smaller fixtures require less water, meaning you have a lot of other resources at your disposal.
And when it comes to cleaning and maintaining a bathroom, you have a few extra hands to help out. You can use cleaners, disinfectants, and other products in reduced quantities. Another reason is aesthetics. Shorter fixtures look nicer. Less water means that the fixtures will require less regular maintenance. And they’ll probably look better too.
Understanding the difference between form and function helps you identify good layouts
When you’re designing a bathroom, the first thing you need to do is break it down into functional pieces. By doing this, you’ll be able to identify the places in your bathroom that are used for particular functions. We call these spaces “function spaces”. Function spaces include the following areas:
Functional sink – This is one of the most important areas in the bathroom. It’s where you’ll do your daily washing and cleaning. So you’ll want to make sure it’s easy to access.
Functional shower – A good shower is one of the most important elements in the bathroom. It not only lets you clean yourself, it also lets you clean and maintain your bathroom surfaces.
Functional toilet – A good toilet is also important. It’s what you use to access water. So you need to make sure that it’s easy to access.
Functional mirror – A mirror can be a crucial part of your bathroom. You can use it to apply makeup, brush your hair, and perform other self-grooming.
![Bathroom Layout Mistakes](https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/f6819ffd00425a9e_4-4116/home-design.jpg)
Some bad layouts happen by the design
There are layouts that are just difficult to fit into a small space. They’re known as “challenging layouts”. Many people opt for these types of layouts because they look great in theory. However, once you actually live in such a bathroom, you’ll quickly discover that it’s not as easy to use as you thought it’d be. And that’s simply down to the layout itself. Perhaps you’ll find yourself having to walk around the layout or even climb over it to use your fixtures. These layouts are challenging for several reasons. One of which is the use of too much linear space.
But the most common reason for challenging layouts is the use of too much vertical space. To make the most of your small bathroom, you need to avoid this type of vertical space. Think about how you can use the vertical space of your bathroom to its fullest potential. And then, you’ll find that you have plenty of room in your small bathroom.
How to create a good layout in your bathroom?
Now that you know what makes a bathroom layout bad, it should be easier to understand the best layouts. And once you understand them, it should be easier to create your own best layout in your bathroom. The most important thing you need to do is to break the room down into functional pieces. By doing this, you’ll be able to identify the places in your bathroom that are used for particular functions. We call these spaces “function spaces”. Function spaces include the following areas:
Functional sink – This is one of the most important areas in the bathroom. It’s where you’ll do your daily washing and cleaning. So you’ll want to make sure it’s easy to access.
Functional shower – A good shower is one of the most important elements in the bathroom. It not only lets you clean yourself, it also lets you clean and maintain your bathroom surfaces.
Functional toilet – A good toilet is also important. It’s what you use to access water. So you need to make sure that it’s easy to access.
Functional mirror – A mirror can be a crucial part of your bathroom. You can use it to apply makeup, brush your hair, and perform other self-grooming.
Conclusion
Bathrooms are often among the most inconvenient rooms in a home. In fact, some people even argue that bathrooms are the “worst” rooms in the home! While there’s no way to change the design of a bathroom, there are many ways to make it more user-friendly and efficient. The most important thing to remember is that a good layout makes the most of the small space you’re given.