6 Bathroom Renovation Tips You Need to Know

Are you about to embark on a bathroom renovation? The bathroom is definitely a high-needs room. We have lots of traffic through it, so everything needs to function well. But it’s also required to be a quiet place of refuge where we can soak away our troubles now and then. While the prospect of delivering that might excite you, it can get quite daunting fairly quickly. To avoid overwhelm, we’ve rounded up our top 6 bathroom renovation tips you need to know. Hopefully, they help you create your dream bathroom with less stress and more joy.

1. Plan for perfection

When it comes to your bathroom renovation, planning makes for a perfect renovation and there are a few sub-steps that go into this process:

1. Create a wish list. Grab your favourite magazine or create a Pinterest board and start clipping! Ask, what is it about the image or setting that inspires you? Is it the luxury feel of gold tapware? Or is it the curved lines? Turn your research into a wish list - just remember to try and keep this list fluid. Space, plumbing and styling might mean it requires an edit here and there.
2. Map out what you’ve got. The next key step is to make a plan of your bathroom space as it currently stands. (Even if you intend to upheave it!) It needn’t be fancy; a simple mud map will do.
3. Add measurements. Measure the room’s ceiling height, wall width, and doorway relative to the space. Mark where your cabinetry and fixtures are and plot their measurements on your map. Mark existing pipework, and measure where they meet fixtures. For instance, how far is your current toilet from the wall? Also keep in mind the space you might need to maintain around those areas.
4. Decide on layout. If your current layout has issues, what configuration will work better? Now before we go too far into this option, ask, are you prepared to move plumbing? This step will incur significantly more time and money, so be sure it’s worth it. If you think so, check in with your plumber for a quote.
5. Can you compromise? Are the bones of the room still good? If so, keeping your current placement is the quickest and most cost-effective way to renovate your bathroom. You can also consider other ways to improve form and function within the current space. Would an in-wall toilet minimise your footprint and create a more elegant look? Would wall-mounted tapware enable you to reimagine the vanity area?

If it’s been a while between renos, grab your mud map and measurements and come into the showroom to get some inspiration for what’s available!

2. Make a smart choice in your bathroom

As the popularity of smart bathroom technology grows, now may be the perfect time to move to a smart bathroom. Particularly if you are doing a full remodel. Advances in technology have seen smart toilets, LED mirrors and touchless tapware come to the fore.

However, just because something is popular, doesn’t make it right for your renovation. Installation costs may increase, and if your existing fittings were not moving positions, it may not be practical in this renovation. You are also more limited in styling options. For instance, touchless tapware is mostly chrome, so if you had your heart set on coloured tapware, you’d need to weigh up form over function.

Striking a balance may be a better option. Perhaps you forego the touchless tapware, but go with the smart toilet? If you decide on traditional fixtures, it’s a smart idea to consider surfaces which prolong the life of your bathroom. Bette produces handcrafted titanium-steel baths, shower trays, and basins which they guarantee for 30 years. Villeroy and Boch offer a CeramicPlus finish, which makes your surfaces easier to take care of. Villeroy and Boch also offer universal bodies, which means that you can easily swap the design and finish of your in-wall components without doing another reno.

3. Decide on freestanding or in-wall fittings

One of the other major decisions you’ll need to make in your bathroom renovation process is whether you want a freestanding or in-wall look to your design. This can be a tricky point to any renovation. The two looks are plumbed quite differently, and your style will need to marry with your plumbing and the space you’re working with. For example:

Freestanding vs drop-in bath.

One of the biggest decisions with a bath is whether to choose freestanding or drop in. A freestanding bath is a bold look for your bathroom, and will definitely become the centrepiece. However, it is important to consider whether you have the floorspace for it. A freestanding bath requires at least 100mm of space around it. It also requires a freestanding bath mixer or an extended spout. This may increase plumbing costs, especially if you need to cut into a concrete slab. A drop-in bath may be a wiser option, particularly if you have a smaller space to work with. You can also integrate shelving and storage into the design.

Compromise: back to wall bath. Love the look of freestanding but don’t have the space? The back to wall freestanding bath (BTW) is your compromise. It has the look of a freestanding bath without the need for additional floorspace or freestanding plumbing.

External or in-wall toilet cistern?

Your choice of toilet will depend on the size of your bathroom and existing plumbing. You might find the traditional close-coupled toilet is your safest bet. It is quick and easy to install and repair but does have a lot of plumbing on show. If you prefer something more streamlined, try a back to wall toilet which still incorporates an external cistern, but eliminates the space behind the bowl. Many design magazines feature the beautiful wall-hung toilet. This is where the cistern and all plumbing are encased behind an internal wall. There is space under, and the whole look is neat and sophisticated. However, it may not be possible to retrofit existing pipework.

Compromise: wall-faced toilet. Love the minimalist look of a wall-hung toilet but you’re limited by your water inlet? A wall faced toilet has the sleek neat look of wall-hung, but sits on the ground. With this design, you have the option of direct-to-floor waste, which helps if you are wanting to convert an existing toilet.

Wall mounted vs hob-mounted tapware

When it comes to choosing tapware for your vanity area, your choice will be dictated by your basin style.  Wall mounted basin mixers have grown in popularity because of their clean lines and greater options for basin style. If you opt for wall-mounted designs, consider finding a brand that uses universal bodies, which are ideal for in-wall fittings. Villeroy & Boch universal bodies can be used across the entire ColourChoice Collection. This includes tapware, showers, and accessories. This allows you to install the bodies at the beginning of the reno and decide on the design and finish at the last step.

The hob mounted basin mixer is seamless and visually appealing. You’ll need to choose a basin that contains a tap hole for this style.

4. Isolate a key neutral element

In terms of design, it’s very tempting to get excited about all the latest trends. There’s coloured tapware, coloured sanitaryware, bold wall colours, wallpaper, feature tiles, statement basins and baths, timber, marble, and other textures…and the list goes on! All these elements are attractive and exciting on their own.

However, according to our Showroom Manager and resident interior designer, Andrea, the fastest way to look confused, and cluttered in your bathroom is to pick everything.

“My advice is to decide on what key element will contain your design aesthetic and keep the rest complementing that. Many people think when choosing a bolder bathroom, they must go with a patterned tile, when a neutral tile actually gives you the most styling options.

Andrea says a neutral tile lets you play with different colours in tapware and sanitaryware without it all looking too much. It will also enhance any textural elements you’ve chosen in your bathroom. The other benefit of a neutral tile is that you have the freedom to update your look more easily.

5. Texture is all about balance

Adding some texture into your bathroom gives the whole room depth, but it is important to balance this well. While matte fittings are beautiful, a room where everything holds a matte texture is less so. If your tapware, bath, basin, wall tiles and floor tiles are all matte finish, the eye has nothing to latch onto. This serves to highlight imperfections and can often make the space feel underwhelming.

Instead, chrome tapware catches the light and adds a little sheen when the rest of your surfaces are all matte. If you’re choosing both matte sanitaryware and matte tapware - ensure there’s some gloss elsewhere. Your space will benefit from big mirrors, and glass elements. A glossy tile could also bring these elements to the fore.

On the flipside, leaning too much into high-sheen features can feel busy, and sometimes too clinical. Consider how the addition of texture can ground your space. If you have high gloss in your basin and bath, try a matte tile finish, or matte tapware to soften the aesthetic and relax the eye. Textured towels also work well here, as do accents of wood.

6. Colour is a choice worth making

Colour is seriously IN when it comes to our bathrooms in 2022. So, the quickest way to date your bathroom would be to ignore this trend. However, as with texture, less actually makes more of a statement. The addition of a black bath or toilet can be both bold and seriously elegant. Or use a matte white bath or basin to create an entirely different aesthetic to your traditional glossy options. Softer, atmospheric and all together touchable. If you’re feeling really adventurous with colour, there are all manner of coloured options for basins and baths from European brands such as Villeroy & Boch and Bette.

If your home is mostly neutral, you can still give a nod to the colour trend while maintaining an otherwise classic palette. The best way to do this is by uplevelling your tapware into the new season’s colours. The Villeroy & Boch ColourChoice collection offers five finishes across bathroom tapware, showers, accessories (and also kitchen mixers). Choose from velvety matte black, gun metal, brushed gold, brushed nickel, or chrome. The beauty of this tapware is that it is fitted with Villeroy & Boch universal bodies. This means that when you want to change your tap aesthetic, you can do that very easily.

Want some help?

Whether you’re at the wish list stage, or you’re ready to put it all together, we’d love to offer you our expert advice on creating that dream bathroom. Come have a play at our Brisbane showroom, which offers the largest range of bathroom products from designer European and Australian brands. Villeroy & Boch, Bette, HANSA, Reginox, Schell, JEE-O and Argent. Bring your floor plans, samples, and mood boards. Chat through your ideas and get some advice on products and design with our team of bathroom experts.

arthaus Bathroom & Kitchens are open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm Saturday. We are located on Level 1, 22 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley. We have on-site parking, which you can access by intercom at the top of the car park. Booking is not a requirement, but if you’d like some dedicated time with Andrea, Richard or Kathy, you can book a bathroom consultation at a time to suit you.