Monday 13 February 2012

Designing a Child Friendly Bathroom

Designing a child-friendly bathroom can be tricky, simply because too much colour and pattern, as well as child-friendly fixtures such as lowered-sinks, can mean the room is quickly outgrown as your child ages. However, there are certain steps you can take to create a fun and enduring kid's bathroom. Let's take a look.

Add a Splash of Colour

Kids love colour, but too much can be overwhelming. Add colour in moderation, to fixtures like sinks or baths, but avoid washing every wall in bright, primary colours such as reds and oranges. When it comes to the wall decor, stick to softer more neutral shades like white or cream. This will also benefit you if you plan to sell your house at any time in the future. Feel free to go wild with brightly coloured towels, toothbrush holders, bath mats and other accessories.

Make Way for a Toy Box

Everybody knows that with kids, come toys and so it is important to make room for a toy box in any kids bathroom. If the room lacks storage space then think outside the box, pardon the pun, and simply place a small basket on top of the toilet tank. This should serve its purpose by keeping clutter to a minimum and maintaining the appeal of the room. Floating toys also work well, as they can hide extra toiletries such as soaps and gels.

Please DO Touch

Kids are always being told 'not to touch', but their natural curiosity means they want to touch and feel everything. So why not give them some textural variety in the bathroom. Use stone or glass tiles and experiment with more natural materials such as wood (natural materials are usually safer as they provide more friction). This will also educate them about different materials, which can never be a bad thing!

Kid Extras to Consider

Kids grow up fast, and so it is important to adapt their bathroom throughout the years. Rather than installing a lower sink, so they can reach it adequately, consider a step stool, which can be removed once they no longer need it. This means that you are not stuck with a child's sink that is no good to anybody once your child grows. You could also invest in a toilet training seat that can be placed over any regular toilet seat, creating a much for comfortable (and safer) place for younger children to sit. This too can be removed once there is no need for it.