Bathroom Furniture Suites - A Size Guide

Thinking of a bathroom re-fit? Are you replacing a worn bathroom suite and wondering what, exactly, to replace it with? It could be worth considering a bathroom furniture suite.

A traditional bathroom suite consists of a WC, pedestal or wall mounted basin, and bath. An L shaped bath provides a variation on this theme, for households who require a spacious shower as well as their bathing space, and don't have the room for both. And a shower suite - WC, basin, and shower enclosure - is the ideal solution for a small bathroom where there just isn't the space for a bath, or for households who don't use a bath and prefer a regular shower instead.

A bathroom furniture suite replaces the traditional pedestal basin or the more contemporary wall hung basin from a suite with a washstand or vanity unit. Consumers are then free to add to the set whatever additional sanitaryware best suits them: a bath, an L shaped bath, a shower, or both a bath and a shower.

Bathroom furniture is useful in any size of bathroom: it provides integrated storage inside and presents a sleek, coordinated finish on the outside.

In a smaller bathroom or petite cloakroom, a bathroom furniture suite may be a space saving option. A tiny wall hung basin looks minimal, but if you need any storage space then you have to add a cabinet or shelves, and this takes up room. A small, slimline vanity unit, on the other hand, provides you with storage space directly below your basin, where the space would otherwise have been unused. The smallest vanity units can be a mere 40cm across and less than 30cm deep. They will fit into an alcove or corner, or sit neatly next to your toilet. The toilet itself should be chosen for space saving, as well, in a small bathroom environment. Short projection toilets save you space to walk around the front of the pan: with only a 60cm depth, they're as neat as can be. Or choose a corner WC to squeeze every last millimetre of space out of your smallest room.

In bathrooms where capacity is less of a problem, there's plenty of choice too. Larger vanity units or washstands can be paired with longer projection toilets; basin and WC combination units combine a streamlined vanity unit and WC unit with a back to wall or wall hung toilet for all-in-one style - this can save space for other bathroom fittings, but you do need a sufficiently wide section of wall on which to position the unit. They start at less than a metre wide and go up and up in scale.

Bathroom furniture suites are adaptable and, as they are available in freestanding and fitted designs, they can equally suit a traditional or contemporary bathroom.

Smaller Bathrooms Look Larger With the Right Decor and Bathroom Furniture

If your bathroom looks quite small and cramped, there are a number of ways of improving its appearance and making it appear larger than it actually is. Certain colours and types of bathroom furniture can make the room seem perceptually larger, similarly, the wrong colour palette and furniture can create a small and overcrowded look in the bathroom. Here are some tips you can use to make your bathroom look and feel as spacious as possible.

When it comes to flooring and walls, keep the colour tones light and soft. The colours you choose for the flooring and walls of your bathroom will have a significant impact on how spacious or cramped your bathroom appears. Colour choices will also affect the overall 'mood' of the room. If you have a smaller bathroom, avoid wallpaper with too much detailing or painting walls in contrasting colours. Soft, simple patterns are best and walls in neutral tones will help in making the most out of a small bathroom space. If you love bright colours, you can always spice up the room later with coloured towels, curtains or other bathroom accessories.

Lighting is another important factor in creating as large a space as possible. The right kind of lighting can make your bathroom appear far more spacious than it actually is. If it is available, natural lighting can do wonders; a skylight is especially flattering to the size of a bathroom. But if you have small windows or even none at all, there are other lighting tricks that can help. Pendant lights and lower level lights will help to create a wonderful ambiance in the bathroom and make it feel more like a spacious luxury spa than a modestly sized room.

Mirrors are yet another issue one must think about when trying to open up the bathroom space. If you have a window, placing a mirror opposite it will help to bounce the natural light around, as well as giving the illusion that there are two windows in the room. Making sure the mirror is frameless will also help in maintaining this illusion of space.

When it comes to choosing bathroom furniture that will enhance the space you have available, make sure to choose long, narrow shelving and cabinets instead of wide, low furniture and storage. This will make the room look as if the ceiling is higher than it actually is. Remember to go for light coloured furniture. Heavy, dark and fussy bathroom furniture can work very nicely in a large bathroom but in a smaller space, it will create a cramped and somewhat dismal appearance.

Another area that can make or break the look of a bathroom is the use of 'knick-knacks', that is, small decorative items that are usually used to make a bathroom feel cosy and pretty. Again, these are great in larger bathrooms, which can look a bit cold and harsh without them, but their presence should be kept to a minimum in smaller bathrooms. Anything fussy or crowded will only make the room look even smaller than it really is. You can still make your small bathroom look inviting by adding a small vase of flowers, or by placing some colour coordinated candles around the room.

Bathroom Furniture for Small Spaces

Homeowners with bathrooms will find a wide range of furniture pieces to select from. This has been facilitated by the fact that there are various advancements in designs, thus allowing different furniture to be incorporated into smaller en suites. Buyers are encouraged to check out the bathroom furniture that come with reduced depth as this will meet their storage needs without taking up a lot of space.

Wall Mounted Pieces
Buyers can consider the wall mounted pieces of furniture because this will not take up a lot of floor space. They should check out the cabinets that can be mounted at various locations of the wall without cluttering the space. These can either be small closed units or open cabinets to place all their amenities. The bathroom sink can also be wall mounted, and user shave the option to have a small cabinet underneath it for more storage space or opt not to so that to create the illusion of space. The advantage is that these pieces come in wide variety of designs, meaning that the users will not end up with plain looking spaces.

Single Units
Buyers should also consider the installing a single cabinet in their bathrooms, instead of choosing different pieces of furniture. With this unit, the users will have all essentials in a single space, and therefore they need to take their time in selecting the most suitable one. They have the option of selecting units with drawers, those with single or double doors, shelving units and others. While the selection will depend with the needs and preference of each buyer, it is recommended that they position it at a location with minimum intrusion.

Location and Organization
Buyers need also to keep in mind that the selection of the right furniture will have a great impact on the room, but it is not enough. They are required to make sure they have selected the most appropriate position for the pieces of bathroom furniture so that to achieve the best look. Additionally they need to select the right color and finish on the features to help them create a great illusion of space without breaking the overall beauty of the bathroom. Fortunately, buyers will find different styles and finishes from which they can choose. Organizing the other features in the room will also help the users in creating ample space for all users of the family. With all these in mind, they should make sure they have selected pieces of furniture that are not only of high quality but also durable and resistant to mois