BATHS

Function The bath must be planned to be functional, attractive, and easily maintained. May also contain dressing, laundering, exercising, and sunning facilities. Designing a functional Bath requires appropriate fixture placement, adequate lighting, heating,and have efficient plumbing runs. Ideally each bedroom has its own bath. The practical approach is providing a centrally located bath for bedrooms and a master bath for a master bedroom.

In a 14’ by 12’ bathroom you have more room for all the frills. Try aligning the shower and tub along adjoining walls for convenience and efficiency. This layout also allows you to add storage by the vanity and along the tub deck.

Fixtures The three basic fixtures found in most bathrooms are a sink, toilet, and a bath or shower. A successful bathroom has an effective arrangement of these items Mirrors should be placed a distance away from the shower or bath to prevent fogging. 15” of space to each side of the center of the toilet must be provided as well as 2’ in front of the toilet to the nearest wall. The availability of pre-fabricated tubs and showers offers great flexibility in your design. Natural materials offer a functional and custom design that can become a focal point in a bathroom.

Ventilation Baths should have either natural ventilation, or forced ventilation from a exhaust fan. Windows should not be placed in a manner they might cause a draft on the tub, or interfere with privacy. Opaque windows or glass blocks can provide light without a view.

Lighting Lighting should be relatively shadowless. In a area used for grooming the lighting must be general without being to intense. Skylights may be used to provide natural lighting, without using standard windows.

Heating Proper heating in a bathroom is important on maintaining a comfortable room. Older methods incorporated forced air heat, electric baseboard, and heat lamps. New methods include, radiant floor heating that is either hot water or electric and also forced air heat.

Plumbing Pipes should be concealed in the wall and only emerge when the fixture’s design calls for it. Bathrooms next to each other should share plumbing in a back to back manner. Bathrooms on a seconded floor should be designed to sit above first floor bathrooms, laundry rooms, or adjacent to kitchens so that a plumbing run to the seconded floor can be used by both.

Layout There are two types of bathroom layout. The compartment And the open plan Bathrooms used by children should have low or tilt mirrors, benches or stools for reaching the sink, low shelves for towels and storage for bath toys.

Size And Layout Half baths are typically 5’x5’ or 4.5’x5.5’ Small bath that include a shower are 6’x6’, 5’X6’, and 8’X4’. Try to include at least 30sqft. Average baths are 6’X8’, 8’x5’, to 8’x8’ Large baths are from 9’x9’ and larger depending on the design and number of different fixtures.

Furniture Fixture and furniture ultimately influence the size of the bath. Designs can stand independently from the home’s design, or be complementary to the home’s décor. Bath must have the three components to be considered a full bath, sink, tub/shower and toilet.

Accessories Items that should be considered in the design of your bathroom include medicine cabinet, linen closet, cloths hamper, extra storage, dressing table, extra counter space, bidet, and extra heating devices.

Decor Materials used in the bathroom should be water resistant, easily maintained, and easily sanitized. Fixtures and accessories should complement each other in color. The bath should be designed to provide the maximum amount of light and color.