Repairing the Bathroom Without Mistakes: 12 Tips from Professionals

Read this post before starting bathroom renovation. It will help you avoid serious mistakes and save your budget.

Julia Fambulova Designer. Practicing designer for over 18 years. Member of the Union of Designers and Architects

Draw a plan of the bathroom

Do it to scale. To understand whether plumbing and furniture will fit into the bathroom, visit websites of leading plumbing manufacturers and choose the most compact models.

Develop several layout options for equipment

Don't forget to leave space for doors, access panels, and drawers to open.

Position plumbing fixtures as close as possible to the sewage stack

Also pay attention to the slope of drainage pipes: it should be at least one degree per meter, otherwise water will stagnate.

Plan the location of inspection access

This is needed for access to utilities and water meters. It's better to make the access panel large — this will simplify the task. You'll find it convenient to read meters and shut off water supply. In case of unexpected plumbing issues, technicians will quickly reach the cause of malfunction without damaging the pipe compartment.

We're talking about water heaters and towel warmers. If you place them further away, you'll disrupt the circulation of hot water, and the towel warmer will not reach the required temperature.

Calculate the height of the shower cabin drain and the sewage stack outlet

If it turns out that the drain height is insufficient (there's no proper slope), water will stagnate.

Don't forget about aesthetics

Choose a concealed access panel that matches the size of the tiles. You can select dimensions based on small tiles or mosaic.

Julia Yangirova Designer. Founder of her own interior design studio

Don't be afraid to use black color

It's perfect for plumbing, shower partitions, or towel warmers, especially if your bathroom is in a loft style. Just remember that black must always be spotless — dust and dirt are more noticeable on dark surfaces.

Combine budget materials with expensive ones

For example, tiles: you can find affordable options that look like concrete or natural stone. Mix them with elegant Spanish wall panels.

Combine tiles with paint and plaster. Or use microcement: then you can do without tiles altogether. Don't forget about winning combinations: concrete and wood, marble and metal.

Plan the lighting

In addition to main ceiling lighting, plan supplementary lighting — top and side lights near the mirror.

And storage

Cosmetics, cleaning products, laundry — all this requires space. Use your imagination and play Tetris: storage can be in drawers under the sink, above door frames, or under the bathtub. A mirror-mounted unit is perfect for storing bottles of cream and other small items.

On the cover: Julia Fambulova's design project