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 layouts for equipment placement

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

Position plumbing fixtures as close as possible to the sewer stack

Also pay attention to the slope of the drainage pipe: it should be no less than one degree per meter, otherwise water will stagnate.

Plan the location of inspection access

This is needed for access to communications and water meters. It's better to make the access panel larger — this simplifies the task. You'll find it convenient to read meters and shut off water supply. In case of unexpected plumbing issues, plumbers will quickly reach the cause of malfunction and avoid damaging the pipe compartment.

This refers to 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 cubicle tray

And the height of the sewer stack outlet. If it turns out that the tray is too low (insufficient slope), water will stagnate.

Don't forget about aesthetics

Choose a model of hidden access panel that matches the size of the tiles. You can also 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 choose affordable options that look like concrete or natural stone. Then enhance them with elegant Spanish wall panels.

Combine tiles with paint and plaster. Or use microcement: in this case, you can do without tiles altogether. Also don't forget about winning combinations: concrete and wood, marble and metal.

Plan the lighting

Besides general ceiling lighting, consider additional lighting — top and side lights near the mirror.

And storage

Cosmetics, household chemicals, laundry — all of this needs 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: Design project by Julia Fambulova