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 in 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 sewer 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 plumbing and water meters. It's better to make the access panel large — this simplifies the task. You will find it convenient to read meters and shut off water. In case of unexpected plumbing issues, plumbers will quickly reach the cause of the problem and won't damage the pipe casing.

This refers to water heaters and towel warmers. If placed further away, you’ll disrupt the circulation of hot water, and the temperature in the towel warmer will be insufficient.

Calculate the height of the shower cubicle tray

And the height of the drainage stack outlet. If the tray height is insufficient (lack of required slope), water will stagnate.

Don't forget about aesthetics

Choose a model of hidden access panel to match the size of the tile. 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 works perfectly for plumbing, shower partitions or towel warmers, especially if your bathroom is in a loft style. Just remember that black must always be clean and shiny, as dust and dirt are more visible on dark surfaces.

Combine budget materials with expensive ones

For example, tiles: you can choose affordable options to resemble concrete or natural stone. Mix them with elegant Spanish wall panels.

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

Plan the lighting

Besides main ceiling lighting, plan additional lighting — top and side lighting 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 module is perfect for storing bottles of cream and other small items.

On the cover: Julia Fambulova's design project