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Measuring and experimenting with different layouts and planning meticulously definitely pays off when it comes to bathroom design. The requirements of a small en suite or cloakroom will be very different from those for a big family bathroom so keep in mind the number of people using the room and when. Sketching a scale plan will help to plot a rough layout: remember to include immovable features such as doorways, windows or chimneybreasts. In any bathroom project, it’s important to think about the focus of a room and where to place everything to make the best use of the space. Plan your heating and lighting early , too, as these will need to be installed before the flooring and sanitaryware. Other things to consider are water pressure, your hot water system and where the soil stack is situated, which will affect your plumbing choices and where to place fixtures and fittings. If installing a wet room, where the shower water drains away through a tiled floor, flooring will also need...

Over the past several weeks, I’ve written about water conservation as a strategy for saving energy and examined a number of water heating options . This week, we’ll look at the issue of water waste while waiting for hot water and what to do about it. Here’s the problem: Most of us waste a lot of water waiting for hot water to reach a sink or shower. In a large house, it’s not unusual for 50 feet of piping—or more—to extend from the water heater to the most distant fixtures. And with 50 feet of pipe, it can take a long time for hot water to reach the tap; while waiting all the water goes down the drain. How long you have to wait for hot water depends on three factors: the distance from the water heater, the diameter of the piping, and the flow rate. The effect of distance is pretty obvious: the further hot water has to flow, the longer it will take to get there. With a new house, you can keep plumbing runs short by locating bathrooms and the kitchen near each other. The effects of pip...

Make the bathroom the room in your house you are most proud of. When giving a house guest a tour of your humble abode, make the commode the first stop. Turn your outhouse into the in house. Activated charcoal sucks in odors and acts as a room deodorizer. The air purifying bags —which can last up to two years—prevents mildew and bacteria from growing by removing moisture from the air. $12 . This elevated mat is made of natural bamboo, which helps it dry out more efficiently than a scummy rug or rubbery mat. It feels a lot better than stepping out onto a cold, slippery floor. $40 . To save space, hang your hamper on the back of your bathroom door. The Urban Mom Laundry Nook attaches with stainless steel hooks , is available in five colors, and the cotton canvas material is machine washable, so it won't be haunted with lingering smells from your gnarly gym clothes . $16 . Nothing says class like shaped soaps, but flowers are boring and rubber ducks are played out. Opt for something...

For Janet Leigh’s character in “Psycho,” the biggest bathroom threat was knife- wielding Norman Bates . For everyone else, it’s the more commonplace things, like slippery tiles and too-hot water. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 250,000 people are injured in the bathroom each year, largely due to slips and falls. Most bathroom mishaps are preventable. Here are six simple things that can make your bathroom safer. Grab bars Grab bars aren’t just for nursing homes and hospital rooms. Anyone can slip climbing in or out of a tub, and towel bars and other fixtures are not designed to withstand the weight of person. Grab bars no longer look like something you’d find in a medical supply store . You can find sleek ones that blend in with the rest of the fixtures in your bathroom. Besides in the shower, consider installing a grab bar next to the toilet. It can be helpful for someone who has trouble standing up. Grab bars should be secured to wall studs and positioned ver...

W hen it comes to bathrooms, whether you are after affordable quality or looking to spend as little as possible, there are ways to achieve a refit without spending a fortune. Using a combination of seasonal sales trends (which are as common as traffic cones on motorways), two different stores and some tried and tested negotiation skills , I recently saved £750 on a quality ensuite bathroom – around 25% of the original cost. With a few hours work you can tap into your resources and watch the prices sink … Fit for purpose Your first investment should be a tape measure; establishing available space and what dimensions products need to be is vital. To help you understand whether an offset quadrant or a mixer manual shower is right for you visit the Bathroom Design Guide website – it explains the pros and cons of different equipment, from mixer showers to cast iron baths . Many retailers offer free design consultation . It can be useful to get someone round as they should have a good kn...

The Minimalist M200 shower screen from Aqata helps prevent overspray without detracting from the wet room look. It comes in widths from 70-140cm, with a ceiling fixing or wall- mounted steady bar . The size shown, (H)195x(W)120cm, costs £920.40 Content Director and experienced renovator Michael Holmes shares his expertise on how to plan your new bathroom space and get the most out of your budget. See his advice on where to spend and where to save money for the best results Spend:  Plumbing:  If you want a power shower or a large showerhead and mixer taps, you need very good water pressure . Upgrade to a high- output combi boiler , or a conventional boiler and a large unvented hot water cylinder . If local mains pressure is below three-bar you’ll need a gravity-fed system, but can add pumps to improve pressure. Frame:  If you want wall-hung sanitaryware, invest in metal frame modules such as Geberit Duofix, Grohe Rapid or the Screwfix range, at £150-£200. This will ensure secure f...

Are those wedding bells you hear — or just the sounds of alarms, as you realize post-engagement bliss can involve a whole lot of planning? Figuring out how to make a wedding registry  isn't even the half of it, but it can be confusing. The good news is that you're about to create the mother of all birthday and holiday wish lists combined , and your friends and family are actually expecting you to deliver on that.  Many wedding experts agree that sooner is better for creating registries, as over-the-moon friends and family will want to congratulate you right away. Though everything may feel overwhelming now, consider how this lets your friends and family help you and your partner build a home. Here's everything you need to know before creating your wedding registry — regardless of how extensive (or nonexistent) your Pinterest wedding board may be. Before You Register Consider 2 To 4 Places  Nope — this doesn't make you greedy! It actually creates less of a headache ...

Image caption The survey challenged assumptions about how long people spent showering each day A survey, using innovative technology, has offered an insight into people's showering habits. The average shower lasted eight minutes - much longer than previous studies suggested , using almost as much water and energy as the average bath. The information was compiled from "data loggers" that recorded 2,600 showers by 100 families over a 10-day period. The survey was carried out by producer Unilever, which wanted to find out how people were using their products. According to the data, an eight-minute shower used 62 litres of hot water, compared with an average bath's 80 litres. And, it suggested, that if people were using a power shower - an appliance that adds extra pressure to the water flow - then an eight-minute shower would require twice as much water and energy as a bath. Hilde Hendrickx, a behavioural scientist in Unilever's R&D department, said that the...

VIEW GALLERY   In this kitchen, Kevin Gehman created a large, seamless island using a unique processing technique that exposed some of the aggregate around the edges to create a beautiful design element . A custom- made butcher block top on the second island fits nicely with the overall design scheme. Photo: Peter Gourniack Design Jul 3, 2017   Share Concrete’s flexibility, versatility and natural beauty create a host of options for those looking to create one-of-a- kind design elements for the kitchen or bath. authors Janice Costa  While designers often tout the benefits of quartz, granite, solid surface and laminate, one unique material is often overlooked. But concrete has seen a surge of interest in recent years, gaining attention for its flexibility, versatility and natural beauty – as well as its ability to be forged into a virtually limitless array of one-of-a-kind designs. Concrete can add interest to the kitchen or bath through myriad shapes, sizes, colors and text...