It's probably the most common request a bathroom designer can get - I'd like to get a bathroom that's, you know, like a hotel bathroom or spa bathroom!
First up, limestone or travertine tiling. This doesn't have to be natural stone. There are many decent quality tiles out there that double as the same effect, mostly porcelain. Always go for a large format tile. 45cm x 45cm porcelain tiles are generally the best but feel free to throw caution to the wind and go up to 60cm x 60cm! If you have any awkward curves, or are intending to do a wetroom floor, check out some botticino mosaics. They are more expensive but look around online - there are many decent offers around. The effect can be stunning in a wet room shower enclosure. If you can, tile up to the ceilings or the pitch of an eve. Use ivory grout as this will blend in better with the limestone colour and not look like a white grid. If cost is an issue, tile full height around the shower area and around a 45cm tile height above the bath edge. Finish the edge of the tile in a decorators caulk painted room colour or use a nice chrome flat edge tile trim on top. You could leave the other walls to just be painted and have a 15cm tile skirting around the rest of the room. Then paint the remaining walls or ceiling in an ivory or stone colour. Dulux Neutrals range offers complimentary colours to this scheme which will also set off the tones of the limestone. The handy thing about these painted walls is that you can add a personal touch with a framed picture which will inject an interesting element to the space.
Basin Vanity - something in dark wood tones. More expensive cabinetry will be made from Wenge or American Black Walnut whilst cheaper cabinetry could be dark-stained oak. Either way, these are the items to look for. Some will come in kits including the basin and waste but, if not, go for the following. Vessel or deck-mounted basin - either stick to a minimalist china white or go for something spa-chic like glass or cast iron. Remember that glass needs cleaning! Leave residue in there after each wash and after a while it will resemble the before item of an anti-limescale advertisement. You'll need a tall monobloc basin mixer to feed over the basin and there are many manufacturers who produce this extra tall version of their normal basin taps.
The space around the base of the sink can hold your soap dispensers and hand creams whilst the cabinet itself could be a cupboard or handy drawer. This can either be wall-mounted (a bit more costly but more spacious) or have legs. Add a nearby hand towel rail and maybe a shelf (glass or matching dark wood). Hang a mirror above the basin with matching dark wood frame to tie in with the vanity unit.
Place wall lighting either side of the mirror - fluorescent or low voltage 20w-ish halogen. This is dependent on whether you want a warm, relaxing light or a brighter more refreshing and helpful make-up lighting at the sink. These lights should also be on a separate switch so that they turn on independently from the ceiling lights. Ask your bathroom designer for a electric layout to help you plan your lighting.
A freestanding bath is always good to enhance the hotel effect but this depends on whether you can get the plumbing to some wall-mounted taps or floor-mounted taps as these are the only options to fill it. If not, look at putting in a normal bath but tiling the bath panel with the floor tiles rather than using the standard bath panel. If the shower has to be in the bath as well, choose a nice minimal glass bath screen that can swing out of the way when not required. In this instance, aim to use a thermostatic valve and diverter so that it fills the bath when you turn it on or comes out of the shower when diverted. This means that all brassware can be kept off the deck of the bath leaving more room for smellies and candles!
If you are looking to install a separate shower enclosure the obvious option is the wet room. Make sure the installer has previous experience as we don't want leaks downstairs. Also, you are limited to a drench or rain shower head as a power shower will fire out of the wetroom space into the rest of the bathroom. Unless you have a hinged or sliding door which changes the complexion a little. Don't forget the chrome wire shower basket unless you are lucky to have the space to form a stud wall to make a mosaic recess for your bottles.!
A few halogen downlights on their own dimmer switch is are essential. One above the waste of the sink, one above the WC, two at either end of the bath, one above the shower (make sure it doesn't go above the rain shower head or you'll get light bouncing off the top and leaving you in shade) and one slightly in front of the heated towel radiator (white or chrome).
Lastly, try and get your toilet to float. A wall-hung WC does need to be encased in studwork but it increases the space in a bathroom and looks 'lighter'. Don't forget to use a proper wall-hanging frame for this as toilets hung on stud alone tend to edge off. Not comforting. Alternatively, go for another minimalist back to wall or close-coupled WC - preferably something curvier than square as this blends in with the soft atmosphere of the hotel spa bathroom...
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