Ergonomics are key to clever, contemporary design and the bathroom is no exception. If you are renovating or dreaming of redesigning your bathroom, here are 10 smart tips – as well as mistakes you should avoid – that will ensure your bathroom boasts form as well as function.
Brown's Plumbing and Gas
1. Raise the height of vanities
When designing a bathroom we spend plenty of time pondering over the length and depth of different sinks and vanities, while the all-important height factor is often forgotten. Most people are taller these days than when 850 millimetres became the standard height for bathroom vanities – in fact, it is not uncommon for some designs to reach 1000 millimetres in height.
If you or your family are lucky enough to be long of limb, consider raising your vanity if it holds a recessed sink. If, however, you are keen to tap into the trend of mounting a bowl basin on top of your vanity, be wary of increasing the height, or your sink could end up at an uncomfortably lofty level.
Tip: If you have young children at home, the higher your fixtures and fittings are, the harder they will be to reach.
Browse through images of gorgeous bathroom vanities
Nobbs Radford Architects
2. Rethink the position of your bath and shower taps
Have you ever turned on the shower taps and had to duck to one side to avoid getting splashed by a stream of water? This common design flaw usually results from the shower taps being positioned too close to the shower head – sometimes even directly beneath it. To evade standing in the line of fire, so to speak, try placing your taps on a facing wall, which this double walk-in shower does to great effect in a Sydney bathroom.
If you need to combine a shower and bath to save space, avoid placing your shower taps behind a fixed glass screen. This ergonomic faux pas forces you to reach awkwardly behind the screen to grasp the taps while leaning precariously over the tub. In the long term your back will thank you for it.
Melanie Gardener
3. Allow room between your sink rim and tap
If you have ever bent forward to splash water on your face and knocked your forehead on the tap, you’ll understand why the dimensions between sink and spout matter. Avoid pairing a long tap with a short sink and aim to have at least one head-length between the rim of your sink and the spout of your tap. This will also reduce any splash back when you turn on the bathroom tap, and ensure you don’t wear the water.
NORTHBOURNE Architecture + Design
4. Recess wall-mounted vanities above your sink
Likewise, many wall-mounted cupboards above bathroom sinks have been the culprits of similar bumps to the head, particularly if they are opened while someone is leaning over the sink. The mirrored vanities in this Toorak home are cleverly recessed, setting them flush with the wall, which ensures plenty of clearance even when the cupboard doors are open.
Tip: If you are short on space, consider using sliding doors on your vanity if it’s above the bathroom sink.
Find out how you can squeeze in more storage in the bathroom
De Meza + Architecture
5. Swap deep cupboards for drawers
Remember when deep storage drawers began to replace cupboards in the kitchen, causing home cooks throughout the world to rejoice? This clever trend has taken longer to catch on in the bathroom, but it’s just as relevant.
Ergonomically, it is easier to simply open a drawer and see the contents at a glance instead of groping in the back of a dark cupboard. Drawers are available in many different designs and depths to house all your toiletries.
Tip: Be sure your cabinet maker uses a material that can withstand high humidity levels.
Reece Australia
6. Design with cleaning in mind
Ergonomics come into play when we clean our homes as well as when we use them on a daily basis. In this striking black and white bathroom, every centimetre of floor is easy to mop when wet and vacuum when dry, by virtue of the wall-hung vanity and the freestanding claw-foot bath. Sinks and toilets are available in wall-hung designs too.
By regularly swiping your floor with a mop doused in no-nonsense cleaning products, you will save yourself hours spent on your hands and knees scrubbing mouldy grout with an aching back.
Mark MacInnis Architect
7. Position towel rails cleverly
For your safety and comfort, it pays to think of how you can contain wet zones to avoid slippery surfaces. One of the simplest ways to keep your wet and dry zones separate is to position your towel rails within easy reach of your shower or bath, and not on the other side of the room.
In this glittering mosaic bathroom in Melbourne, one towel ladder is within easy reach above the tub, while a second is positioned at the entrance to the shower – far enough away from the showerhead to keep towels dry, but close enough to be at hand.
Tip: If placing your towel rails near your bath or shower clashes with the aesthetics of your bathroom, consider using a subtle wall hook no more than an arm’s length from your wet zone where you can hang a towel before you turn on the taps.
smarterBATHROOMS+
8. Place the toilet paper within reach
We have all had the experience of trying to reach a thoughtlessly placed roll of toilet paper positioned on the wall behind us. To save yourself a stretch, aim to position the roll holder beside the toilet within easy reach.
Liebke Projects
9. Include some seating
We don’t generally think of the bathroom as a place to sit (aside from on the obvious fixture), but if you add a comfortable perch you’ll be surprised at how often you use it. And bathroom seating can be used for more than just sitting on: Seats can be the perfect place to rest rolled up towels for guests, display a pot plant or light some candles for a relaxing soak in the tub.
Seating comes in many forms, from a basic chair or stool to more elaborate built-in constructions. This Sydney-based bathroom cleverly uses a long, marble-topped ledge to combine seating with storage – an essential feature that every bathroom needs.
Tip: When you’re factoring in bathroom storage, dedicate space for soap and shampoo in the wet zone, as this Sydney bathroom does with the recessed shelf beside the bath.
Read more:
10 of the Most Lavish and Luxurious Bathrooms on Houzz
Tell us:
Which features in your bathroom are an ergonomic dream and which are a living nightmare? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
