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Thriving families… It’s all about you
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Thriving families… It’s all about you

Posted by Ruth Foster in Style guides | 1 year ago 10 min read

If you’re busy juggling children and careers, your bathroom needs to work that little bit harder too. To help, I’ve created this family bathroom and it’s all about you…

It may sound like a bit of a cliché, perhaps something you’d find on a cutesy piece of wall art, but it's true what they say... a busy family home is full of life, love and laughter. But, hey, let’s not sugar the pill here! On the flip side, there’s also tempers, tantrums and tears to contend with.

One part of your home which can often be a bone of contention is the bathroom. Thankfully, with most modern houses featuring at least a second toilet (usually in the form of a downstairs cloakroom), children banging on the door, demanding to be let in because they’re “busting!” is mostly a thing of the past. Despite this, on busy weekday mornings (and we’ve all been there!), it seems like everyone needs to use the main family bathroom.

If you can get your children (and your partner!) off their electronics for just a few seconds, the family bathroom does need to work just that little bit harder in such a busy household, with a style and layout which suits everyone.

In this guide, I’ll do my best to help you create a happy and harmonious space that will serve you well as your family grows and prospers.


General pointers for a family bathroom

First and foremost, a family bathroom needn’t mean compromising on style. While it may serve a vital function within your household, it certainly doesn’t have to be bland or boring. With a bit of imagination, you can easily add your own twist to things, bringing out your own unique taste and character.

One of the first things you’ll need to accept is the high volume nature of your family bathroom. After all, they are living, breathing spaces, where a general level of disorder will always exist. Once you’ve got over this hurdle, you can start to thinking about your preferred style.

In our recent interview, property expert and TV presenter Sarah Beeny suggested traditional products for a family bathroom, due to their timeless nature. However, contemporary products are incredibly popular, helping to keep things feeling fresh and youthful.

For more great family bathroom advice, why not read the full interview with Sarah Beeny?

When searching around for suitable products, I’d recommend Orchard Bathrooms, a brand exclusively available at Victoria Plum. Offering an exceptional mix of high quality products in a range of on-trend, contemporary styles, they are fully tested for durability, designed with family bathrooms in mind.

To narrow down your options, why not create your own mood board and get the whole family involved! Cut out images you all like from home interest magazines, along with colours and materials, and stick them all to a large piece of cardboard. Or, browse social media and share to a family Pinterest board.

To start you off, here’s a mood board I created myself.

Family bathroom ideas mood board

Start bringing your family bathroom ideas to life with a mood board

Another fun part of the process (again, something your children may enjoy getting involved with) is planning your bathroom. You could sketch it out, use 3D software or even use the free Bathroom Design Service from Victoria Plum.

Next, check out my top tips for a beautiful family bathroom.


My top 5 tips for your family bathroom

Family bathrooms have to suit a diverse range of end users, from busy professionals to younger children. Here are my top 5 tips for your family bathroom:

  1. Choose items that are easy to clean—back to wall toilets leave no dust or dirt traps
  2. Go for a modern or contemporary style—it will give your bathroom fresh appeal and won’t feel too old-fashioned
  3. A shower bath will help cover all bases, especially where there isn’t room for a separate bath and shower installations
  4. Introduce different types of storage, from a vanity unit to open shelving, for different needs
  5. Keep the colour scheme light, bright and welcoming

Family bathroom ideas from Victoria Plum

For family bathroom ideas, this style guide is all about you

Next, I’ll explain which products I have chosen for my family bathroom design and why.


Your family bathroom products

Multi-purpose shower bath

First up, the best way to cover all bases when it comes to showering and bathing is to invest in a multi-purpose shower bath. While younger children may need a bath before bedtime, you may prefer a quick shower in the morning. A shower bath brings together the best of both worlds. And, with a purpose-built shower bath, you won’t feel cramped or claustrophobic, as it features an enlarged showering end.

However, it’s not just about catering to younger children. As they grow older, they may prefer showers too, meaning no need to alter your current bathroom arrangement.

The Orchard L shaped shower bath (available in both right and left handed options) is contemporary in style, complete with a high quality 6mm shower screen with wall support arm, fitting into a space just 850mm wide.

A thermostatic shower is important, especially when it comes to younger children, as you can maintain a consistent water temperature with no major fluctuations. Plus, with an anti-scald cut off device which ensures the water supply stops entirely, should the cold flow fail for any reason, peace of mind is assured.

I’ve chosen the Mode Austin concealed thermostatic mixer shower with pure slider rail kit. It’s simple, stylish and comes complete with a handy shelf for shampoo, soap and shower gel. The stylish concealed valve and white colour scheme complement the contemporary nature of the bathroom.

Plus, if you're one of the estimated 34% of UK households that own a dog, a shower bath is ideal for a pet-friendly bathroom.

Orchard L shaped shower bath

For your family bathroom ideas, this L shaped shower bath is all you need

Toilet

One of the major things you need to consider when creating a family bathroom is the amount of cleaning it will involve. One way to get around this is to consider a back to wall toilet. If placed against a partition wall, you can conceal the cistern behind it.

With no cistern on display and no dust or dirt traps, it’s easy cleaning all the way!

I’ve opted for the Orchard Wharfe back to wall toilet with soft close toilet seat, due to its modern appearance and simple shape.

Orchard Wharfe back to wall toilet with soft close toilet seat

Keep cleaning easy with the Wharfe back to wall toilet from Orchard Bathrooms.

Walls and floors

You’ll want your family bathroom to feel as light, bright and spacious as possible, which is why I’ve opted for a mainly white colour palette, complemented here and there with blue. Blue is a perennial favourite for family bathrooms, and various shades feature among our top bathroom colours for 2022.

Discover even more blue bathroom ideas in our inspirational blog post

I’ve opted for white brick style tiles around the major splash zones but have tiled to half height elsewhere, meaning you can paint your walls in the complementary colour of your choice and adorn with wall art to add a touch of character.

Much like with the toilet, a partition wall allows you to get creative with your bathroom. Why not consider adding extra storage by building a set of shelves into it? This is what I’ve done in the shower area, so you can keep all those toiletries close at hand. Away from the shower itself, you could use the space to stack towels or add a touch of greenery with pot plants.

On the floor, I’ve also gone for tiles with a pattern to break up the look visually. The Aragon petal blue matt tiles have just that little bit of blue in them, making a subtle nod to the colour scheme.

One further tip is to accessorise with towels and a bath mat in the complementary colour of your choice.

Furniture

A couple of decent sized storage units are all you need in a family bathroom, to clear away all that clutter and keep those items you don’t need immediately concealed from sight. The best way to do this and optimise space is to choose a good quality vanity unit and mirror cabinet combination.

I’ve gone for the Derwent white floorstanding vanity drawer unit and ceramic basin with mirror cabinet combination, as it’s wonderfully stylish, with an easy-clean gloss finish and easy open, soft close drawers, offering plenty of space for family bath time essentials. I’ve complemented with the Derwent waterfall basin mixer tap, with a waterfall design, it’s a real family favourite.

If you have younger children, the matching mirror cabinet offers a safe place to store any medication or items you simply don’t want them getting their hands on.

Modern storage for family bathrooms

Store everything in style with this combination bathroom furniture package from the Orchard Bathrooms Derwent range

Accessories

Just because it’s a family bathroom, doesn’t mean you can’t accessorise to your heart’s content. Think organic baskets and stools, trailing plants and, for younger children, keep things fun with bath toys. To keep your basin area uncluttered, consider a toilet brush holder and soap dispenser, while, near the toilet, you will need a brush and holder…it’s just a fact of life!

For lighting, ceiling spotlights should suffice, helping to keep things bright and spacious. Make sure you choose specific bathroom lighting that has the correct IP rating for specific bathroom zones. Check out our guide to bathroom electrical installation to find out more.

Finally, you will need to consider heating too. A tall heated towel rail will be ample to keep all your towels nice and toasty.


In conclusion

Busy family bathrooms can be both pretty and practical, all at the same time. I hope this style guide has inspired you to create a family bathroom which looks fresh, inviting and works for every member of your household.


Need help designing your bathroom?

If your busy family lifestyle simply means no time for planning a bathroom, there is an easier way. At the Victoria Plum Bathroom Design Service, we’ll do all the hard work for you. Simply give us your measurements and an idea of what you’d like and we’ll do the rest, producing a free, no-obligation 3D bathroom design, 2D floorplan and full product list to pass on to your bathroom fitter.

If this sounds just the thing a busy family could do with, why not enquire today, by clicking on the image below.

Enquire about our Bathroom Design Service


Shop Orchard Bathrooms

For all the family bathroom ideas you’ll ever need, why not browse our full Orchard Bathrooms selection. Orchard Bathrooms is exclusively available at Victoria Plum, with a variety of contemporary and traditional bathroom suites, furniture, showers and more. Simply click on the image below. You’re bound to find the perfect combination for your new family bathroom.

Shop Orchard Bathrooms

Author, Ruth Foster

Posted by Ruth Foster in Style guides | 1 year ago

As our resident Interior Designer, Ruth is passionate about home-related trends and loves light, airy interiors shaped by organic forms and colours. With a background in textiles for interiors, she is studying for a masters in interior design.

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