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Family bathroom style guide
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Family bathroom style guide

Posted by Adam Chard in Style guides | 2 years ago 9 min read

Creating a bathroom space that’s both stylish and meets the needs of your entire family certainly isn’t easy. Find out what you need to consider in our expert family bathroom style guide.

Here at Victoria Plum, we know that the bathroom is the central focus of any home, but even more so where families are concerned. And, as with any family bathroom, you’ll need to take the specific requirements of each individual family member into account, whilst keeping things looking chic and stylish. Easier said than done, right? Especially when you consider how your bathroom is in use throughout the day. The rise in homeworking has put an even greater strain on our domestic bathrooms, increasing the rate of wear and tear. So, when the time comes for a change, you’ll want a stylish suite that can withstand the rigours of family life.

With this family bathroom style guide, we’ll help you find a design you can all be proud of. First off, we’ll explain what a family bathroom generally consists of, highlighting the key features and must-have products, before showing you different ways you can style your space. So, read on for expert family bathroom style advice.

Clarity family bathroom suite

You don't need to splash out to enjoy a stylish family bathroom. This complete bathroom suite, by Clarity, costs less than £250*. *Price correct at time of publishing


What is a family bathroom?

It may seem an obvious question but understanding what a family bathroom is can help you build a suitable design. A family bathroom is a place of solace and relaxation for adults and kids alike. It needs to be a serene spa for parents whilst functioning as an extended playground for young children. For those with older children, especially teenagers, your space will need to cater to their needs too, which may include hours of cleaning and preening!

Balancing all these needs is far from simple, however there are some things most family bathrooms have in common:

  • A bath or shower bath (usually, at least 1 family member can’t do without a soak in the bath)
  • Toilet and basin (a given in any bathroom, although these may be tailored to suit smaller children)
  • Storage (mirror cabinet, vanity unit or similar)
  • Radiator or heated towel rail (to warm towels)
  • Accessories (toothbrush holder, toilet roll holder, soap dish, etc.)

A typical family bathroom suite

A typical family bathroom, complete with shower bath, plus toilet and basin suite


What to think about when styling your family bathroom

Space

This is the first thing you’ll need to think about. With so many demands placed on this room, you’ll need to consider how to fit everything you need into the space you have. If you’re lucky enough to have a large bathroom, you may be able to add everything you need with no problem at all (for example, separate bath and shower installations, plus plenty of storage space). However, it is far more likely that your bathroom is average in size, meaning you will have to make careful decisions about what to include.

Style

As a starting point, you can generally split bathrooms into 2 distinct styles: Traditional or contemporary. Traditional bathrooms contain tried and tested timeless elements, like cross handle taps, roll top baths, elaborate accessories and have a more vintage feel to them. Contemporary bathrooms, which are often referred to as “modern”, contain elements which are on-trend and simplistic in their design, no elaborate embellishments and a more minimalist approach.

Which overall style you choose is completely down to your own personal preferences. However, for a family bathroom in a modern home, contemporary styling is probably the safer bet.

Traditional v Contemporary style family bathrooms

A traditional style family bathroom (left) or a contemporary style space (right). Which do you prefer?

Bathing

As we’ve already mentioned, a high quality bath is a "must-have" but you should also consider a shower for convenience. You can fit this over a shower bath for an integrated option that cuts down on space. A double ended bath is also a great idea as taps can be fitted centrally, allowing you to bathe smaller children in comfort.

Orchard round edge double ended bath

With a double-ended bath, nobody is left at the tap end

Storage

Storage is vital in a family bathroom, as you certainly won’t feel relaxed if there are toys, towels and clutter everywhere. There are plenty of options, depending on the amount of additional storage space you need. Swapping your basin for a simple floor mounted vanity unit is one quick and easy way of providing an extra cupboard or drawers, whilst a wall hung mirror cabinet provides somewhere to stow away all those smaller items. And, whilst we’re talking wall space, why not consider an additional wall hung cabinet to help keep your floor space free?

For a stylish, seamless appearance, why not consider fitted bathroom furniture? There are plenty of combinations which can be used for small or awkwardly shaped rooms, giving you precious worktop space and making things much easier to clean.

Elsdon stone grey bathroom furniture

Lighting

When styling a family bathroom, your choice of lighting can be easily overlooked. While bright ceiling lights are a given, you may wish to fit a secondary option, for those relaxing evenings spent in the bath, when you want to get the mood just right. We’d recommend an LED mirror or perhaps even a wall light, so you don’t always have to put up with the harsh glare of your overhead lighting fixtures. Also, if your extractor fan is controlled by your light switch, a second, smaller light won’t wake up the whole household in the middle of the night!

Walls and floors

Whilst younger children enjoy splashing about in the bath, your bathroom walls and floors might not necessarily agree. To really child-proof your bathroom, it is worth investing in comprehensive wall coverings, like tiles or even shower wall panels. If your budget won’t stretch to a fully covered bathroom, make sure you focus on your bath/shower and basin, adding extra protection to walls around these areas.

Floors in family bathrooms are also bound to get a bit of a soaking from time to time, which is why high quality flooring is a must. If you’re opting for tiles, make sure you pick out some that are suitable for floors with anti-slip properties (check out our guide to anti-slip tiles) or choose easy-clean vinyl flooring.

Colours

Of course, which colour scheme you choose is completely down to your own personal preference. If you’re looking to follow the latest trends, you’ll find plenty of fresh bathroom colour ideas right here at Victoria Plum. Soft neutrals are very much in vogue, bringing a slightly paired back feel, as are pastel shades. However, with a family bathroom, you may wish to go bolder and brighter with your choices—after all, this is meant to be a fun, family-friendly space, warm and welcoming to even the youngest of children.

Choose the perfect colours for your family bathroom

Cleaning

It’s the one thing you’ll be doing a lot of when sharing a bathroom with multiple family members, however the way you design your bathroom can help ease the burden. First off, consider all the dirt and dust traps in your current bathroom. Could a back to wall toilet and vanity unit make cleaning easier? Also, why not keep an eye out for features like easy clean glass when fitting a shower screen?

Heating

Last but by no means least, it’s important to consider how you’ll heat your bathroom. For family bathrooms, heated towel rails are especially handy and need to be large enough to warm multiple towels. Choose from a variety of chrome, white and even anthracite grey designs to match your chosen colour scheme.


Stylish family bathroom inspiration

All these suggestions are great in theory, but how do you apply them to your own bathroom? Luckily, here at Victoria Plum, we have a team of talented designers who can take an idea and turn it into reality. For further inspiration, why not take a look at just some of the stylish family bathrooms we’ve created below.

The perfect family bathroom?

The perfect family bathroom?

This is one of our favourite family bathroom designs—in fact, we’d go so far as saying it’s the perfect family bathroom. From the on-trend grey colour scheme to the large heated towel rail, and from the thermostatic height-adjustable shower to the waterproof, easy-clean vinyl flooring, it really does cover all bases, both in terms of style and functionality. Don’t agree with us? Follow us on social media by clicking on the icons below and leave us a comment.

Stacks of storage

Stylish storage family bathroom

If your bathroom is drowning in clutter, this coordinated furniture unit could be the solution to your storage issues. Laundry baskets help organise used towels, whilst the wall has been tiled in a bright and cheerful colour.

Neutral shades

Neutral style family bathroom

Neutral shades help to keep things light, bright and welcoming for all members of your family. Dark wood accessories and colour-coordinated towels and robes help bring a pop of colour to proceedings, whilst funky shower wall panels create a stylish backdrop to the shower bath.

Organic oasis

Organic style family bathroom

Stone-effect tiles and wood-effect vinyl flooring bring a natural organic feel to this family bathroom. And, for those who prefer bathing, a wall mounted hand shower will help you save a few pennies when renovating. Find out how to create your very own Organic Oasis with our “Get the Look” style guide.

Marvellous monochrome

Monochrome style family bathroom

A black/white/grey colour scheme may not seem the most imaginative, yet can work really well in a family bathroom. Keep things simple with gloss white furniture and contrast with dark tiles—it’s really that easy! Bring a touch of sparkle to your design with chrome fittings throughout, including a nice large heated towel rail.


In need of further inspiration for your family bathroom?

Planning a family bathroom can be a real balancing act, taking all the needs and requirements of your partner and children into consideration. At Victoria Plum, you’ll find all the advice and inspiration you need to make all the right decisions. Check out our Family bathroom suite guide before you buy and discover more tips and ideas to help you create a family-friendly bathroom space. And, if you’re planning on expanding your family in the not-too-distant future, you’ll definitely want to find out how to create a baby-safe bathroom!


Shop bathroom suites

If you’ve been suitably inspired to create your perfect family bathroom, why not begin by browsing the huge range of quality bathroom suites at Victoria Plum. Simply click on the image below to begin.

Shop bathroom suites

Author, Adam Chard

Posted by Adam Chard in Style guides | 2 years ago

A born & raised West Countryman, now living on the Yorkshire Coast, for over 10 years Adam has been bringing home interior ideas to life at Victoria Plum. Adam’s favourite interior styles have been shaped by both urban and natural influences.

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