Jo Edwards, Channel Director – Residential and Trade at Ideal Standard discusses how housebuilders can utilise space in bathrooms.
When it comes to designing smaller bathrooms, housebuilders and developers have an ever growing range of options available. Compact basins, short projection WCs, and carefully designed storage units are all useful tools to make the most of smaller spaces.
The result of an increasing urban population and a push for new homes means there is a decrease in the average floor space of residential properties in the UK, which has dropped a staggering 16% between 2016 and 2022 alone. For developers, this creates a new set of challenges, especially in high-traffic areas like the bathroom, where potential homeowners will be looking for all the expected utilities and more. Specifying products like short-projection WCs and behind-the-wall cisterns can be the key to creating bathrooms that feel bigger on the inside without compromising on functionality.
Challenges posed by shrinking house footprints
Bathrooms are often seen as a room where developers can save on space, but it’s such a significant area of the house. The challenge is to ensure all the essentials are covered while keeping enough floor space open that residents don’t feel penned in. Issues around floor space can also be exacerbated by the inability to move fixtures and fittings around, with the placement of some solutions limited by plumbing and the overall layout of the house.
Utilising a space-saving range can reveal more floor space, letting users easily move around and reducing the cramped feeling of the room. Opting for a single manufacturer can help to further ease issues of floor space, as products are designed to work together, helping to maximise practicality – at Ideal Standard, most products are part of the Singular™ philosophy, which means they are designed to work together no matter what range they’re in. Choosing products from a single manufacturer offer cost and time benefits to project management too, with installers able to easily get to grips with how a product should be installed and lean on the support of dedicated technical personnel.
Being smarter and smaller
For smaller spaces, behind-the-wall systems should generally be standard, giving housebuilders much-needed floor space for other fixtures and fittings. Many new behind-the-wall systems are available in different depths and heights too – perfect for installing under windows or pairing with furniture options – making it easier than ever. Sustainability has also been incorporated into newer systems, with Ideal Standard’s ProSys™ system able to reduce water-usage by up to 63 litres per week (for an average family of four).
When it comes to maintaining a small bathroom, storage is essential for keeping things tidy and clutter-free – particularly for busy families. Products that combine two solutions, such as vanity-basin units and hidden storage mirrors are great options, not only freeing up valuable floor space but also reducing the number of products specifiers and developers have to consider. Modular storage solutions are another excellent choice for hiding clutter and provide a consistent, expandable look that offers further flexibility for potential homeowners.
Ultra-thin shower trays are another must for specifiers. Keeping the visible transition between the shower and the rest of the bathroom to a minimum helps create the impression of more floor space. Many ultra-thin shower trays can be cut to fit specific spaces and projects too, opening up new design opportunities for rooms with unusual spaces. For housebuilders, this means greater flexibility in bathroom design, reduced installation times, and serious time and cost savings across developments.
Doing more with less
When it comes to the fixtures and fittings themselves, opting for furnishings, sinks, and toilets that have a soft, square designs can prove really elevate a room, providing a light, airy atmosphere and removing sharp edges from a cramped space.
What’s more, more ranges are now available with splashes of colour, helping to create a modern and design-led look, without the need for larger statement pieces. Selecting a bold finish for brassware can make an instant impression, with the move away from traditional chrome adding a touch of prestige to the space without dominating smaller rooms. A striking brassware finish can be a great choice to help bring a room together too, with the ability to mirror the finish across basin mixers, shower mixers, and accessories for a cohesive look. In cramped spaces, it’s small touches like these that can make a difference to potential buyers, without the worry of longer installation times or tricky colour combinations for a universal approach to new buyers.
Even as the size of homes and bathrooms shrink, there’s no need to compromise on aesthetics or functionality for bathrooms. By specifying purpose-built products and ensuring proper forethought for installation, housebuilders and developers can make more of smaller bathrooms.