North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘Bathroom Storage’ Category

Choosing the right furniture to suit your bathroom can make a big difference to the room. For example, chunky heavy bathroom furniture in a smaller bathroom will make it look even smaller, but minimalist lines and cleverly placed bathroom mirrors can give the room the illusion of being much larger.

Even bathroom tiles can change the whole look of the room. Lighter tiles, particularly white ones, give the room a crisp clean feel and make it seem light and airy, while patterned bathroom tiles both on the wall and the floor, for example, a black and white checked floor design can make it look like there is limited floor space.

Sometimes bathroom accessories are all that are needed to spruce up a tired looking bathroom, wooden accessories give a warmer feeling to the room compared with chrome, and matching the accessories to the bathroom furniture gives the room a touch of class.

Bathroom cabinets such as linen cupboards and other storage ideas are ideal in any bathroom, as they help to reduce clutter and keep the room organised. Wall units are ideal when floor space is limited. Mirrored bathroom cabinets serve a dual purpose and is another space saving idea.

Free standing units as opposed to built-in units are also a good idea as they can be rearranged and repositioned, which changes the look of the room simply with no extra cost. Having a white bathroom suite as opposed to a coloured one will compliment any style of bathroom furniture.

The very first thing that you need to do is to think about what you want to put on your bathroom shelves. That sounds fairly obvious but many people buy bathroom shelves because they match the décor, but do not give a thought to how practical they are.

For example, if you want to store towels on shelves, you need to make sure that they are wide enough for the job and that the shelves are not placed where they will get steamy and wet. However, if your idea is to store all your cosmetics neatly together, you might want something a bit more compact with a lip, or rail at the front to stop things sliding off.

Modern bathrooms tend to feature glass, or metal shelves on stainless steel, aluminium, or chrome tracking and these take up little space in a small bathroom and stop things looking cluttered.  Freestanding metal racks with moveable glass shelves can work well in a larger bathroom.

The choice is very wide when it comes to bathroom shelves and your final choice will depend on the style and design you prefer as well as the space available. Don’t forget about the practical things though because you only want to buy shelves for your new bathroom once.

It is also wise to be really honest and ask yourself whether you have the expertise to make a perfect job of fitting your chosen shelves. It is quite common to see bathroom shelves which are not quite straight, or tracking that is not properly lined up. This is a precision job if you want that ultra modern contemporary look with its clean lines.

For most bathrooms, particularly those with limited storage facilities, a vanity unit is the ideal accessory. Space saving and elegant, functional yet stylish, a vanity unit can easily become the focal point of your new or existing bathroom.

However, many people seem deterred by the thought of installing a vanity unit. Perhaps they are worried about the cost of hiring a certified engineer, if so, they should not be, for if they follow a few simple pieces of advice they will soon realise that anyone can do it and save money in the process.

Firstly and most importantly, have a good look under the existing sink to see exactly what it is attached to. The chances are that the sink will be attached by nails, screws or some form of adhesive agent. Simply remove the nails or prise the sink away from the glue, it is as easy as that.

Before completely removing the old sink, remember to turn off the water at the mains, and then unscrew the water supply. A good tip is to have a bucket to hand.

Remove the sink; a friend will come in useful at this point. Previous damage will immediately come to light. If all is clear, ensure the floor on which the vanity unit is to be placed is flat.

Remove the drawers and doors of the new unit. Check that everything is square and symmetrical and slide into position. Reconnect the water supply, turn the water back on and that is all there is to it.

If you are about to put the finishing touches to your bathroom, choosing the right bathroom furniture will be vital for keeping within the style you want to achieve. Cabinets and vanity lockers often set the tone for the design of your bathroom and there is a range of colours, woods and finishes to choose from.

If you are going for a modern style, a sleek and simplistic bathroom mirror will be ideal to set above your sink. Probably the most common cupboards are the white units that surround and also enclose the lower half of the bathroom sink. If you are stuck for space, this will easily be the most practical option and will also leave a fine looking finish.

But as much as white has been a much-favoured colour for suites, wooden bathroom furniture is especially popular for more earthy designs. Beech, oak and walnut are among the most sought after for the latest styles, and will give your bathroom a pleasant and natural ambience.

However, should you care for a more vintage touch choosing the right furniture will prove to be more difficult. The main rule to follow here is to ensure that the furniture you choose matches the style of the time period that you are trying to create. For bathroom cabinets and vanities, a darker finish is more common in traditional bathroom suites, but Satin Biscuit, Gloss Biscuit, Pearl White and Ebony can also be considered and will also prove to be a somewhat cheaper option.

A bathroom vanity is not only functional in and of itself but it can also be used to enhance the look and feel of a bathroom. Bathroom vanities can be traced to the beginning of civilisation where ancient societies such as the Egyptians and the Greeks were known to use them both for practical and aesthetic purposes. While they were previously the preserve of those in the upper echelons of society, they have become more affordable and accessible to a large proportion of the population.

Just like other pieces of home furniture, bathroom vanities come in a variety of designs and styles ranging from traditional to contemporary to country. A bathroom vanity in the category of traditional design will most likely have a dark wood grain finish while sporting carved metal details evoking a sense of grandeur and elegance. A bathroom vanity in the category of contemporary design has a sleek appearance sporting a smooth finish with clean lines and an open style in what is essentially a minimalistic design. A bathroom vanity classified under the country design category has a relaxed, almost casual look. It will most likely resemble the architecture of the countryside in France.

Bathroom vanities come sporting a variety of features and it is up to the buyer to decide what they want the bathroom vanity for. Some vanities come equipped with a jewellery armoire, a stool, a mirror and so on. A bathroom sink vanity could also be shipped with a marble top. Bathroom sinks with a marble top have the advantage of being resistant to staining and scratching or chipping.

Nowadays, bathroom styles are much less rigid and more attuned to the individual and his or her own preferences. While some maintain that if you choose a modern or old-fashioned style, you should be consistent, others disagree and claim that you can mix the two, joining a sleek, modern tap to an ancient claw-footed bath.

As much as you may enjoy making decisions based on your own taste, it’s worthwhile to get a second opinion from a friend or family member. At some point, you might decide to sell your property, and you certainly don’t want prospective buyers’ eyes to bulge in horror at your unconventional bathroom, as they mentally try to tally up how much they’ll have to spend to redo it.

Look for sinks, baths, taps, and other accessories, which are easy to clean. Intricate engravings might look pretty, but are more suitable for a living room than a bathroom. Most people enjoy a bathroom with a relaxing feel to it, which can be achieved with pastels or natural colours and comfortable furnishings. Unless your bathroom will be used exclusively by the children, pictures of colourful clowns on the walls can quickly become quite trying. Try to see where you can squeeze in any cabinets or shelves for storage, as it’s convenient to have extra toilet rolls, shampoo, soap, cleaning supplies, and clean towels right in the room where they’re to be used. Having sufficient storage space can also keep the bathroom from looking crowded and messy.

The bathroom vanity offers consumers an elegant, functional, and in some cases necessary pedestal for their sink. Some would choose a sink-in-vanity over a freestanding basin because of the storage space the former offers. Depending on the theme of the bathroom, the vanity can also serve as an important design fixture, acting as a focal point in the room and tying other elements together.

Among the most elegant and most distinctive bathroom vanities are those made by Madison, Imperial Bathrooms, and Villeroy & Bosch.

Madison’s double basins with wall hung vanity unit – with Stonewood accents and available either in an oak or walnut finish – seems to float in the air. Raised and balanced on a thin footing, the Madison vanities are the perfect addition to the clean-lined, Scandinavian-inspired bathroom.

The Imperial Bathrooms Cuda open vessel bowl vanity unit is a true landmark in bathroom elegance. It’s distinctive, luxurious, and a true achievement in interior design. It fuses natural wood, chrome, and stone elements using clean, geometric lines. It evokes both modernity and ancient washing places all at once. It’s also practical since its natural elements almost never need cleaning and will, for all intents and purposes, last for a lifetime. The Cuda vanity unit has three drawers and a large shelf underneath the basin for storage.

The intricate and handsome Imperial Bathrooms North Shore three bay basin and vanity unit seems best suited to the country. Wood elements perfectly accent the taupe front and the chrome faucet.

Finally, true to form, Villeroy & Bosch also offers a line of simple, clean porcelain vanities that would look great in almost any bathroom.