If you’re tired of waiting for a spot in the family bathroom, you might be thinking about creating an en suite for your bedroom. While this is undoubtedly beneficial, it does come with its challenges. Often, there’s not a lot of space to play with. So, you need to work out what to include and how to make the most of the compact floorspace. To build an en suite that feels spacious and spa-like, follow these top design tips.
Work with what you’ve got
When you’re trying to decide where in a bedroom to put an en suite, think practically. Often the best way to create an en suite is to slice off a section of the bedroom. Using one of the corners means you’ll only need to put up two stud walls and you won’t need to move or take down any walls. So, it’s a good way to cut down on your ensuite bathroom costs.
Be practical with placement
You don’t want the en suite to obstruct the bedroom door or window. Nor do you want to make it harder for you to get in and out of the room. And you don’t want to hinder the ability to walk around the bed. Plus, if you take up too much of your bedroom with the en suite, it’s not going to be as nice a space to sleep in. So, you need to be practical about which corner of the bedroom you use and the size you make the en suite.
Think about ventilation and plumbing
If you have a dual-aspect bedroom, it might be an idea to incorporate one of the windows into your en suite to make it nicer to use and improve ventilation. If there isn’t a window, it might be worth trying to position your en suite so that it uses part of an exterior wall, so you can add a window or install an extractor fan that vents outside. Placing your en suite next to an exterior wall should make the plumbing easier too.
Avoid awkward openings
Where you place the en suite door is also important. Placing it in the middle of a wall could reduce the amount of space you have available to fit in your shower and toilet. If you want to avoid having a door that swings into the en suite, consider a sliding barn door or pocket door.
Less is more
As en suites tend to occupy a much smaller footprint than the main family bathroom, you shouldn’t try to include everything in there. For instance, if the space is compact, a bath and his-and-her sinks are probably not going to fit in. Trying to cram too much into a small room won’t leave you with any space to move around and will make it impractical to use.
Size up suites
Toilets, sinks and showers come in a variety of sizes, so it’s important to compare dimensions to enable you to save space. Wall-hung toilets and cloakroom sinks are great for saving floor space if you don’t want to compromise on the size of your shower.
Allow light to flow through
Hopefully, your en suite will have a window to let in natural light. But to make your en suite practical and to stop it feeling claustrophobic, you need to ensure that light can reach every corner of your bathroom. Think about design touches, such as frameless shower screens, mirrors and glossy surfaces, that will help you do this.
Be savvy with storage
All bathrooms, no matter how small, need some kind of storage. But as space is limited, you’ll need to be savvy about it. You might be able to fit in a tall, narrow bathroom cupboard or locker-style storage. But if the space is too tight for freestanding options, you might be able to add some above and below the sink. Alternatively, you could put up wall shelves or fit niches into the shower tiling.
Make it an adult space
Family bathrooms typically need to be child-friendly and easy to maintain. But as the en suite is your space, you have an opportunity to add design elements that are just for you – making it a more adult space. So, why not consider adding features such as patterned wallpaper, textured tiling, mosaic flooring and designer lighting? These special touches won’t take up valuable space but will enhance the room.
Go for a spa-like experience
Even though the space is small, you can still go for a spa-like feel. Use technology, such as a smart shower and adaptable lighting, to maximise your experience. And go for luxury touches like marble tiles, brass hardware and glass toiletry bottles to enhance the space.
