It’s a problem many people, regardless of their social standing, sometimes find themselves faced with. Whether you are already living in a house with just one common bathroom and toilet to be shared by members of the household and guests, or considering moving into a home which only has one bathroom and toilet or if you are building your own home and trying to save resources (money or space) – it’s a problem which poses a major stumbling block for home owners but can actually be dealt with quite easily.

If you are already living in a home with only one common bathroom and toilet to be shared by yourselves and guests, then possible problems you are facing are things such as the guys leaving the toilet seat up, people leaving their razors on the basin, pools of water being left behind for the next person to slip on and possibly suffer major injuries, dirty laundry sprawled across the floor, toothpaste being spilled onto the basin, an untidy and a messy sight awaiting guests who may want to use your bathroom/toilet.

In this case you have several branches to take care off, before you can make your way down to the root. With regard to members of the household leaving the bathroom and toilet untidy, you need to firstly consider whether it is possible to avoid – do you have a laundry basket in the bathroom, is there a towel rack, is there a soap dish, is the a cabinet/drawer or some specific place where the razors, toothbrushes etc can be kept away and out of sight, is there a mop in the bathroom, do you have rugs next to the shower and tub. If you find that a preferred alternate is lacking then you need to make it available.

If the problem still persists – then you need to have a meeting with your household, make the situation clear and make them understand why a problem exists, explain to them how inconvenient it is to everyone else in the house and how embarrassing it is for guests to see the bathroom in such a mess/untidy state. You need to make everyone agree to do their bit to keep the bathroom and toilet in a good condition at all times.

From a decorative perspective, if you have just one bathroom and toilet for guests and household members then there are a few simple measures you can adopt to make your bathroom more elegant and welcoming. Firstly you need to ensure that there are cupboards or drawers which can be used to store personal items. You should also purchase an air-freshener, a motion sensing unit would be an excellent buy. You need have hand wash or soap at your basin, if using bar soap, then a soap dish is a must. A towel rack consisting of a towel is another must. Try and brighten/liven up the room, hang paintings on the walls, add ornaments to certain focal areas in the room. A large mirror is a must, it is not only very useful, it will also help make the bathroom look bigger than it actually is. Good lighting is essential, nothing is more annoying than trying to fix your make-up in poor light.

If you are planning on moving into a home and are skeptical about taking the house because of it having only one bathroom and toilet which will have to be used by members of the household and guests – you need to think carefully. Firstly, if you are buying the house, is the room for you to add on an additional bathroom at some point and do you think that you will be able to afford this extension? If you are renting/leasing your home, then extending is out of the question. You now need to analyse carefully, the size of the bathroom, is it spacious enough? Does it get enough air and sunlight? Is it aesthetically pleasing? Is there a shower and a tub or just one? Can you manage keeping it neat and tidy at all times? Can you spend a little bit of money to add small touches to make the bathroom more homely?

Where you are leasing the home, you will generally not want to get involved with renovations etc, so you need to be able to make the most of the bathroom with as little as possible. You cannot re-position fixtures to your liking. You need to be able to make it as appealing as possible by simply implementing elements such as a cabinet for personal items, shower caddy, toilet roll holders, mirrors, curtains, paintings, plants and other decorative items.

If you are building your home, I would suggest you go with two bathrooms and toilets but this is not always possible due to financial and space constraints. more than one bathroom would mean buying more than 1 toilet etc. So if you are for whatever reason opting for a single bathroom and toilet for the household and guests, then here are a few guidelines for you.

You need to make the bathroom as large as possible – do not go with a conventional size. You will be best off with as much space as possible, that way you can space your items out, and maybe even opt for a corner bath tub – this is alot more fun, exciting and elegant. With ample space you can add a stool or seat of some sort – and no not an ordinary chair, something elegant and classy which fits in with the theme of your bathroom – which would be ideal for those moment where you would usually find yourself sitting on the toilet as you try to hide away from the world in the bathroom. Install a huge one-way window – enabling you to see what’s happening outside, whilst preventing anyone on the outside being able to see what’s going on inside your bathroom. Do not go for a traditional basin on a pedestal- opt for a cabinet with a table-top/counter-top basin, this is not only much more elegant but also increases the surface area surrounding the basin which is perfect for resting toiletries as you ready yourself in front of the mirror. Ensure that you install a cubicle around the shower, to prevent water splashing all over the bathroom. If you have sufficient space, you can allow your creativity to come out with your shower, and as opposed to installing a cubicle thousand of other people have – construct your unique shower enclosure according to your own whims and fancies.

A bathroom is a special place, it is where we cleanse our bodies and expel toxins and waste from our bodies. Let it be as classy and elegant as the rest of your home – do not neglect it under the falsehood that it’s just a bathroom and that nobody really cares about what your bathroom and toilet is like – because trust me everyone cares to notice the things in your home.

Author: Donaven Armugam

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Tags: basin, Bathroom, cabinet, common bathroom, drawer, extension, guests, home, household, laundry, light, mirror, renovation, shower, space, toilet, tub, water

This entry was posted on Monday, May 17th, 2010 at 11:45 pm and is filed under Bathroom and Toilet, Decor Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.