Family bathrooms are one of those spaces that we often fantasise about when we’re expecting. We imagine the hustle and bustle of our morning routines, punctuated and made infinitely better by little people around our feet and a tooth brushing routine that leaves us more in tune than the Von Trapps.
In reality, however, our dreams of a family bathroom can very quickly end up down the toilet in place of rushed morning setups that see the kids using all the hot water, and the door locked until about two minutes before we have to leave.
Far from helping us to come together, these issues can cause some of the worst disruptions in family relationships, leaving everyone disgruntled and agitated for the whole day long. It’s a far cry from your imagined reality, and it’s an issue that you could easily overcome by considering the following ways to bring your fantasy family bathroom to life.
Step 1: Maximise the space
According to Grand Designs, the average bathroom measures just under 5 square metres, meaning that a whole lot has to happen in a surprisingly small space. Poor designs that further exacerbate these space limitations are guaranteed to end in a long bathroom line because only one person can squeeze in here and still keep their sanity. By taking steps to renovate with space in mind, you can therefore make a huge difference to the enjoyment and efficiency of your family bathroom. Generally speaking, this means ensuring spaces of at least 60-70cm between your bath/sink/etc. If you’re trying to fit a large family into the space, you may even find it worthwhile to renovate in mind of adding a little more wiggle room. Even just a few extra metres can make a huge difference for fitting that double sink unit that sees two of you using the space at once.
Step 2: Enhance bathroom functionality
While we don’t all have the option to physically add more space, it is within everyone’s power to enhance overall functionality that sees everyone completing their morning routine that bit faster. Hot water that typically runs out in a family setting should especially be a priority in this sense and can be offset by simply seeking constant sources that keep the heat flowing. System boilers are perhaps the most obvious example of this, but high running costs and general inefficiency in these systems mean many families would be better off seeking alternatives like an air source heat pump installer that can provide the same benefits with half of the cost or environmental damage. Further to hot water, bathroom functionality can also be significantly improved by smart setups such as app-controlled shower settings that save each family member’s preferences for the immediate perfect water temperature etc. that halves the time each of you takes to get ready.
Step 3: Solve storage setbacks
The limited space in most bathrooms means that storage can also be a problem for solo ensuites, let alone a family bathroom where this limited space is attempting to cater for four or more of you. The need to store multiple toothbrushes, medications and shower gels can especially get out of hand, but that needn’t be the case. In reality, family-friendly storage solutions like lidded window seats, under-bath storage, and even cupboards installed within that double sink unit can all make a huge difference, enabling you to keep even your bustling bathroom clutter-free and a whole lot less stressful. Investing in a label maker and providing clear places for everything even ensures that you’re all able to find things, and thus finish your morning routines, way faster than you do looking for everything in a jumbled pile right now.
Step 4: Make it child-friendly
Depending on the age of your kids, it’s also worth making your bathroom as child-friendly as possible, thus buying children of a certain age a whole lot more freedom, and ensuring that you can get on with other things while you wait your turn. Additions like soft-close toilet seats, smart showers as mentioned (to reduce the risk of scalding), and even simple non-slip bath and shower trays can certainly help to provide a safe, accessible space for the whole family. And, isn’t that what a ‘family’ bathroom should be all about?
Regardless of the space you’re working with, a truly functional family bathroom is within much easier reach than you likely realise. You just need to turn it into a reality by considering these simple steps, instead of spending your mornings screaming at each other!
Disclosure: collaborative post
Thank you for reading - if you enjoyed this content, please consider buying me a coffee here or browse my Amazon wishlist I really appreciate your support and it helps to keep the site running and for my time 🙂