Planning the space

The basic fixtures for a conventional bathroom are a basin, lavatory and bath, but there are many variations, and your choice will depend on the style you want, your budget and the size of your room. In a small bathroom the tub could be exchanged for a shower enclosure to save space - or, for a feeling of openness, the room could be designed as a fully waterproofed wet-room. If you want both a bath and shower, the choice is between separate fittings or an overbath shower. In some countries, every well-appointed bathroom contains a bidet, while in others it is an optional extra. Generally, top- quality fittings with designer labels are expensive, but there are plenty of good-looking alternatives in affordable ranges.
To see whether your fixtures will fit into the available space, draw a scale floor plan of the room and elevations of each wall on graph paper, then cut out cardboard shapes representing

The fixtures to the same scale (manufacturers' brochures give exact sizes). On the floor plan and elevations, mark all permanent features such as windows and doorways, and place the cutouts on the plan, moving them around to find a feasible layout. Baths need a strip at least 90cm (36in) wide beside them to allow bathers to step out and dry themselves; showers need a space 70cm (28in) wide. Basins require 70cm (28in) in front and 20cm (8in) at each side; the lavatory and bidet need 60cm (24in) in front and 20cm (8in) at the sides. In a room used by one person at a time, access areas can be overlapped slightly, but bathrooms used by two or more people at once need extra space. While arranging the fixtures, refer to the elevations to identify any conflict with doors, windows or radiators. Doors can be re-hung or moved and radiators moved or replaced by underfloor heating to accommodate awkward layouts.