We equip a separate bathroom or how to create beauty in one square meter

Recommendation points

• Separate bathroom – pros and cons
• Choosing a wall decoration for a separate bathroom
• Placement options in a separate bathroom sink
• Choosing plumbing
• Furniture

In this article, we will offer you options for arranging a separate bathroom, tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of this usually tiny room, advise which material is better to choose for wall decoration, than you can decorate a bathroom separate from the bath, how to place a small sink in this room with an area no more than one and a half squares and is it worth doing in principle.

Separate bathroom – pros and cons

The attitude to separate and combined bathrooms from different homeowners may be the opposite: some tend to combine these two small rooms in order to expand the space and make room for a washing machine or shower; the latter build partitions, allocating a separate room for the bathroom.

Let’s try to figure out what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these options and when you should prefer a separate toilet.

So, the advantages of a combined bathroom include:

1. Saving space. This advantage is especially relevant for small standard apartments, where every square meter counts.
2. Ventilation is usually better in a spacious shared bathroom than in a tiny, separate.
3. The area of ​​the bath combined with a bathroom allows you to place a full set of plumbing fixtures here, install not only a toilet, but also a bidet, a sink, allocate a place for a washing machine.
4. The interior of the combined bathroom provides more room for the embodiment of design ideas.
5. A combined bathroom means one door instead of two, that is, lower costs for replacing them, as well as savings on tiles, since one wall separating the bath and toilet becomes less.

However, if a family of four lives in an apartment, and there is no second bathroom, then all these advantages lose their attractiveness after the morning “battle” for the sink. Have you ever been in a situation where you just relaxed in a bath with fragrant foam and then someone bangs on the door with exclamations – “I urgently need it”? It means that you either live alone, or there is a separate bathroom in your apartment..

The disadvantages of a separate bathroom include precisely the tiny area of ​​this room, as well as an increase in the cost of arranging both the bath and the toilet. And its main advantage is precisely the possibility of separating functions – the bathroom remains a bathroom, and the bathroom remains a place for “thoughts” alone and without interference..

Of course, the ideal option for a family of four can be called a layout that provides for the presence of two bathrooms: combined and separate. Separate in such a situation is considered a guest or child, and queues in the morning will remain a sad memory..

But such a luxury can only be afforded by the owners of apartments in new buildings, where such a layout is provided. It is impossible to equip another bathroom in a standard apartment, so the owners have to make a difficult choice between combining and separating the functions of a bathroom and a bathroom in the same room.

A combined bathroom can be called an ideal option only if no more than two people live in the house or there is another separate toilet

Choosing a wall decoration for a separate bathroom

A typical separate bathroom is usually 65 to 95 centimeters wide and 110 to 170 centimeters long. In such an area, of course, there is nowhere for the designer’s fantasies to roam, but this does not mean at all that a separate bathroom should be a boring and sterile-cold room.

The choice of materials for wall decoration plays a key role in creating an attractive interior for a separate bathroom. The most popular options today are:

Ceramic tile.Standard for bathrooms and toilets. The advantages of such a choice include a wide selection of colors and patterns, moisture resistance, the ability to maintain cleanliness and durability without much effort. However, wall cladding with tiles will deprive the separate bathroom of precious centimeters. For example, if your room has curved walls, then due to their alignment, the width of the bathroom may decrease by six centimeters, which with the initial dimensions of 75–80 centimeters will be very noticeable. If you decide to choose tiles as a finishing material for the walls of the bathroom, prefer light shades that visually expand the room. Contrasting combinations of white with black, white with dark blue or red are also perfect. In addition, it is not necessary to lay the tiles up to the ceiling – to maintain cleanliness, it is enough to tile the walls in half, and just paint the rest..

Waterproof paint.An alternative to the usual ceramic tiles in a separate bathroom can be modern washable paint. A huge selection of shades will allow you to experiment with the design, and a can of paint costs significantly less than one square meter of tiles. And it will be possible to change the interior easily and simply without the help of tilers and other specialists. The best color options are neutral and warm “coffee with milk”, cheerful pale yellow, sand, pale lime and a combination of white and orange. The only drawback of using paint for arranging a bathroom is the need to carefully align the walls beforehand.

Washable wallpaper.In Soviet apartments, this option was encountered quite often, but today it has lost its popularity. But if you are an adherent of traditions and want to create a uniform style of interior design throughout the apartment, then moisture-resistant wallpaper will allow you to do this quickly and inexpensively. This option is suitable for a home whose interior is designed in English or country style..

Porcelain tiles and mosaics.Quite expensive options for finishing the bathroom. Offers strengths such as durability, attractive design and moisture resistance.

Decorative plaster.Remember to choose moisture resistant mixes, such as facade or renovation plaster..

Neutral beige shades, a combination of the color “coffee with milk” and brown – designers call these options ideal when choosing tiles for a bathroom

A striking example of how a well-chosen option for wall and floor finishing can visually expand the narrowest room. The “chaos” of alternating strips of porcelain stoneware tiles makes this bathroom look much more spacious than it actually is

White and red – stylish design for a separate bathroom is ready. And horizontal stripes make the room look longer.

Agree that wallpaper in the bathroom can look very cute! In addition, this option allows you to create an interesting design, combine different colors, patterns and texture

As for the finishing of the bathroom floor, special non-slip matte tiles remain the constant leader. And for decorating the ceiling, you can choose plastic panels (the cheapest option), wallpaper, paint, plaster, and even lining or boards processed to protect against moisture. Wooden beams or moldings are sometimes used as a decorative element.

Placement options in a separate bathroom sink

Usually, it is simply impossible to place a sink in a typical bathroom – the area and location of the door will not allow. Therefore, before seriously tackling this issue and embarking on the complex process of redevelopment and additional communications, you should think about whether a sink is needed in a separate bathroom in principle.

At first glance – certainly! It’s trite – you get the opportunity to wash your hands after using the toilet, without leaving the room and without going to the bathroom, which is very convenient. But hygiene experts warn that it is impossible to store toothbrushes on a sink, installed only half a meter from the toilet. I don’t want to spoil your appetite, but when flushed away, the spray scatters literally throughout the tiny room, and where is the guarantee that someone from the household will not forget to close the lid?

In a typical bathroom, which is only 80 centimeters wide, the only way to install a sink is to move the door onto a long wall. In this case, a corner is released into which a small sink will fit well. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to move the door – for example, the bathroom is bordered by the outer wall of the apartment and the bathroom.

In addition, the redevelopment will require coordination with the regulatory authorities, and the work itself will require significant efforts and costs. Today, the option of installing a hygienic shower in the bathroom is increasingly used. It is much easier to mount such a system during the repair process than to install a sink, it does not take up space and will be immediately appreciated by the female half of the family..

The sink in the bathroom is very convenient. But often the problems associated with its installation become an insurmountable obstacle.

Choosing plumbing

Unlike a combined bathroom with its rich “assortment” of sanitary ware, a separate toilet is usually installed only with a toilet and sometimes, if possible, a sink. Today manufacturers offer a wide selection of sanitary ware, and the price range is very wide..

The simplest floor models of Russian production cost from two to four thousand rubles. For an ordinary toilet bowl of Polish or German production, you will already have to pay at least five thousand, and the price of Italian and French sanitary ware with painting, unique design parameters, from well-known manufacturers, can reach 30-50 thousand rubles.

Designers emphasize that for a cramped bathroom, it is worth purchasing a hanging toilet – this will facilitate the cleaning process in the room and create the desired visual effect. However, such models are an order of magnitude more expensive than conventional floor-standing models and will require additional effort and cost during installation, so the choice is yours..

The sink for a separate bathroom is usually the smallest one. Such mini-models measuring 36.5×31.5×15.8 centimeters of Russian production cost from 600 rubles. The original mini-sink made of transparent tempered glass of Italian production will cost much more – at least 15 thousand rubles.

Remember that there are no small pedestal sinks, and such a massive support would take up too much space. So that all pipes will be in sight and you should take care of their most attractive appearance, for example, choose the chrome version

A domestic-made hygienic shower costs from 800 to 1.2 thousand rubles, it does not cause any special problems during installation. This system replaces the bidet and eliminates the cost and hassle of installing a sink..

This is what a hygienic shower looks like, which can take over some of the functions of the sink and bidet. Does not take up space at all, just hangs on the wall, so you should only take care of fastening and connecting to the water supply

Today in Europe the economical W + W system is becoming more and more popular. How it works? The system is a combined sink and toilet, which are integrated inside the wall. Practical Europeans decided that the water that they had already washed their hands with should not be wasted and that the drains from the sink are used to fill the toilet cistern. This approach saves up to 25% of your monthly water consumption..

The W + W system was developed by the Spanish brand RocaInnovationLab in collaboration with designers Gabriela and Oscar Buratti. The system also includes automatic water purification, killing bacteria and freshening the air. Here only costs “W + W” at least 2.7 thousand euros and is not yet popular in Russia.

In this case, the owners managed to position the sink literally above the toilet, just moving it a little to the side. Is it convenient or not – you decide

Furniture

“What kind of furniture can there be in a tiny bathroom”? – you ask. Meanwhile, the need to organize access to drain pipes and a riser leads to the appearance of a plumbing cabinet. Some owners simply lay everything with tiles, believing that accidents do not happen often and there is no need to leave the opportunity to get to communications. However, the cases are different, and still it is worth leaving convenient and easy access to the pipes..

You can disguise communications by installing full-fledged wooden doors, which, by the way, will look especially stylish against the background of ceramic tiles and will make the interior not so cold. Doors can be replaced with roller shutters or plastic panels.

If a sanitary cabinet is just a necessity, then an unusual cabinet with high legs or a closed shelf above the toilet will allow you to organize a convenient place for storing all kinds of household chemicals and hygiene items. Most often, such cabinets and shelves have to be ordered, since it is quite difficult to choose ready-made furniture exactly according to the size of the bathroom..

The roller shutter, the color of which is in harmony with the tiles of the bathroom, hides communications behind it

Compact cabinet for storing hygiene items and household chemicals with closed shelves does not take up much space

An extreme use of the space above the toilet is the location of the washing machine. It requires the most reliable fasteners, careful calculation, and to use such a machine, to put it mildly, is not very convenient

A separate bathroom, though not the most representative room of your apartment, needs a special approach to the arrangement. The correct choice of finishing materials, high-quality plumbing, technical innovations and beautiful furniture – all this will make your “privacy room” attractive and as functional as possible..