thebathroom.info

Why are cloakrooms given little or
no thought when it comes to
bathroom design?

a room with a loo

• Compact fittings, such as the Space range by Ideal Standard, have been designed with small, awkward spaces in mind, and allow the space available to be utilised in the best possible way. The toilet seat can be fitted in three different positions – conventional and 45 degrees left or right – allowing the wc to be sited closer to the wall or radiator without cramping your space or burning your leg. Washbasins have been designed to fit into narrow spaces and corners, with the micro basin completely scaled down so that it can fit in the smallest cloakrooms.
  
  
• Often situated at the centre of a house, cloakrooms can lack natural light and ventilation. By law internal bathrooms or cloakrooms are required to be fitted with a mechanical extractor to refresh air. This must be powerful enough to provide the required number of air changes per hour depending on the size of the room. The extractor may be triggered by a light switch which cuts out a few minutes after the light is turned off.
  
  
• Mirrors placed in a small room help to bounce light around and for the best effect they should be placed opposite a window. Obviously natural light is the best light of all.
  
  
• A cluttered cloakroom is only going to feel even smaller, so combat this by concealing toiletries and cleaning products in built in units. Storage needs to be thought about at the planning stage, as it can be costly and difficult to add furniture later. Towel rails or rings keep towels tidy and allow them to air and dry out. Adding a hook on the back of the door allows visitors coats to be hung up out of the way.
  
  
• A door that opens outwards or a sliding door is preferable to one that opens internally and takes up vital floor space.
  

A cloakroom is purely a functional room and is not 'lived in', so a style statement can be made with the décor which you would not normally make elsewhere in the home. Really go to town and show your personality with bold colours, themes, old photos or framed cartoons. The possibilities are endless – all you need is a bit of creativity.