Conveniently located for the home’s reception rooms and entertaining spaces, easy to access from the garden or yard, and available when the main bathroom is in use, downstairs toilets are as useful as they can be hard to furnish. So how best to equip this small, functional space? Well, we’ve got all the downstairs toilet ideas and know-how you could need – so just read on…
Cloakroom Suites
Unless your existing cloakroom was purpose built when your home was constructed, you might find that your toilet and basin have been squeezed into a space that’s not so much deceptively small as just plain tiny. So refurbishing the space can only be an improvement, right?
This is where cloakroom bathroom suites come into their own… Purposely designed for small spaces such as downstairs toilets, cloakroom bathroom suites come in a range of shapes and sizes (although all of the sizes are smaller than average, obviously).
Corner Suites
If you’re refurbishing a tiny space, you’ll probably want to investigate a few corner toilets and sinks. Making the most of your small bathroom often means getting right into the corners with your furniture and fittings: corner sanitaryware can free up a surprising amount of wall space, allow more ‘user room’ in the bathroom and make the space feel, well, a little more spacious!
Cloakroom Furniture Suites
A popular small bathroom or cloakroom alternative among householders in the know is cloakroom furniture. A slim vanity unit with a short projection can house a hand basin and provide storage space below without taking up any more room than a regular pedestal sink.
Sounds unlikely? Then take a look for yourself! A trip to your local bathroom showroom with a measuring tape should confirm that you won’t lose any floor space by choosing bathroom furniture – but you will gain some fitted shelves or drawers that can help you combat clutter and keep the room looking presentable.
Short Projection
Think one toilet is just like another? They all serve the same purpose, true, but there’s a world of difference between a standard toilet and a short projection model when you need to claw back a little floor space.
A typical adult needs at least 50cm ‘user room’ at the front of the toilet (and 75cm is a more comfortable allowance) – so if your walls are close together, a short projection toilet could be just what you need to make your room work as it should.
Wall Mounted Sanitaryware
Finally, remember that looks really are important. Even if your bathroom is miniscule, you’ll find that installing wall mounted furnishings and keeping the entire floor area completely clear will increase the amount of visible floor space, which (along with a little light coloured decor) should help to make the room appear more spacious.
