10 Family-Friendly Bathroom Ideas
Use these simple ideas as your inspiration to design a fuss-free family bathroom that's safe, stylish and perfect for kids
Whether it’s in a beach shack, a weekender, your first apartment or your forever home, the family bathroom certainly has its work cut out for it, particularly when it has to cater to adults, teens and young children. But with a little bit of planning and an idea of what you need, it’s easy to update this much-used and often outdated room in the home.
It doesn’t need to be a complete overhaul either – the simple addition of a few hooks or a freestanding cabinet for a bit of much-needed extra storage may be all it takes to transform the way your space flows. Whatever your budget, or your family’s requirements, these bathroom design ideas should get you thinking.
It doesn’t need to be a complete overhaul either – the simple addition of a few hooks or a freestanding cabinet for a bit of much-needed extra storage may be all it takes to transform the way your space flows. Whatever your budget, or your family’s requirements, these bathroom design ideas should get you thinking.
2. Get the low-down
Another great idea is to utilise low rails for hand towels when toilet training young children. It makes practising good hand hygiene so much easier if they can do it themselves. When choosing a vanity for a family space, keep it streamlined. Steer away from protruding basins when catering to young children to avoid head injuries or other painful bumps.
Another great idea is to utilise low rails for hand towels when toilet training young children. It makes practising good hand hygiene so much easier if they can do it themselves. When choosing a vanity for a family space, keep it streamlined. Steer away from protruding basins when catering to young children to avoid head injuries or other painful bumps.
3. Make mine a double
If space allows, a double sink for dual teeth brushing – either for you and your partner or two kids at a time – and other morning or night-time routines can be a real time saver. Having two basins on the go can shave precious minutes off your morning, helping you and the kids to get out of the house on time. Or conversely, get the kids cleaned up and tucked into bed quickly, so you can enjoy a little bit more alone time before turning in. The beauty of this vanity is also the generous bench space, so you can keep toys, towels and toiletries on hand at bath time.
More twin basins
If space allows, a double sink for dual teeth brushing – either for you and your partner or two kids at a time – and other morning or night-time routines can be a real time saver. Having two basins on the go can shave precious minutes off your morning, helping you and the kids to get out of the house on time. Or conversely, get the kids cleaned up and tucked into bed quickly, so you can enjoy a little bit more alone time before turning in. The beauty of this vanity is also the generous bench space, so you can keep toys, towels and toiletries on hand at bath time.
More twin basins
4. Throw the baby into the bath water
Having access to a bath is really a must when you have younger kids, and it suits everyone from a newborn up. It’s a great place to give mud-caked munchkins a good soaking, as well as helping them to practise the latest bubble-blowing moves from swim school. Having kids snorkel in the tub is also a little more sanitary than when they plonk themselves down in the shower, which they inevitably will at some stage.
Having a detachable showerhead over the bath is an added bonus, making it easier to aim the spray at every height and angle. For a slip-free surface, stick to porcelain tiles, as they have better traction than most floor tiles. And consider getting tactile mats or stickers for inside the tub, just in case.
Bathtubs with a material difference
Having access to a bath is really a must when you have younger kids, and it suits everyone from a newborn up. It’s a great place to give mud-caked munchkins a good soaking, as well as helping them to practise the latest bubble-blowing moves from swim school. Having kids snorkel in the tub is also a little more sanitary than when they plonk themselves down in the shower, which they inevitably will at some stage.
Having a detachable showerhead over the bath is an added bonus, making it easier to aim the spray at every height and angle. For a slip-free surface, stick to porcelain tiles, as they have better traction than most floor tiles. And consider getting tactile mats or stickers for inside the tub, just in case.
Bathtubs with a material difference
5. Hang out and get hooked
With wet floors and enthusiastic splashing from bathtub occupants, hanging towels and clean clothes above the water line is really the only answer in a family bathroom. This is also where double towel rails come in handy; they’re a necessity when wall hanging space is at a premium.
Also essential to keep at eye-height or above are medicine cabinets, enabling you to store pharmaceuticals and other kid-unfriendly things away from curious hands and mouths.
Make small bathrooms work harder
With wet floors and enthusiastic splashing from bathtub occupants, hanging towels and clean clothes above the water line is really the only answer in a family bathroom. This is also where double towel rails come in handy; they’re a necessity when wall hanging space is at a premium.
Also essential to keep at eye-height or above are medicine cabinets, enabling you to store pharmaceuticals and other kid-unfriendly things away from curious hands and mouths.
Make small bathrooms work harder
6. Embrace multi-tasking
Make wet areas work harder in smaller homes with space-savvy room combinations, such as this laundry/bathroom. In a small room such as this one though, you’d need to ensure ventilation is adequate before running the dryer.
Squeeze in a laundry anywhere
Make wet areas work harder in smaller homes with space-savvy room combinations, such as this laundry/bathroom. In a small room such as this one though, you’d need to ensure ventilation is adequate before running the dryer.
Squeeze in a laundry anywhere
7. Hide out in a hamper
A laundry hamper is an essential item in the family bathroom. Having a breathable hamper handy should resolve the ongoing battle against the inevitable pile of dirty clothes left in front of the shower or bath. It also makes transporting the dirties to the laundry that much easier when they’re all loaded into one easily carried receptacle.
A laundry hamper is an essential item in the family bathroom. Having a breathable hamper handy should resolve the ongoing battle against the inevitable pile of dirty clothes left in front of the shower or bath. It also makes transporting the dirties to the laundry that much easier when they’re all loaded into one easily carried receptacle.
8. Vent on
Opening windows or a powerful exhaust fan are a must in any family bathroom, to avoid an unhealthy build-up of bacterial growth and mould. While this is an important consideration for any bathroom, it’s doubly so when users of the room are likely to leave wet towels on the floor, wet clothes in the bath, and wet footprints… pretty much everywhere. Letting in plenty of natural sunlight can also aid to combat some germs and nasties.
Luxe bathroom additions
Opening windows or a powerful exhaust fan are a must in any family bathroom, to avoid an unhealthy build-up of bacterial growth and mould. While this is an important consideration for any bathroom, it’s doubly so when users of the room are likely to leave wet towels on the floor, wet clothes in the bath, and wet footprints… pretty much everywhere. Letting in plenty of natural sunlight can also aid to combat some germs and nasties.
Luxe bathroom additions
9. Shower en plein air
Why stop at the indoors? Consider creating bathroom with a view, or even an outdoor sanctuary complete with a tub for soaking in. You’ll thank yourself in the warmer weather when you’re relaxing in a bath under the wide open sky, all while soaking in the views. An outdoor shower (or even partially outdoor as seen here) becomes a near-necessity when living near the beach to wash off any stray sand.
Outdoor showers design ideas
Why stop at the indoors? Consider creating bathroom with a view, or even an outdoor sanctuary complete with a tub for soaking in. You’ll thank yourself in the warmer weather when you’re relaxing in a bath under the wide open sky, all while soaking in the views. An outdoor shower (or even partially outdoor as seen here) becomes a near-necessity when living near the beach to wash off any stray sand.
Outdoor showers design ideas
10. Invest in an ensuite
This is possibly the best advice when dealing with family bathrooms: have your own private space. An ensuite may be considered a bit of a luxe addition, and might not be feasible for every family home, but keeping a second bathroom that’s mess-free and kid-free could just be the sanity-saver you’re looking for.
TELL US
Are you planning a family bathroom update? Tell us all about it in the Comments.
MORE
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This is possibly the best advice when dealing with family bathrooms: have your own private space. An ensuite may be considered a bit of a luxe addition, and might not be feasible for every family home, but keeping a second bathroom that’s mess-free and kid-free could just be the sanity-saver you’re looking for.
TELL US
Are you planning a family bathroom update? Tell us all about it in the Comments.
MORE
Safety first: Look-ahead design strategies for a future-proof bathroom
How to get five more years out of your bathroom
Think like a designer: 5 steps to a well-planned new bathroom
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If you share your bathing space with small children, it can be a good idea to leave a small seat beside the vanity so even the littlest of the little people can still reach the basin by themselves. As well as relieving you of the duty of having to hold them up and manoeuvre tiny hands uncomfortably under the taps, this will help your child to develop their growing sense of independence.
If you’re planning to leave them unaided though, make sure your hot water settings are turned right down, so they don’t scald themselves.