A Bathroom Design Expert Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
As part of our latest series, a bathroom professional shares three important things she wishes every client understood
Welcome to the story series, ‘3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew’, where we ask a range of experts in the design world to reveal three things they wish every client understood. Read on to glean professional insights, whether it’s answers to questions they’re commonly asked, practical considerations that speed up the design and installation process, or knowledge gaps they’d love us to fill… plus a useful golden nugget for you to store away in your memory bank.
Here we talk to interior designer Stephanie O’Donohue from SmarterBathrooms+, who leads us through the things she wishes every client knew before starting a new bathroom design or renovation.
Here we talk to interior designer Stephanie O’Donohue from SmarterBathrooms+, who leads us through the things she wishes every client knew before starting a new bathroom design or renovation.
Specifying no cabinetry handles often means expensive opening mechanisms or hand-cut joinery. No joins in stone means buying oversize slabs and having an expert stonemason on hand to book-match the ends perfectly. And no grout lines means either huge, expensive tiles that take two tilers to lay (which doubles the labour cost) or porcelain sheets that can only be cut and installed by a stonemason – onto a wall that most likely has to be straightened instead of just packed.
Searching for a bathroom designer? Find professionals near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Searching for a bathroom designer? Find professionals near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
2. Don’t DIY your tiling – ever
It’s just not worth it. Planning the tiling and tiling itself are both art forms. I have seen far too many new bathrooms that only look good when you’re not wearing your glasses. Once you see a crooked tile or uneven grouting it cannot be unseen. This is one of the biggest bathroom blunders.
A tiler who plans the space, tile by tile, to ensure the placement of cuts and grout lines will be perfect is worth their weight in gold. You may be tempted to tackle a job that seems straightforward, but don’t do it. Especially if you have contrasting grout.
It’s just not worth it. Planning the tiling and tiling itself are both art forms. I have seen far too many new bathrooms that only look good when you’re not wearing your glasses. Once you see a crooked tile or uneven grouting it cannot be unseen. This is one of the biggest bathroom blunders.
A tiler who plans the space, tile by tile, to ensure the placement of cuts and grout lines will be perfect is worth their weight in gold. You may be tempted to tackle a job that seems straightforward, but don’t do it. Especially if you have contrasting grout.
A good tiler will work more quickly than you could ever hope to, and they will be able to correctly use epoxy grout, giving you a superior and longer-lasting finish than you’d achieve yourself with a regular cement-based grout. They will also be able to disguise an uneven wall or an unsightly edge to a degree.
The tiles and grout are your first defence against water damage. Inferior tiling puts your whole room and subfloor at risk. Step away from the tiles and call an expert.
The tiles and grout are your first defence against water damage. Inferior tiling puts your whole room and subfloor at risk. Step away from the tiles and call an expert.
3. Tight budget? Stuck for a design idea? Go big!
This is one of my favourite tricks. Sometimes you can’t afford the Rolls-Royce of every element in your space. But if you can distract from your more economical, practical design decisions with a wow feature, you can save yourself thousands in upgrading everything unnecessarily.
Oversize handles, for example, can add a touch of drama and interest to an otherwise plain bathroom. Have you got a high bathroom ceiling? Find the biggest pendant light your electrician can lift and fill the bathroom with an object so demanding of attention that it develops a personality of its own. You’ll find it gives your bathroom a real designer edge and detracts from the modest elements in the space.
This is one of my favourite tricks. Sometimes you can’t afford the Rolls-Royce of every element in your space. But if you can distract from your more economical, practical design decisions with a wow feature, you can save yourself thousands in upgrading everything unnecessarily.
Oversize handles, for example, can add a touch of drama and interest to an otherwise plain bathroom. Have you got a high bathroom ceiling? Find the biggest pendant light your electrician can lift and fill the bathroom with an object so demanding of attention that it develops a personality of its own. You’ll find it gives your bathroom a real designer edge and detracts from the modest elements in the space.
You could also distract the eye with repetition, where you take one design idea and use it several times over in a space. Do you love penny-round tiles? Pick a round basin, rounded tapware, a round mirror and towels with a circular pattern. Repetition of a theme will give the space a cohesive, thought-out feel where every design decision is deliberate.
It will also help you shop better, as you won’t fall into the trap of picking 10 things you love and finding none of them work together.
It will also help you shop better, as you won’t fall into the trap of picking 10 things you love and finding none of them work together.
The one thing I always get asked is…
‘How long does a bathroom renovation take?’ Many people are surprised when they hear that a quality bathroom renovation takes about four weeks. Renovation shows are not realistic!
Many people don’t have a spare bathroom they can use while the renovation takes place. If that’s the case for you, plan ahead. Hire a portable toilet or shower from a reputable builder, join a nearby gym (there are often free trials you can take advantage of), or consider renting elsewhere for a month while the job is done. None of these are ideal, but if you’re going to build a bathroom that’ll last 20 to 30 years, that month of inconvenience will quickly be forgotten when you step inside your gorgeous new space.
‘How long does a bathroom renovation take?’ Many people are surprised when they hear that a quality bathroom renovation takes about four weeks. Renovation shows are not realistic!
Many people don’t have a spare bathroom they can use while the renovation takes place. If that’s the case for you, plan ahead. Hire a portable toilet or shower from a reputable builder, join a nearby gym (there are often free trials you can take advantage of), or consider renting elsewhere for a month while the job is done. None of these are ideal, but if you’re going to build a bathroom that’ll last 20 to 30 years, that month of inconvenience will quickly be forgotten when you step inside your gorgeous new space.
My golden nugget…
Unless it’s a colour other than chrome, a tap is a tap. Something basic will be fine, so don’t spend your hard-earned cash there. Funnel your money into custom cabinetry instead. Having a smart drawer that fits your lipstick collection perfectly, in a colour you love and with a concealed bin, will be worth so much more than the bragging rights for Italian taps.
Unless it’s a colour other than chrome, a tap is a tap. Something basic will be fine, so don’t spend your hard-earned cash there. Funnel your money into custom cabinetry instead. Having a smart drawer that fits your lipstick collection perfectly, in a colour you love and with a concealed bin, will be worth so much more than the bragging rights for Italian taps.
Your turn
Which other experts would you like to hear from in this new series? Tell us in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, don’t forget to like it, share it, and save the photos. Join the renovation conversation.
More
Ready for your next dose of insider knowledge? You won’t want to miss reading 5 Steps to Finding the Right Landscape Designer for Your Home
Which other experts would you like to hear from in this new series? Tell us in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, don’t forget to like it, share it, and save the photos. Join the renovation conversation.
More
Ready for your next dose of insider knowledge? You won’t want to miss reading 5 Steps to Finding the Right Landscape Designer for Your Home
‘Clean, sleek lines’ is what my clients ask for – think single sheets of material, no joins, no handles and no grout lines. The most common misconception I come across is that this is a cheap look to achieve. People are fooled by the apparent simplicity of the aesthetic. But to achieve a truly beautiful, minimalist look, the detail in the build needs to be precise.
Some of the simplest-looking spaces I have worked on have been the most expensive, due to the immense detail and meticulous planning required.