The fixtures you choose can make a big difference to both the look and functionality of your bathroom space. When choosing your fixtures, you’ll want to listen to your personal instincts – after all, it’s you who’s going to be using the bathroom. But you might also think about a few objective, practical considerations, too.

Assess Your Space

First, you should think about exactly how much space you have to work with. Make sure that you measure accurately, and that you pay due consideration to the layout. If your dream bathtub doesn’t fit into the recess you have in mind, then you can strike it immediately from your shopping list. Think also about how traffic is going to flow through the space, and how you might arrange the fixtures to accommodate it. 

Certain options take up less room than others. In some cases, vertical space might matter just as much as the kind you’ll see on a floor plan. Wall-mounted toilets and floating vanities, for example, allow room for you to easily mop beneath them.

Match Style to Design

Your fixtures will, in most cases, need to match with one another. That might mean settling on a theme or style. The shape of the surrounding home might dictate this. In older homes with period features, a more traditional, classic style might be preferable to a sleek, modern one. 

If you’re unsure of what the various styles really look like, and you don’t want to risk ordering directly from a catalogue or website, then a visit to a bathroom showroom can often help. You’ll see how the various styles work together, and you might even be inspired to try something entirely different.

Prioritise Functionality

It’s a good idea to think about how you’ll be using the bathroom, and which particular upgrades will provide the greatest utility. In busy bathrooms that are being used by an entire family, a double vanity (or even a double sink) might be appropriate. You might also look into a wet room, if everyone prefers bathrooms to showers.

Where your water bill (or the natural world) is a concern, you might look for water-saving taps and showerheads, or even a greywater system, for improved efficiency. For most homeowners, however, storage will make the biggest difference of all. 

Durability and Maintenance

Finally, it’s worth thinking not just about the way that the bathroom looks, but how easy it will be to keep it in that condition. Opting for dense mosaic-style tiles might give you more grout to clean. Stainless steel and ceramic fixtures tend to last for longer, and not show up stains to quite the same extent as other fixtures.