There are so many bathroom accessories to choose from so how do you decide what you need? It’s not just a question of function and budget, but your choice of style and design too. Check out these 10 tips for buying bathroom accessories that are right for you and your home!
10 TIPS FOR BUYING BATHROOM ACCESSORIES
Here are some easy tips for choosing accessories for your bathroom for design, functionality and budget.
1. Decide your budget
It’s always good to know your budget beforehand. As we mentioned earlier, choosing the right bathroom accessories can be part of a larger refurbishment project or they can just provide a quick lift or change of mood for your current bathroom. Know how much you’ve got to spend and then you can research your accessories more effectively, going for good quality accessories that suit your budget requirements. There are a lot of accessories to choose from so anything that can help you define what you want can be really helpful!
2. Decide what you need
Once again, shopping can be a minefield. There is so much choice and it’s easy to get swayed or be indecisive! Before you browse the shops in person or online, take a look at your bathroom right now. Think about how you use the space, from lying in the bath to how and where you store your toothbrushes, towels and cleaning products. Make a list of what accessories you actually need so you can focus on those. You can always have a wish-list if you have the space and budget!
3. Prioritise the essentials
To some extent, this will depend on whether you’re remodelling your whole bathroom or just switching up some of the accessories to create a different colour scheme or feel. If you’re renovating your bathroom, wetroom, cloakroom or ensuite, think about the essentials for your renovation project. These might not be things that you immediately think about, but they can be vital for a fully functioning bathroom. For example, don’t forget wastes for the bath, shower and/or basin. Ask your bathroom fitter for a list of things that you’ll need to get as essentials and make room for them on your list. You might need an extractor for ventilation, lighting that’s suitable for use in bathroom spaces. These are things that we can easily forget about!
4. Assess your space
As well as defining your budget and what you really need, the next consideration is space. It’s no good choosing accessories (from storage baskets to mirror cabinets) without working out if you’ve got the available space. Some accessories can be small (think a toothbrush holder) but others can be larger and take up valuable space. Many bathrooms can be quite small so plan ahead, take some measurements and keep them handy. Think about floor space, but also wall space and counter-tops too. There are plenty of compact bathroom ranges for both furniture and fittings to help you maximise available space.
5. Consider quality
Alongside budget, take time to consider the quality of the products you’d like to buy. More expensive doesn’t always equate to better quality. You don’t need to pay high-end prices for accessories that function well and will serve you long-term. Before you buy, compare different products, what the items are made from, any manufacturers’ guarantees. Some accessories you might be happy to switch more frequently than others, for example, a soap dish is cheaper to replace than a back-lit mirror cabinet.
6. Brand vs non brand
You sometimes pay a premium for a branded product. Whether you do that is personal choice, but as in the point above, always try to do your research. There are many great quality bathroom accessories which, although they don’t come as a well-known brand, are still good quality and value for money.
7. Decide on your style
Whether you’re doing up a whole new bathroom or just revamping a few of the accessories, take a few moments to think about what style you like. Are you matching an existing style or going for a new one? Do you like modern, contemporary or traditional. Do you like square, minimal lines or detailed, ornate. Choosing a theme for your bathroom will help make the space appear more cohesive, streamlined and more beautiful on the eye!
8. Match your accessories
When you’ve chosen your style, you might like to try following that choice through across all your bathroom accessories. If you’ve gone for a minimalist, square style toilet, bath and basin, try replicating that in your choice of accessories. Go for square mirrors, soap dispensers, even taps and showerheads. This is why it pays to plan and prepare a little before you go shopping.
9. Decide your colour scheme
Some of us prefer neutral colours, others like to make a bold colour statement. These days, there are so many different and exciting colour options for your bathroom, whether that’s for the floors or walls, the furniture and storage, even for shower trays, and the baths, basins and toilets themselves. Think about what sort of look you’re trying to achieve and how your choice of bathroom accessories can help you achieve that. Many of us prefer to stick with a simple neutral colour choice for the main elements of our bathrooms, the furniture and ceramics that we won’t want to change very often, and then we add colour or personality with our choice of accessories (which we can possibly switch out more often). Choose your colour scheme beforehand if you think this might help.
10. Don’t forget the lighting
We often take the lighting in our bathrooms for granted. When choosing your bathroom accessories, don’t forget to think about the lighting. Think about how you use your bathroom space, what the natural light is like in there already, and where and what sort of lighting you’ll need to be able to see whatever you’re doing! There are restrictions about what sort of lights you can use in a wet area but that doesn’t have to restrict you and there are some great options available!
CHOOSING YOUR BATHROOM ACCESSORIES
I hope the tips we’ve mentioned in this article are helpful to you when it comes to choosing your bathroom accessories. There are so many products available to suit every budget and style requirement, the biggest problem can often be too much choice!
Planning ahead, deciding what you need and what you’d like and having in mind the finished look and feel you’d like to achieve can all help.
Bathrooms are functional, but they can also be beautiful and whatever else you’d like your bathroom to be! This is your space so enjoy creating a space that really works for you and your home.
