Choosing accessories for your bathroom can be both exciting and confusing. There are so many different bathroom accessories to choose from and places to buy from, let alone decide on your budget and style requirements! Keep reading for a brief introduction to the basics of bathroom accessories so you know what choices and options are ahead of you!
WHAT TYPES OF BATHROOM ACCESSORY ARE THERE?
Here is a summary of the main types of bathroom accessory you might like to consider for your own bathroom space.
Soap and toothbrush holders
Whether it’s a traditional soap dish or an upright liquid dispenser, this is a quick and easy way of making your bathroom look neater and more cohesive in style. The soap dish stops sticky bits of soap getting stuck on the basin and makes it easier to keep clean. A liquid dispenser means you can empty out a shop-bought bottle into your co-ordinating dispenser and recycle the old plastic container. Match this up with a co-ordinating toothbrush holder and you’ll have a much more cohesive feel to your bathroom. There are a huge variety of shapes, patterns, sizes and materials available.
Shower accessories
Depending on the design and fit of your existing shower, you can either opt for a glass panel or a more traditional shower curtain, usually made of polyester and hung with a rod that you hang separately. The curtain fittings can be hooks, tabs or rings. Try to ensure the shower curtain is lined and definitely, water-resistant! Shower curtains come in a variety of designs and colours.
For holding bathing and shower products, there are a wide range of storage baskets and shelves. These help organise your toiletries and make it easier to keep the area clean and tidy. Opt for ones that have suction cups which you can use to stick to the tiles so they’re a little more sturdy. Again, they come in a range of different shapes and dimensions.
Bath and showers mats that you can place inside of the bath or on the shower floor are useful to reduce the risk of slipping or falling. They are usually made of rubber or PVC and have suction cups on the bottom which stick to the floor of the bath or shower. You could opt for wooden mats if the plastic variety don’t appeal.
Towel rails and hooks
Hanging your towels on rails or hooks really helps to keep the bathroom look neat and tidy. Think strategically about what space you have to fit these rails and hooks and how many you need. How many towels do you need to hang, is it just bath towels or is it hand towels for your basin too?
Heated towel rails
You might want to consider some heated towel rails, either electric or plumbed in. These can be really useful as a place to hang towels but where they can also be warmed and dried. Heated towel rails also warm the room up too! There are a wide variety of traditional and modern styles available, flat or curved, vertical or horizontal and in a number of different finishes including chrome, anthracite and white.
Toilet accessories
There are a number of toilet accessories and many come in a huge range of styles, colours, materials, shapes and sizes.
Toilet roll holders are usually fixed to a wall, but you can find some free-standing ones. They can come with a lid or just as they are. Most commonly available in wood or metal, increasingly you can find them an integral part of co-ordinating bathroom accessory sets to bring cohesion to your bathroom.
Toilet seats can either be simple, plain and functional, or you can go for some unusual colours and patterns if you want to make a feature of it – the choice is yours! You can also opt for a soft-close toilet seat which gently closes by itself so it won’t crash down with a bang in the middle of the night!
Toilet brushes and holders can either be free-standing or attached to the wall. Even though they are highly functional, there are still a wide range of designs and sizes to suit everyone.
A mat is optional. Some people like them, some don’t! Do what feels right to you!
Bathroom rubbish bin
Don’t forget a waste bin to put your rubbish in. It doesn’t have to be massive, but often looks neater if it’s co-ordinated with your other accessories and has a lid.
Grab Rails
For a little more support and assistance, you might need to consider some grab rails or bars. These are reassuring for the elderly or disabled and come in an increasing variety of designs and dimensions to enhance your bathroom.
Bathroom lighting
Many people forget about lighting as we often take it for granted when we reach for the light switch and then don’t give it much more thought. When you’re planning the design of your bathroom, do take a moment to consider how much lighting (both artificial and natural) you currently have. Does it seem about right, too much or too little!
There are a number of different things to think about when it comes to bathroom lighting. You could have ceiling lights to provide general illumination for a darker room, or you could think about a lit mirror cabinet or under-shelf lights for a little ambient lighting. It’s a question of thinking about both functionality (what will help you use your bathroom space best) and what makes the room look and feel attractive, especially if you like to relax in the bath!
There are safety regulations to consider when planning your lighting so check out our other blog posts about this or seek advice from a professional.
Bathroom extractor fan
An extractor fan is essential to ensure that your bathroom space is well-ventilated so you don’t get a build-up of mould from the moist air. You could choose an extractor fan that works on a sensor or timer, so it stops depending on the humidity level or after a certain time period.
Storage and organisation
Think about what storage you might need for toiletries, bathing products, stocks of toilet paper or towels, even bath toys for the kids! There are different options here depending on your requirements and what space you have available. You could think about free-standing storage units, sets of drawers, internal organisers for your drawers, mirror cabinets (mirrors with a cupboard and shelves) for medicines or toiletries. Browse the internet which is full of ideas!
Towels
Don’t forget towels, flannels, sponges etc. These are a quick way of freshening up a tired bathroom suite. They come in a huge range of patterns and colours.
CHOOSING BATHROOM ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR OWN BATHROOM
There are so many options when it comes to bathroom accessories, not just in the different types available but also in the designs, colours and finishes they come in. Although this may make choosing difficult, it’s exciting to be able to look for accessories that you love to look at that are also functional and durable for what you need to use them for. It’s a combination of functionality and style, that’s right for you!
