Bathroom Design Basics
By Debra Sykes

The professionals who helped come up with the basic guidelines for kitchen design did the same thing for bathrooms. Here are the standards they came up with for safe, efficient bathrooms.

You should know that these are the guidelines that many professional kitchen and bath designers refer to when they create plans for their customers. As with the kitchen rules, there is some leeway here. But any time you find yourself bending one of these rules, check your plan carefully to make sure you aren't making your entire bathroom unworkable.

General Design:

The bathroom is usually one of the smallest rooms in the house. But you can make the space look bigger with smart use of color and lines.

• For example, a bright-colored tub or toilet (like black or fire-engine red) next to white walls will have more visual weight and could overpower a small room. Exposed shelving, conversely, has less weight and makes the space seem bigger.

• Keep vertical lines to a minimum; they add height to a room. Horizontal lines (vanity tops, cabinets and moldings) visually expand the space.

• Light walls and floor make a room seem larger. Also, patterns made up of small elements give the impression of being farther away.

• Mirrors add length, depth and width. Consider an entire mirrored wall to double the size of the bathroom. Skylights, windows and glass block walls also add space.

Clearance:

• You need at least 21" of clearance in front of a lavatory. (If you're already hip, or you've checked our Primer, you know a lavatory is a bathroom sink.) There should be a minimum of 15" from a lavatory centerline to any side walland a minimum of 30" between two lavatory bowls.

• There should be at least 15" of clearance, Clarence, from the center of a toilet or bidet to any obstruction on either side. Also, plan at least 21" of walkway in front of a toilet or bidet.

• Tubs and showers need at least 21" of clearance in front of them.

Doors:

• Make sure no door interferes with a fixture.

• This is not a bathroom design principle, but it is popularly held that Jim Morrison died in a bathtub.

Electricity:

• Specify ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) at all outlets. No switches should be within 60" of any water source. Use moisture-proof light fixtures above the tub or shower.

Flooring:

• Be it ceramic tile, resilient vinyl or anything else, the bathroom floor must be made of slip-resistant material.

Storage:

• Provide enough counter and shelf space around the lavatory for toiletries, shampoo, etc., as well as towel hanging space.

• For those of you entering the world of bidets, soap and towels should be within easy reach of a person seated on the bidet.

Toilet paper holder:

• The ideal place for a paper holder is slightly in front of the toilet bowl edge, 26" up from the finished floor.

Tubs and Showers:

• If you're planning to install a tub in a platform, there should be no more than one step leading to the tub. That step needs to be at least 10" deep and no more than 7 1/4" high.

• You should be able to reach the tub faucets from outside the tub without any undue gymnastics.

• Install at least one grab bar to make getting into the tub or shower safe and easy.

• The usable interior of a shower should measure at least 32"x32", and anything bigger than that would be great for everyone.

• Install a bench or footrest within the shower enclosure. This becomes especially useful for washing and shaving legs.

• The shower door should swing out of the shower into the bathroom. That way, if a mishap occurs in the shower, people outside can get in to help the bather.

• Protect you and yours from sudden shifts in water temperature with a pressure-balance shower valve, temperature regulator or temperature-limiting device.

Ventilation:

• Steam is a major concern in the bathroom. If you just let it collect, it will encourage the growth of those evil twins, mold and mildew. And if you have wallpaper glued to the wall, forget it--unvented steam will strip it off in a hurry. And well, yeah, odors are an issue, too. So you need a mechanical ventilation system. Minimum requirement is one fan, but you might consider having two: one over the toilet and one over the shower/bath.

Walkways:

• As they are in the kitchen, all bathroom entrances should be at least 32" wide.



Credit where credit is due:The above information is derived largely from the National Kitchen & Bath Association's Bathroom Industry Technical Manuals, which were compiled by the NKBA and The University of Illinois Small Homes Council, with substantial contributions from Dr. Alexander Kira of Cornell University.