Design a family-friendly bathroom
When a space that was once designed for two, becomes a bathroom for three or four, or even five, a few updates are in order to make it useable for the whole family. Make way for extra bathroom storage and safer thermostatic shower mixers! Gone are the days however when you had to forfeit style for function, thanks to innovations on bathroom design you can now achieve a space that’s not only safe for children, but easy on the eye for the grown ups.
Choose anti-slip materials
For most adults, a warm bath is an opportunity to indulge in a moment of relaxation and recharge. But for young children, a tub of water is the ultimate fun time! A slip resistant bath surface is essential in helping to keep the whole family safe, by preventing any slips and falls.
These properties have in the past been achieved via adhesive tapes or plastic mats, which, though effective, are not aesthetically pleasing. These days, there are a number of materials such as Stonex® or Surfex® which are inherently anti-slip, giving your bathtub all the benefits of a slip-resistant base with none of the downsides.
(Pictured: Free-standing Surfex® bath in matt white from Roca’s Beyond collection)
Invest in extra bathroom storage
All those bathtub toys and superhero towels are great for the kids, but the last thing you want is to be tripping over them. And the solution is as simple as sufficient bathroom storage.
Bathroom storage such as vanity units are a great way to take advantage of space, as they add easily accessible drawers below the basin without occupying extra bathroom space. Mirror cabinets bring out a third dimension in the mirror, creating space for keeping small items such as toothbrushes, makeup and shaving kit neatly arranged. And perhaps the most straightforward solution is to add a bathroom storage column, which can be installed anywhere and can handle pretty much anything. With the chaos of a family bathroom, keeping things tidy and clutter-free is a must.
(Pictured: Roca’s Ona vanity unit in Matt Grey with two drawers and basin)
Go for thermostatic shower mixers
Children are naturally inquisitive – a good thing in most scenarios, but potentially problematic where safety is concerned. One of the most common accidents in bathrooms is scalding from hot water and thermostatic shower mixers avert this problem by maintaining a constant water temperature set by the user. Many are also designed and feature safety systems which prevent the bar from exceeding a certain heat level, helping to prevent burns. And because you don’t waste time searching for just the right temperature manually, thermostatic shower mixers help save water as well.
While there’s ultimately no substitute for basic bathroom safety practices, installing thermostatic shower mixers and using materials with anti-slip properties can dramatically increase a bathroom’s safety for all of its users – children and adults alike.
(Pictured: Thermostatic shower column from Roca’s Victoria-T collection)
