Reference photograph: a freestanding bath and floor-mounted tap need clear floor around them and careful set-out of the plumbing.
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Journal — the bathroom
Bathroom Design Guide for Coastal Homes
The bathroom is the smallest room in the walk through the house, and it gets the most wear. It deals with steam every day, and on the Gold Coast it also deals with humid summers and salty air. This guide covers layout, the bath question, tiles, vanities, storage and ventilation, in the order the decisions need to be made.
01
Layout comes first
Where do the wet zone and the dry zone sit?
Every bathroom has a wet end with the shower and bath, and a dry end with the vanity and toilet. If you keep the wet end together, you need less waterproofing, fewer falls in the floor and a shower screen that does its job. Walking in should give a pleasant view, ideally of the vanity or a window, not the toilet.
In an ensuite, think about how two people share the room at the same time. A double basin only helps if the bench is long enough for two, and a toilet in its own nook gives more privacy than a bigger room would. Before you choose a single tile, check how the doors swing, how much space you have in front of the vanity and where the existing drains run. Moving plumbing is often what turns a simple refresh into a renovation.
02
Freestanding or built-in bath?
Neither one is better in every case. The right answer depends on the size of the room, who uses the bath and how much time you want to spend cleaning.
Freestanding
A freestanding bath is a sculptural piece that works best with space around it. Allow enough clearance to clean behind it and choose between wall-mounted and floor-mounted tapware early, because floor-mounted taps need their plumbing set out before the screed goes down. It suits a generous ensuite where the bath is a place to relax.
Built-in
A built-in bath uses a compact family bathroom far more efficiently. It can sit hard against the walls, carry a shower over it and give you a tiled ledge for products. Bathing young children is easier when you can kneel beside a hob, and there are no hard-to-reach gaps collecting dust and moisture.
03
Tiles that handle humidity
Porcelain is the most forgiving choice for a humid room because it absorbs very little water and needs no sealing. Natural stone gives a softer texture but needs sealing and ongoing care. Honed or textured finishes on the floor give better grip underfoot than polished ones.
Grout is often what lets a bathroom down. Larger-format tiles mean fewer grout lines, and a mid-tone grout hides everyday marks better than bright white. A classic pattern such as a checkerboard floor can carry a whole scheme on its own. Our Colour & Material Selection service tests tiles, grout and tapware finishes together so they suit the light in your room.
Reference photograph: a patterned floor with plain white walls lets a compact bathroom feel considered without clutter.
04
Vanities, storage and air
These are the details you notice every morning once the tiler has gone.
The vanity
A wall-hung vanity makes a small floor look larger and is easier to mop under. Choose moisture-resistant board and hard-wearing edges, and set the basin height to suit the people using it. Drawers are more practical than doors because nothing gets lost at the back.
Storage
A shaving cabinet with a mirror, a recessed shower niche and a tall cupboard for towels will keep the bench clear. Plan these as joinery from the start so power points and lighting line up with them.
Ventilation
In a humid climate, mould is a ventilation problem before it is a cleaning problem. An opening window helps. A properly sized exhaust fan ducted to the outside, and left running for a while after showers, does most of the work. Pair it with layered lighting so the mirror is lit evenly from the front.
Before you brief a bathroom
☐ Who uses the room, and at what times of day?
☐ Is a bath essential, or would a larger shower serve you better?
☐ Can the existing drains stay where they are?
☐ What storage lives on the bench today that should not?
☐ How does air leave the room after a shower?
☐ Which finishes will connect the bathroom to the rest of the house?
Once you have answers, Bathroom Design turns them into a layout and a selection of finishes. You can also book a consultation or send an enquiry about your project.