Source: Houzz

Your precious bathroom may be out of other people’s sight. But it doesn’t mean that you get a free pass of carelessly buying any plumbing fixtures. Choosing the right plumbing fixtures needs as much effort as designing a bedroom or a living space.

The end goal is not only aesthetics but comfort and functionality. Plumbing fixtures are critical elements of a bathroom. And while choosing them, many factors come into play.

So, let’s talk plumbing fixtures!

What might be the influence?

Plumbing fixtures should develop the perfect balance between mobility and practicality. The most uncomfortable bathrooms are those that are hard to navigate. So, for compact spaces, a residential architect might suggest simple plumbing fixtures that offers maximum space utility.

Subsequently, space-saving water closets, bidets, and washbasins that are fit for purpose owing to their compactness and wall installation abilities minimize visible pipes and water connections.

But in the case of medium and large-sized bathrooms, the case differs. You get varied options that are more suitable. Additionally, residential architects might even advise using some complex designs.

Decision-making Tips

To achieve the goal of choosing the right plumbing fixtures for your home, here are some tips that might come in handy:

Resistance

When choosing plumbing fixtures for your bathroom, design, and durability must be considered. The basins and toilet bowls should be of an efficient design and be sturdy enough to not chip away easily. Furthermore, they should not have any harsh edges and you must ensure that they are well-fitted.

Quality

Even if you purchase high-quality plumbing fixtures for your bathrooms, it will not be a success if you can’t handle them. Whenever you want to select plumbing fixtures for your home, ensure that someone who’s familiar with the quality of these can assist you in deciding to avoid sub-par options.

Comfort

Since you are already spending money, why not spend it on plumbing fixtures that’ll make the bathroom experience more comfortable? If it is affordable, you could invest in a temperature-controlled shower and bathtub. You’ll be grateful for your decision when you get to have a nice long bath in some bubbles after a hectic day of work.

Color

When it comes to plumbing fixtures, you can get creative. All you must ensure is that the colors complement each other and are not heavy on the eyes. Residential architects might come in handy in choosing a color palette that’s both functional and aesthetic. In case you’re not too sure of a color scheme, you could always stick with white. The color is timeless and reliable and once it reflects the light, it will make your bathroom appear bigger and more radiant.

In addition to the white, you could use a darker shade such as gray or black on the toilet seat cover or accessories for a pop of color. It could even boost up the aesthetic value of your bathroom.

Size and space available

If your bathroom is compact, it would be advisable to opt for plumbing fixtures that are on the smaller side. Installing large plumbing fixtures will make your bathroom appear smaller and leave you with a bruised knee or two.

Convenient Cleaning

Before buying, analyze how convenient it would be to clean the plumbing fixtures. Cleaning takes a good chunk of time, and you don’t want fittings that collect dirt and dust easily. You don’t want to end up amplifying your swearing vocab when you’re scrubbing the life out of your bathroom!

Installation Process

No homeowner would want to go through a tedious plumbing fixtures installation process. Make sure you only buy those items that are convenient to install. Even a minor issue might render the plumbing fixtures useless if it is not installed properly.

Perfect Balance

Plumbing fixtures should provide the perfect balance of utility, convenience, and aesthetics. For maximum comfort, you should pair the right plumbing fixtures with the size of your bathroom. Convenient movement is necessary, and your bathroom should make you feel free not restricted.

Significance of Aesthetics

Choosing the best plumbing fixtures for one’s bathroom, your attention could be on style and color. But if there’s a pre-existing design, it might get hard to match the sinks and bidets. For a modern design, residential architects might recommend plumbing fixtures that are in linear shapes with simple outlines.

Wall-mounted plumbing fixtures and counter-top washbasins are the holy grail of contemporary style and modern bathrooms designs. Several residential architects term them to be the ideal bathroom plumbing fittings.

Essential Interior Design Aspects

The choice of bathroom furniture exhibits a thin line between under-spending and over-spending. The balance between personal taste, availability of space, and comfort is essential in creating a comfortable bathroom.

Cabinets and other accessories could be chosen in versatile models, colors, and sizes. These are useful for storing extra towels and toiletries, and helpful in keeping your bathroom neat and tidy.

Wall units and under-sink drawer units could be a furnishing solution if you prefer a bathroom that exhibits an airy atmosphere. For a more elegant appearance, you could have visible metal shelves under the sink. If you’re more into traditional styles and designs, then a chest of drawers or cabinets with hinged doors could be your approach.

Things you should NEVER do when choosing plumbing fixtures

Like every other story, this one has two sides as well. Here are some things you should never do when choosing plumbing fixtures for your bathroom:

Assume the drainage will work out with the new fittings – IT WON’T!

When choosing new plumbing fixtures, the focus is generally aesthetics. However, there’s a less than glamorous side to this as well.

One of these critical factors is drainage. It must work seamlessly with the fittings. Once your pipeline network is set, you can decide where the shower, basin, and bath will go. The exciting work begins once the layout is finalized.

Purchase a shower without studying the water pressure – NO SIR!

When choosing a shower, it’s not just about the shape and what looks best. The water pressure has a lot riding on it.

Generally, the water pressure in residences could be low pressure (gravity), high pressure (combi-boiler system), or high pressure (pumped system).

Choose the wrong size of the bath – A BIG NO!

We all dream of a luxurious Roman bath in a wide gallery with chandeliers hanging on top for some effect. But let’s get real. That’s not happening!

You don’t want to go overboard with unnecessary accessories only for you to realize that there’s not enough space to move around. Think before splurging on expensive plumbing fixtures. Do you have enough space to use it?

Taking charge

Here is something great from the industry for the environment. And aren’t we proud?!

The bathroom industry has taken charge in the crusade to conserve water. Presently, several plumbing fixtures in the market help reduce the consumption of water. These include low and high volume flushing on toilets and aerated showerheads to reduce the volume of water among others.

Additionally, you could also go for a dual-flush water-saving toilet. This variation uses two handles to flush different levels of water. It operates on 2.5 to 4 liters of water per flush. A normal single-flush toilet might use up to 6 liters of water per flush.

It is slightly more expensive to purchase and install than a single-flush toilet, but this is before you factor in the costs of saving water.

And there you go

Now you can see that choosing the right plumbing fixtures for your home shouldn’t be so annoying. If you follow the process of professional advice, market research, and some good old spreadsheet sessions to keep your expenses in check.

These plumbing fixtures are going to be in your bathroom for the coming years. So, why not invest wisely?

Keep your requirements listed and you will be good to go.