Those with children know this scene all too well: It's 7:30 in the morning, the time is pressing unbearably for school and work, and suddenly everyone in the family is scrambling to use the only bathroom in the house at the same time. Someone wants to brush their teeth, another wants to take a quick shower, and the nerves hit "red".
Unlike the Master Bathroom which focuses on relaxation or the Guest WC which focuses on impressing, the family bathroom is the "engine" of the home. It has to withstand hard daily use, be easy to clean, be completely safe for small children and, above all, allow simultaneous use without collisions.
As engineers, we approach family bathroom design in a purely practical way. Let's look at the 4 pillars to build a bathroom that will "grow" with your family.
When square footage is limited, smart zoning is the only solution to avoid the morning crowd.
If your wall is at least 1.20m wide, a double sink is the number one investment you should make. Allows two children (or a parent and a child) to brush their teeth at the same time. If the space is smaller, prefer a long narrow single sink (trough sink) with two batteries.
If you are doing a complete renovation and the floor plan allows it, build a small partition (e.g. made of glass blocks, plasterboard or frosted glass) between the sink and the basin. This small intervention offers rudimentary privacy, allowing one to wash while another uses the toilet.
The bathroom hides dangers: water on the floor, hot water and sharp corners. Technology and modern materials can eliminate these risks.
The ultimate lifesaver for parents. These shower/tub mixers have an internal mechanism that "locks" the water temperature (typically at 38°C) and reacts instantly to pressure changes. If someone turns on cold water in the kitchen, the child in the bathroom will not be scalded, as the valve will immediately cut off the hot water supply (anti-scald function).
Glossy, smooth tiles are a nightmare when they get wet. For the family bathroom floor, require tiles with an index of at least R10, while if you have a walk-in shower, the shower floor should ideally be an index of R11 (slightly rough texture) for maximum grip.
Slow-falling basin lid and furniture drawers with brake. You save yourself from loud noises and, above all, you protect little fingers from being pinched.
Avoid square, strict sinks and furniture with sharp edges. Prefer oval or rounded designs to avoid serious injuries in the event of a slip.
Children splash, shampoo spills and walls get soaked. The bathroom must endure.
Bathtub or Shower? If you have infants or toddlers, the bathtub is extremely practical. However, when children grow up (adolescents), the bathtub simply becomes an obstacle. The golden ratio: If you have the space, keep the bathtub but close it with an opening glass (instead of a curtain) so that it also works perfectly as a shower. Alternatively, a huge shower with a portable, plastic baby bath solves the problem for the first 2-3 years.
The cheap melamine/chipboard on the vanity unit will swell in the first year from the many waters. Invest in furniture made of Plywood or even MDF painted with polyurethane lacquer for strong waterproofing.
Scrubbing mold between joints is a nightmare. Choose large size tiles (eg 60x120cm) for the shower wall. Fewer joints means less mess and much faster cleaning.
A family bathroom quickly fills up with plastic ducks, dozens of shampoo bottles and wet towels.
Don't hang rusting metal baskets that children will bump their elbows into. Have the craftsman create lighted built-in recesses into the shower wall for the whole family's bubble baths.
Make use of the drawers of the vanity unit or a tall stele (bathroom column) by organizing them with internal baskets. If each child has their own basket with their personal items, the bathroom will stay organized without effort.
Children get bored of folding their towel to put it on a towel bar. Place large, sturdy hooks at a lower height so they can hang their towels in one go.
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