Bathroom Ergonomics: 9 Tips for Designing an Efficient Space
From where to put your towel ladders to where not to place your taps, we reveal smart designs for a stylish bathroom
Julia Fairley
20 July 2017
Chief Sub-Editor and Writer, Houzz Australia and New Zealand. I love design and architecture that is thoughtful, sophisticated and champions an element of the unexpected. Before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts at UNSW and becoming a journalist, I studied interior architecture. For over a decade I have interviewed inspiring creative minds from around the world to write about design in its many different forms. Recently, I have also become an accidental gardener, to everyone's surprise.
Chief Sub-Editor and Writer, Houzz Australia and New Zealand. I love design and architecture... More
Ergonomics are key to clever, contemporary design and the bathroom is no exception. If you are renovating or dreaming of redesigning your bathroom, here are 10 smart tips – as well as mistakes you should avoid – that will ensure your bathroom boasts form as well as function.
1. Raise the height of vanities
When designing a bathroom we spend plenty of time pondering over the length and depth of different sinks and vanities, while the all-important height factor is often forgotten. Most people are taller these days than when 850 millimetres became the standard height for bathroom vanities – in fact, it is not uncommon for some designs to reach 1000 millimetres in height.
If you or your family are lucky enough to be long of limb, consider raising your vanity if it holds a recessed sink. If, however, you are keen to tap into the trend of mounting a bowl basin on top of your vanity, be wary of increasing the height, or your sink could end up at an uncomfortably lofty level.
Tip: If you have young children at home, the higher your fixtures and fittings are, the harder they will be to reach.
Browse through images of gorgeous bathroom vanities
When designing a bathroom we spend plenty of time pondering over the length and depth of different sinks and vanities, while the all-important height factor is often forgotten. Most people are taller these days than when 850 millimetres became the standard height for bathroom vanities – in fact, it is not uncommon for some designs to reach 1000 millimetres in height.
If you or your family are lucky enough to be long of limb, consider raising your vanity if it holds a recessed sink. If, however, you are keen to tap into the trend of mounting a bowl basin on top of your vanity, be wary of increasing the height, or your sink could end up at an uncomfortably lofty level.
Tip: If you have young children at home, the higher your fixtures and fittings are, the harder they will be to reach.
Browse through images of gorgeous bathroom vanities
2. Rethink the position of your bath and shower taps
Have you ever turned on the shower taps and had to duck to one side to avoid getting splashed by a stream of water? This common design flaw usually results from the shower taps being positioned too close to the shower head – sometimes even directly beneath it. To evade standing in the line of fire, so to speak, try placing your taps on a facing wall, which this double walk-in shower does to great effect in a Sydney bathroom.
If you need to combine a shower and bath to save space, avoid placing your shower taps behind a fixed glass screen. This ergonomic faux pas forces you to reach awkwardly behind the screen to grasp the taps while leaning precariously over the tub. In the long term your back will thank you for it.
Have you ever turned on the shower taps and had to duck to one side to avoid getting splashed by a stream of water? This common design flaw usually results from the shower taps being positioned too close to the shower head – sometimes even directly beneath it. To evade standing in the line of fire, so to speak, try placing your taps on a facing wall, which this double walk-in shower does to great effect in a Sydney bathroom.
If you need to combine a shower and bath to save space, avoid placing your shower taps behind a fixed glass screen. This ergonomic faux pas forces you to reach awkwardly behind the screen to grasp the taps while leaning precariously over the tub. In the long term your back will thank you for it.
3. Allow room between your sink rim and tap
If you have ever bent forward to splash water on your face and knocked your forehead on the tap, you’ll understand why the dimensions between sink and spout matter. Avoid pairing a long tap with a short sink and aim to have at least one head-length between the rim of your sink and the spout of your tap. This will also reduce any splash back when you turn on the bathroom tap, and ensure you don’t wear the water.
If you have ever bent forward to splash water on your face and knocked your forehead on the tap, you’ll understand why the dimensions between sink and spout matter. Avoid pairing a long tap with a short sink and aim to have at least one head-length between the rim of your sink and the spout of your tap. This will also reduce any splash back when you turn on the bathroom tap, and ensure you don’t wear the water.
4. Recess wall-mounted vanities above your sink
Likewise, many wall-mounted cupboards above bathroom sinks have been the culprits of similar bumps to the head, particularly if they are opened while someone is leaning over the sink. The mirrored vanities in this Toorak home are cleverly recessed, setting them flush with the wall, which ensures plenty of clearance even when the cupboard doors are open.
Tip: If you are short on space, consider using sliding doors on your vanity if it’s above the bathroom sink.
Find out how you can squeeze in more storage in the bathroom
Likewise, many wall-mounted cupboards above bathroom sinks have been the culprits of similar bumps to the head, particularly if they are opened while someone is leaning over the sink. The mirrored vanities in this Toorak home are cleverly recessed, setting them flush with the wall, which ensures plenty of clearance even when the cupboard doors are open.
Tip: If you are short on space, consider using sliding doors on your vanity if it’s above the bathroom sink.
Find out how you can squeeze in more storage in the bathroom
5. Swap deep cupboards for drawers
Remember when deep storage drawers began to replace cupboards in the kitchen, causing home cooks throughout the world to rejoice? This clever trend has taken longer to catch on in the bathroom, but it’s just as relevant.
Ergonomically, it is easier to simply open a drawer and see the contents at a glance instead of groping in the back of a dark cupboard. Drawers are available in many different designs and depths to house all your toiletries.
Tip: Be sure your cabinet maker uses a material that can withstand high humidity levels.
Remember when deep storage drawers began to replace cupboards in the kitchen, causing home cooks throughout the world to rejoice? This clever trend has taken longer to catch on in the bathroom, but it’s just as relevant.
Ergonomically, it is easier to simply open a drawer and see the contents at a glance instead of groping in the back of a dark cupboard. Drawers are available in many different designs and depths to house all your toiletries.
Tip: Be sure your cabinet maker uses a material that can withstand high humidity levels.
6. Design with cleaning in mind
Ergonomics come into play when we clean our homes as well as when we use them on a daily basis. In this striking black and white bathroom, every centimetre of floor is easy to mop when wet and vacuum when dry, by virtue of the wall-hung vanity and the freestanding claw-foot bath. Sinks and toilets are available in wall-hung designs too.
By regularly swiping your floor with a mop doused in no-nonsense cleaning products, you will save yourself hours spent on your hands and knees scrubbing mouldy grout with an aching back.
Ergonomics come into play when we clean our homes as well as when we use them on a daily basis. In this striking black and white bathroom, every centimetre of floor is easy to mop when wet and vacuum when dry, by virtue of the wall-hung vanity and the freestanding claw-foot bath. Sinks and toilets are available in wall-hung designs too.
By regularly swiping your floor with a mop doused in no-nonsense cleaning products, you will save yourself hours spent on your hands and knees scrubbing mouldy grout with an aching back.
7. Position towel rails cleverly
For your safety and comfort, it pays to think of how you can contain wet zones to avoid slippery surfaces. One of the simplest ways to keep your wet and dry zones separate is to position your towel rails within easy reach of your shower or bath, and not on the other side of the room.
In this glittering mosaic bathroom in Melbourne, one towel ladder is within easy reach above the tub, while a second is positioned at the entrance to the shower – far enough away from the showerhead to keep towels dry, but close enough to be at hand.
Tip: If placing your towel rails near your bath or shower clashes with the aesthetics of your bathroom, consider using a subtle wall hook no more than an arm’s length from your wet zone where you can hang a towel before you turn on the taps.
For your safety and comfort, it pays to think of how you can contain wet zones to avoid slippery surfaces. One of the simplest ways to keep your wet and dry zones separate is to position your towel rails within easy reach of your shower or bath, and not on the other side of the room.
In this glittering mosaic bathroom in Melbourne, one towel ladder is within easy reach above the tub, while a second is positioned at the entrance to the shower – far enough away from the showerhead to keep towels dry, but close enough to be at hand.
Tip: If placing your towel rails near your bath or shower clashes with the aesthetics of your bathroom, consider using a subtle wall hook no more than an arm’s length from your wet zone where you can hang a towel before you turn on the taps.
8. Place the toilet paper within reach
We have all had the experience of trying to reach a thoughtlessly placed roll of toilet paper positioned on the wall behind us. To save yourself a stretch, aim to position the roll holder beside the toilet within easy reach.
We have all had the experience of trying to reach a thoughtlessly placed roll of toilet paper positioned on the wall behind us. To save yourself a stretch, aim to position the roll holder beside the toilet within easy reach.
9. Include some seating
We don’t generally think of the bathroom as a place to sit (aside from on the obvious fixture), but if you add a comfortable perch you’ll be surprised at how often you use it. And bathroom seating can be used for more than just sitting on: Seats can be the perfect place to rest rolled up towels for guests, display a pot plant or light some candles for a relaxing soak in the tub.
Seating comes in many forms, from a basic chair or stool to more elaborate built-in constructions. This Sydney-based bathroom cleverly uses a long, marble-topped ledge to combine seating with storage – an essential feature that every bathroom needs.
Tip: When you’re factoring in bathroom storage, dedicate space for soap and shampoo in the wet zone, as this Sydney bathroom does with the recessed shelf beside the bath.
Read more:
10 of the Most Lavish and Luxurious Bathrooms on Houzz
Tell us:
Which features in your bathroom are an ergonomic dream and which are a living nightmare? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
We don’t generally think of the bathroom as a place to sit (aside from on the obvious fixture), but if you add a comfortable perch you’ll be surprised at how often you use it. And bathroom seating can be used for more than just sitting on: Seats can be the perfect place to rest rolled up towels for guests, display a pot plant or light some candles for a relaxing soak in the tub.
Seating comes in many forms, from a basic chair or stool to more elaborate built-in constructions. This Sydney-based bathroom cleverly uses a long, marble-topped ledge to combine seating with storage – an essential feature that every bathroom needs.
Tip: When you’re factoring in bathroom storage, dedicate space for soap and shampoo in the wet zone, as this Sydney bathroom does with the recessed shelf beside the bath.
Read more:
10 of the Most Lavish and Luxurious Bathrooms on Houzz
Tell us:
Which features in your bathroom are an ergonomic dream and which are a living nightmare? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
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Yep absolutely, I like minimalism and open space. This is my ensuite, so bulky things such as my hairdryer are actually behind a floor sitting mirror in my bedroom. The wall hung shelving for my toothbrush is on the side of the wall so the side of the cabinet covers everything, and encloses the power point already there... I would have liked no shelving but my toothbrush is plugged in to the wall and it all needs to be hidden somehow.
I make sure I don't hoard makeup I don't use, and everything is little (i.e I don't use one of those giant eyeshadow palletes and 20 brushes lol), so I'll have this all lined up on the shelf behind the mirror. My makeup bag is for travel and contains also mini hair products, toothpaste etc, everything in one, so this will be under my bed. I just grab a lippy and anything else and pop in my handbag when I go out.
The only other bulky thing is a set of scales I can just have in my wardrobe... The only furniture I have in my bedroom is a chair as a side table, and my bed! I like to have space for large pot plants and cool rustic vases.
Bek
Hi Bek,
When you mentioned pot plants, you've had me sit up and take notice as I love plant too, I have them all over my home lol
It really does sound like you are organized like me, I have my hair dryer in my other bathroom that I call my en suite but it is in fact just another bathroom in the home but is like a tiny guest bathroom. I also have a travel bag for clothes together with a separate but quite large toiletries bag that corals all my stuff needed for being away from home and it sits in the spare bedroom for now.
My makeup bag is pretty small as I'm a bit past the full face do at 62, just good moisturer, some BB cream, mascara and lippy and my usual bottle of perfume stays in the car albeit I know I shouldn't do that but it's just handy as I hate forgetting to put some on and hubby doens't like it in the home, grump ha-ha
As for scales, I don't have any in the home and all my clothes still fit from 20+ years ago, being on a farm, I don't have much in the way of fancy clothes and thank goodness for stretch fabrics for comfort ha-ha..... so I don't weigh myself and haven't for perhaps 6 months until when I wanted to see how much our shed cat weighs to worm him as we have industrial scales down there, 6kgs by the way little umpalumpa weighed ha-ha and I can't even remember what my weight was but I remember enough to know it hadn't changed lol
My granddaughter has a backpack for her makeup, seriously I can't believe it ha-ha
While we‘re talking about ergonomics, I think it is important to have basins with tap holes and a rim. Those wall mounted taps or counter top mounted taps are a cleaning nightmare as every time you turn off a tap with wet hands, you’ll find water spilling on to the vanity. The over counter basins look great but for this issue, they‘re annoying to use. Function over looks I say.