Whether you’re looking to do a bathroom remodel on your family’s only bathroom or your older children will be sharing a bathroom with the younger ones, a family friendly bathroom can seem like a challenge. How do you make everyone happy? You want to make bath time fun for the young kids, but you don’t want to be stepping on rubber duckies every time you get in the shower or bath. The key to a family friendly bathroom remodel is making everyone comfortable using the space, regardless of their size.

Don’t Choose Miniature Bathroom Materials

Just because you have small children doesn’t mean they will stay small. Young kids have a nasty habit of growing up, and when they do, you don’t want to have to replace your vanity, shower head and shelving because you chose mini-materials trying to make it easier on them for a few short years. Remember, nothing lasts forever. Instead of choosing a vanity that fits them, find usable stools or steps that will help them reach the adult sized sink. Pick a shower head that can extend and retract so that it works for people of all sizes. If you ever choose to resell your home, you may be forced to remodel if you choose materials that won’t work for the average joe. All things to think about before remodeling the family bathroom.

Opt for Shower-Bath Tub Combos

Many adults choose to shower over bathing. But, most kids take baths. If you don’t have the space (or budget) for both, opt for a combo. If you want something more elegant than your traditional bath tub, go for a clawfoot or freestanding tub with an over head shower head. It will work for children and adults alike, while adding class and beauty to your space. They are actually much more comfortable to soak in that standard bath tubs as well!  I would suggest adding a grab bar around the tub for children, though. It can easily be removed as they get older.

 

A Nice, Neutral Bathroom Remodel

Many parents make the unfortunate decision of designing their family bathroom around the kids. Bright colored tile and murals on the walls may make them happy for now, but how will it make you feel? Will you feel like you’re in the spa when you’re relaxing in the few moments you take for yourself? Instead, choose to go neutral. That doesn’t mean it has to be boring. That’s what paint (to a point) and accessories are for! Choose to decorate with things that are easy and inexpensive to switch out when you or the kids are tired of them, like trash cans, soap dishes, shower curtains and towels. When they’re out of the rubber ducky phase, you can switch them out for a more mature theme that costs less than $100. The image to the left has definitely done something unique with their paint, but they can repaint whenever they start to feel dizzy. They kept their tile and main pieces neutral to go with any scheme.
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Storage Solutions For Your Sanity

We know that kids like toys, and your bathroom product collection has grown now that you have little ones. But that doesn’t mean that you want to constantly look at them. One of the best suggestions for a family friendly bathroom remodel is to build in storage solutions. Instead of floating vanities, opt for those with cabinets. Find a way to add a bathroom pantry cabinet. If you can only use open shelving, find decorative storage boxes to store them in to at least organize and clear up the clutter. The more clear the bathroom, the larger it will feel, and the safer it will be for everyone using it.

Safety First

When doing a bathroom remodel for your family, young or old, safety should be a priority. Don’t put outlets right next to the bath tub. Make sure you’re using the correct, water safe outlets next to your sink. Build in a place to store hair dryers, straighteners, and other electric items that are a safe distance from the faucet. Also, keeping them out of reach of young children is a good idea as well. Choose slip mats for your bath tubs, and rugs for your floor, which is bound to get slippery. When the kids are young, opt for plastic soap dishes and tooth brush holders. In the event that there is an accident, you won’t have broken glass. Those can always be upgraded when the kids are at a safer age.

Secondary Mirror Salvation

This last one may only apply for families with girls, but if it is your only family bathroom, mom would appreciate this as well. If you have the space, I would advise adding an additional mirror either a ledge or vanity area for the women in your life to do their hair or make up without holding up the rest of the family. We know that some women have the tendency to hog the mirror. Let them do their thing while the boys brush, shave, or gel their hair quickly.

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!