Your bathroom design should not only be beautiful but also practical and functional for everyday use!
However, in the pursuit of trendy solutions and unique ideas, people sometimes make serious mistakes. In this article, we’ve compiled 10 examples of bad bathroom design choices…
One of the most frustrating things is when the bathtub drain is placed incorrectly. When bathing, your head should be positioned away from the faucet or any distracting elements! The goal is to create an open, comfortable space without unnecessary distractions.
At first glance, an open, minimalist shower may seem appealing. However, if it’s not properly separated from the rest of the bathroom, it can lead to major issues. For instance, stepping out of the shower through a narrow exit without a glass door can cause water to splash everywhere, soaking the bathroom floor.
This is not only annoying but also dangerous, as wet tile can make it easy to slip. Plus, you may end up bumping your elbows or knees against walls or furniture while exiting.
Poor ventilation is one of the most common bathroom issues. To save money, people often install cheap ventilation systems that fail to provide sufficient airflow.
According to building regulations, a ventilation system must remove at least 25 cubic meters of air per hour. If this requirement is not met, moisture can accumulate, leading to mold growth and unpleasant odors.
Natural wood adds warmth and style to any room, but in a bathroom, it is highly vulnerable to moisture. Even when properly treated, wood can warp, swell, or develop mold over time.
Sometimes, mold grows in hidden places where you don’t even see it! Remember when actress and singer Brittany Murphy (and her husband) died due to mold exposure in their home? Do you want to live a long life? Then keep wood out of your bathroom.
Minimalism and Scandinavian design often favor smaller furniture and fixtures, including half-height shower partitions. However, if these partitions are too small, they fail to serve their main purpose—keeping water from spreading across the bathroom floor.
This results in frequent puddles and increases the risk of slipping. Moreover, these tiny partitions can sometimes look ridiculous and out of place, especially if they’re cheaply made.
Cutting costs on materials can lead to expensive renovations down the road. Cheap metal fixtures in the bathroom—such as towel racks, shelves, faucets, and hooks—will eventually rust. Rust stains quickly spread to tiles and furniture, ruining the overall aesthetic and cohesion of your bathroom. Investing in high-quality materials can prevent these problems.
While textured tiles enhance a bathroom’s visual appeal, cleaning them can be a nightmare. Dust, limescale, and soap residue tend to accumulate in the grooves, making them much harder to clean than smooth surfaces. Instead of enjoying your stylish tiles, you’ll find yourself constantly scrubbing them.
Some designers attempt to fit both a bathtub and a shower into the same small space. In reality, this just wastes room and creates an awkward layout.
Matte black faucets and fixtures are currently a hot trend, but they come with a major downside—they show every water droplet, fingerprint, and stain.
If you want them to always look sleek and new, you’ll need to clean them frequently. Instead of your bathroom feeling like an elegant oasis, you’ll just have another surface that requires constant maintenance.
When renovating a bathroom on a tight budget, many people opt for plastic wall panels instead of ceramic tiles. At first, this might seem like a good idea since they’re cheaper and easier to install. However, in the long run, they’re not worth it.
Plastic panels don’t hold up well in a bathroom’s humid, warm environment. They quickly discolor, warp, and collect dirt in the seams. The final result won’t look good—it will actually look cheap and ruin the entire bathroom aesthetic.
However, in the pursuit of trendy solutions and unique ideas, people sometimes make serious mistakes. In this article, we’ve compiled 10 examples of bad bathroom design choices…
1. Drain Overflow or Bathtub Drain Located on the Wrong Side
One of the most frustrating things is when the bathtub drain is placed incorrectly. When bathing, your head should be positioned away from the faucet or any distracting elements! The goal is to create an open, comfortable space without unnecessary distractions.
2. Narrow Shower Exit Without Glass Panel
At first glance, an open, minimalist shower may seem appealing. However, if it’s not properly separated from the rest of the bathroom, it can lead to major issues. For instance, stepping out of the shower through a narrow exit without a glass door can cause water to splash everywhere, soaking the bathroom floor.
This is not only annoying but also dangerous, as wet tile can make it easy to slip. Plus, you may end up bumping your elbows or knees against walls or furniture while exiting.
3. Cheap Ventilation System
Poor ventilation is one of the most common bathroom issues. To save money, people often install cheap ventilation systems that fail to provide sufficient airflow.
According to building regulations, a ventilation system must remove at least 25 cubic meters of air per hour. If this requirement is not met, moisture can accumulate, leading to mold growth and unpleasant odors.
4. Natural Wood in the Bathroom
Natural wood adds warmth and style to any room, but in a bathroom, it is highly vulnerable to moisture. Even when properly treated, wood can warp, swell, or develop mold over time.
Sometimes, mold grows in hidden places where you don’t even see it! Remember when actress and singer Brittany Murphy (and her husband) died due to mold exposure in their home? Do you want to live a long life? Then keep wood out of your bathroom.
5. Mini Scandinavian-Style Shower Partitions
Minimalism and Scandinavian design often favor smaller furniture and fixtures, including half-height shower partitions. However, if these partitions are too small, they fail to serve their main purpose—keeping water from spreading across the bathroom floor.
This results in frequent puddles and increases the risk of slipping. Moreover, these tiny partitions can sometimes look ridiculous and out of place, especially if they’re cheaply made.
6. Cheap Metal Fixtures That Rust on Tiles and Furniture
Cutting costs on materials can lead to expensive renovations down the road. Cheap metal fixtures in the bathroom—such as towel racks, shelves, faucets, and hooks—will eventually rust. Rust stains quickly spread to tiles and furniture, ruining the overall aesthetic and cohesion of your bathroom. Investing in high-quality materials can prevent these problems.
7. Textured Tiles That Easily Collect Dust
While textured tiles enhance a bathroom’s visual appeal, cleaning them can be a nightmare. Dust, limescale, and soap residue tend to accumulate in the grooves, making them much harder to clean than smooth surfaces. Instead of enjoying your stylish tiles, you’ll find yourself constantly scrubbing them.
8. Bathtub and Shower in One Small Bathroom
Some designers attempt to fit both a bathtub and a shower into the same small space. In reality, this just wastes room and creates an awkward layout.
9. Matte Black Fixtures That Show Every Water Spot
Matte black faucets and fixtures are currently a hot trend, but they come with a major downside—they show every water droplet, fingerprint, and stain.
If you want them to always look sleek and new, you’ll need to clean them frequently. Instead of your bathroom feeling like an elegant oasis, you’ll just have another surface that requires constant maintenance.
10. Plastic Wall Panels Instead of Tiles
When renovating a bathroom on a tight budget, many people opt for plastic wall panels instead of ceramic tiles. At first, this might seem like a good idea since they’re cheaper and easier to install. However, in the long run, they’re not worth it.
Plastic panels don’t hold up well in a bathroom’s humid, warm environment. They quickly discolor, warp, and collect dirt in the seams. The final result won’t look good—it will actually look cheap and ruin the entire bathroom aesthetic.