Although the design and layout of bathrooms we use nowadays date back millennia, they are still considered as one of the most difficult to design and renovate. During the earliest stages of planning a bathroom, there are plenty of rules of thumb to follow, especially since it involves a lot of association and "pre-planning" with plumbing, electrical circuits, angular or uniquely-shaped fittings, and small floor areas. We will explore the basics of bathroom plumbing and where to allocate each fixture to optimize the bathroom's layout, facilitating your DIY remodel project or creating the space from scratch.
Throughout history, civilizations have developed their own sanitation systems based on their geographical, cultural, and economic conditions. The use of a toilet seat, for instance, is commonly used in the Western World, whereas most people in Eastern countries use the floor-mounted squat toilet. Despite being one of the smallest rooms inside a house, bathrooms are certainly one of the most challenging and critical to design, featuring several fittings and hydraulic installations that require careful planning. Naturally, the bigger the bathroom is, the more space there is to freely install fixtures and cabinetry, but architects have managed to define minimum dimensions and specific layouts to consider for small bathrooms, ensuring comfort, accessibility, and practicality, especially for children, the elderly, and handicapped individuals.
