Adapted bathrooms

Here at Avoca we strive to listen carefully to what our clients are looking to achieve from their bathroom renovation. Needs change over time and whilst one family might need a big tub for toddler bathtime, another might want a sleek and powerful shower room for a good blast after a gym session and another might want a renovation to bring in Victorian sanitaryware to complement their period home.

One request we often hear is the need to make the bathroom more accessible and easier to use sometimes for clients with reduced mobility or for people future proofing their homes for when getting in and out of a bath might not be so easy. Gone are the days when such a refurb needs to look clinical or unpleasant and there are lots of subtle ways to make the new space both functional and attractive. 

When we are planning such a bathroom, we first consider the space and the layout. Are the doors wide enough with a smooth transition from the external corridor and is there enough space to manoeuvre easily? We then start to select products to suit the client. It’s easy to make small tweaks so that the bathroom doesn’t particularly look any different but delivers on convenience. We consider such options as slightly raised ‘comfort’ toilet with easy control push button or sensor flushes and taps with simple levers and temperature controlled water flow. When it comes to installing a shower then we aim for a low profile, non-slip tray for ease of use with an adaptable height shower head.

Then to ensure safety we look at non-slip flooring and can easily install fold down seats and grab rails in positions to suit the individual. Other useful considerations are the use of central sensor lighting as well as task lighting and temperature controlled towel rails. A final tweak which really can make all the difference, is using a corner of the room or the shower to build in a stylish tiled seat, great for a pause before or after a shower. 

Two projects which we have completed recently showcase what can be achieved. 

This first project was for a couple in Twickenham. The gentleman had recently had leg  surgery which had notably reduced his mobility and their current bathroom had effectively become unusable for him. We stripped out the bath, installed a new flush shower with a tiled seat and installed classic white furniture. Improved lighting and a non-slip floor completed the transformation and afforded him the pleasure of a lovely shower once again.

A second project was for a lovely lady in Barnes. She had been to a local bathroom design company and we were tasked with completing the renovation for her. A seat in the low profile shower and improved storage solutions really lifted the space making it both more attractive and easier to use.