Why is the bathroom the most important room in a home?

Why is the bathroom the most important room in a home? And why is it the interior designer’s obligation to pay extra attention to this room?

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home and this is true in a sense because it is where the family gathers and do some entertaining, but that doesn’t make the kitchen the most important room in the home.

Firstly, not everyone uses a kitchen daily. Young professionals might eat out more often because they’ve been working late, and young families might opt to eat their meals at a grandparent’s home if they live nearby.

Secondly, everyone enjoys food at different degrees. Some are avid foodies, while others might have dietary requirements that they need to follow, which limits what they can eat.

Lastly, cooking takes time and effort and while many people find it therapeutic, there are just as many people who find it to be a chore and would like to minimise their time in the kitchen.

A lot of attention is devoted to the look and layout of the kitchens instead of the bathrooms. However, bathrooms are arguably the most important rooms in the house as they are used daily and enjoyed in private. And they play an essential role in our health and wellbeing.

Bathroom design has significantly improved over the years. Modern design fixtures allowed us to streamline traditional bulky fittings and new surface materials allow us to personalise the room to our taste. Such features are no longer considered a premium and have now become the standard. Home buyers expect beautiful, modern and efficient bathrooms at any price point.

So, what exciting improvements can we now offer when apartments keep getting smaller and real estate prices keep rising but the demand is not slowing down?

Here are a few design solutions that will help take your bathrooms from ordinary to extraordinary, at any price point.

1. USB ports built into the medicine cabinets for shavers, electrical toothbrushes, mobile phones and speakers.

2. Vertical towel heating bars. As bathrooms keep getting smaller, we no longer find room for the typical horizontal bars.

3. Water filtering units. Having gone through the height of the Covid pandemic, presenting homebuyers with filtering systems for chemical-free water will set you apart from the competition.

And, if you really want to impress your homebuyers…

1. Toilets that are fully integrated into the wall to save room

2. Steam showers

3. Touchless fixtures

4. Large-scale solid surfaces to reduce grout lines and maintenance

5. The all-time popular feature — storage, storage, storage

Bathrooms are considered a safe space; the one room people visit for momentary solitude. It is the first room we visit in the morning to start our day and the place that helps us unwind from the stress of the day. So, please do not take the bathroom design for granted.

What special features in the bathroom are important to you?