Sharing a bathroom is fraught with difficulties. As a somewhat personal room, which has the potential to be quite unhygienic if neglected, problems can arise. It particularly presents unique problems for the would-be designer.
In this article, we’ll be looking more at the process of decorating the communal bathroom, as opposed to the design decisions you have to make. We won’t cover everything you need to be aware of to successfully share a bathroom, but by the end you’ll have a good idea of how best to approach the tricky task of making sure the bathroom decor pleases everybody in your home.
Diplomacy
First and foremost, you can’t just go off on your own and redecorate a shared bathroom. You may do an excellent job, but if it isn’t to everyone’s taste or suitable for everyone’s needs it may cause some tension. You are much better off including everyone in the decision making.
Round everyone up and start discussing options. You may find that your fellow tenants are more than happy to let you decorate as you see fit. But there may be another would-be designer who would like the opportunity too. You’ll often find that a comfortable middle-ground can be reached. Of course, before any work starts, make sure you are allowed to redecorate under the property owner’s rules.
Space
While the bath and the toilet will always remain communal, everyone should feel entitled to at least a little bit of personal space within the bathroom. This will likely boil down to individual storage space. Some people will want to keep all of their possessions, including their toiletries, separate from the bathroom altogether. But if others are happy to leave items in there, you’ll need a way of dividing up the available space.
This brings in a nice bit of design choice. If the room is big enough, every housemate can have their own piece of storage furniture. They could each buy their own or leave it all to you if they want the furniture to be in keeping with the rest of the design scheme. Alternatively, you could look at bathroom furniture that is compartmentalised, assigning a drawer or a pigeon hole to each member of the household.
Separating Items
Those people who want to keep their items out of the bathroom are likely doing it to avoid “cross contamination”. The worry is understandable - not only is it odd to think of other people using your toiletries, it also aids in the spread of bacteria. So, how can you solve this from a design point of view?
Firstly, as best as you can, separate items that could otherwise be clubbed together. Toothbrushes are a great example. If left in the same tumbler, the bacteria they contain will mix. Instead, purchase separate toothbrush holders. If you want a complete separation of items, consult a colour wheel for complimentary colours to your room, and then assign each user a different colour. Then their towels, brushes, and any other items are easily distinguishable.
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