Home Improvement

5 Ways to Create the Perfect Family-Friendly Bathroom

September 6, 2019 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

Bathrooms should be relaxing havens, a perfectly tranquil place for those bubble baths and ideal spots for a little me-time. Yet when you have a family to cater for, especially with small children, your relaxing haven can sometimes turn into chaos, especially if your bathroom isn’t well suited or big enough for a growing family. There’s no reason that your bathroom can’t be both family-friendly and a perfect relaxation spot, however.

bathroom blurred with bath ducks in front

Here’s how to create a bathroom fit for all your family needs.

1. Adequate Storage

As with any room in your house, you’re going to need a lot of storage when you have children, and the bathroom is no different. Bathrooms can get piled up and cluttered with child-friendly necessities, such as their favourite shampoos, soaps and bath toys, not to mention childcare essentials like medicine, first-aid kits and lice-shampoo (when that unfortunate period of their life hits!).

So utilizing your bathroom for the handiest space possible is going to be a huge plus. Storage space also means that your children’s items can be out of sight rather than cluttered around the bath or on the floor, meaning that when you’re spending some time in the bathroom, it won’t always feel like a children’s playground.

You can install storage under your sink, through using wall cabinets and even above the toilet cistern.

2. Choose a Color Scheme That Suits Everyone

A family-friendly bathroom doesn’t have to mean that you have to decorate to your kids’ taste – you can save that for their personalized bedrooms. You can add a splash of color to your bathroom in a way which everyone will appreciate, and this could be through a quirky shower curtain, colored towels, or a sparkly bathmat or toilet seat. Whatever your taste, ensure you stick to a style which you can enjoy and appreciate but which will stimulate your children, too.

3. Have Both a Bath and Shower if you can

Having the option of both is a huge win when you have a growing family – bath time is always easier for younger children, and of course it also offers you the opportunity to have a relaxing soak from time to time. However, having the bonus of a shower to freshen up in the morning quickly is always a plus. Depending on the size of your bathroom, you may be able to install both – if your bathroom is small, however, you may have to forgo the bath. If a bath is able to be installed in your bathroom, you can always consider an over-the-bath shower instead of a separate free-standing shower, meaning you still get the best of both without sacrificing floor space.

If you need advice regarding bath or shower installation in your bathroom, you can search for “plumbers in my area” and have a professional provide advice and an estimate for you.

4. Use Tiles

For a family-friendly bathroom, you’ll need surfaces which are easy to clean, as mess and spills are bound to happen. Tiling is the best choice for your flooring and walls, as it’s so easy to clean and maintain. Opting for wooden bathroom flooring, for example, can be harder to keep on top of when it comes to wear and tear with your children, so tiling is definitely the better option.

Tiles come in a variety of patterns, styles and colors, so you can still decorate your bathroom to your taste even if you have to choose tiles for the kids.

5. Choose Individual Towels

It’s always nice when you can have a big, fluffy towel reserved for yourself without the kids getting their hands on it. Likewise, your kids will love having their own towel set to use, especially if you can choose some fun designs with their favorite Disney or Superhero characters printed on it.

For extra design help, you could arrange your towel racks and hooks at differing heights on the wall – meaning your kids can always reach their own towels but aren’t able to reach yours!

In Conclusion

There are plenty of extra design features to consider when planning a family-friendly bathroom, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience – and it also doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on your own comfort or tastes either. When designing a family-friendly bathroom, just ensure that you have features and colors which suit everybody – and remember that extra storage is a huge plus for everyone.

Here is a previous post of mine about bathroom facts, but I’m pleased to announce that we have actually renovated our ‘boring’ bathroom now.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

Adapting a Home for Disabled Family Members

January 29, 2019 by Anne Sweet 1 Comment

When I moved into my home five years ago it already had most of the requirements for a disabled person because it was a newly built house. I had no idea that just two years later I would be so grateful for these. If my house had been older I may have had to make a lot of changes. This post is a guide to what changes may need to be made should a loved one become disabled.

Whether a disability is borne out of a chronic illness or unforeseen trauma, living with one isn’t easy. Many disabilities impair one’s capacity to get around, which is why it’s important for family members and loved ones to create an environment suitable for accommodating their unique needs. And although many new homes are designed to aid persons with disabilities, often, older homes need to be retrofit to do the same.

That said, if you have a loved one or family member with a disability, here are a few things you can do to make your house more comfortable and inviting for them:

Major Renovations

1. Change your flooring

photograph of a hallway with wooden floors and doors

If you have marble floors or a carpeted hallway, it might be good to replace them with hardwood floors or ceramic tiles. These different types of flooring provide traction for wheelchairs, not to mention being easy to clean.If you don’t have enough money to re-floor your property, The Spruce suggests covering it with linoleum instead. Aside from being resistant to water and stains, it doesn’t hold on to dust and is good for wheelchairs. We have wood effect linoleum in our hallway and people often believe it’s real wood. It’s great for my wheelchair and makes exiting the house easy.

2. Widen hallways and doors

photo of a white dining room with a table and chairs and a sliding doorway

Your home’s doors need to be at least 36 inches wide for standard-size wheelchairs to fit through. A carpenter can usually complete this job within a day, as it is pretty straightforward.

However, if you want to make the adjustments yourself, you can install doors with swing-away hinges. You can also opt for dividers and sliding doors, which not only make access easier, but they can also make your home look more open and spacious. From the selection of internal doors on Screwfix, it is evident that your choice can impact the overall look of an entire room or home. This is why when choosing new doors, you need to make sure they are functional, as well as beautiful.

3. Add a downstairs toilet

photograph of a bathroom with shower, toilet and sink unit

If you find installing wheelchair platforms, stair lifts, and wheelchair climbers too expensive, you can renovate your home to make another bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor for your disable relative to sleep. This way, you won’t need to worry about how they will get up and down the stairs regularly.

Minor Renovations

1. Change door and cabinet knobs

photograph of a door handle on a white door

Door knobs can be difficult to use if they have limited mobility in their wrists or hands. It’s better to use door handles that will allow your doors to be unlocked and opened using only one hand. Locks, bolts, chains, and peepholes should be placed between three to four feet from the floor, so they can easily reach it.

2. Add accessible accessories to your bathroom

Showering and sitting on the toilet can be challenging, especially if they have restricted in terms of their movement. Installing handy bathroom accessories like shower seats and sturdy handrails will be very helpful—and are easy to blend in with your bathroom’s overall design. If you have more resources, you can follow the designs featured on the Telegraph and overhaul your bathroom to turn it into a wet room. This means that it will have no moving parts or doors that need to be opened or closed. It’ll be turned into one seamless room that can easily be accessed even if your family member is in a wheelchair or walker.

3. Add sufficient lighting

photo of a living area with sofas and lots of lighting on the ceiling.

Whether they are using a walker or a wheelchair, it’s important to make sure every nook and cranny of your home — including the stairs, rooms, and hallways — is well-lit. An electrical technician can help you improve your home’s lighting and make sure you leave no dark corners. Long hallways should have light switches at both ends and the switches should be reachable from a wheelchair.

Don’t forget to pay attention to your driveway and garage, too. Garden paths need to be wide enough for wheelchair access and the paving should be wheelchair- and walker-friendly, Lushome notes that some of the most important considerations you need to look at when it comes to your driveway are safety, access, drainage, and aesthetics. Once you’ve crossed out all these off your list, your home will be ready for any family member with a disability.

Overall, minor and major home improvement projects for the benefit of a disabled person are a welcome change. And while you’re at it, why not take into account your loved one’s style and preferences? For ideas on choosing a theme, have a look at our guide here on Raisie Bay

Making Your Kids Bedroom Warm and Cosy

October 30, 2018 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

Winter is quickly creeping in, and at this time of year we all feel the need to hibernate like the animals our children learn about at school; in fact, with darker nights and colder days, having a house that’s warm and cosy is imperative to creating a feeling of “home sweet home”.

There’s nothing less homely than being in a house that is cold and drafty, yet, there’s nothing more comforting than a warm and cosy bedroom that makes you feel all safe and snuggled up from the cold weather outside.

Indeed, winter can be a magical time, for as the snow begins to fall for the first time, the whole house will get excited about the prospect of building snowmen, going sledding and having the inevitable snowball fight. Of course, there’s the occasional Scrooge like character that fails to see the magic of this time of year and considers only the affect such adverse weather will have on traffic conditions… but for most people, and in particular, most children – the snow starting to fall signifies a time of magic and wonderment.

There’s nothing better, as a kid, than being wrapped up warm looking out at the snow falling from your bedroom; going to sleep, then waking up every now and then, peeking through the window to see if it’s still snowing and whether the snow has settled.

Child’s Bedroom

Now, in terms of making your child’s bedroom warm and cosy, the furniture in your kids bedroom is quite important. Cuckooland offer perhaps the coolest kids bedroom furniture to create a modern yet cosy atmosphere, though, a lot of making your kids bedroom more warm and cosy comes down to is related specifically to their bed and lighting.

Lighting is one of the most vital components when it comes to creating a warm and cosy space, and there are a number of things you can do to add to the feeling of warmth within your child’s bedroom, whilst also offering a safe “night light” glow that is conducive to sleep.
Many times, people put warm LED string lights into their child’s bedroom to emit a warm glow that is safe to stay on throughout the night (particularly if battery operated), whilst if you’re looking for something a little more fancy you could use a Himalayan salt lamp, as this will create a cosy glow in addition to providing numerous health benefits.

Then, when it comes to the warmth and coziness of your kid’s bed, it can be helpful to add a memory foam mattress topper to their bed, as this will provide much warmth and insulation whilst also making the bed feel more cloud like in that they will sink into it.

If your house is particularly cold, and electric blanket can work wonders in providing a constant supply of localised heat – or a hot water bottle provides a more specific heat source that can be nice to put in the bed prior to bedtime.

Disclosure: collaborative post

The Home Office

October 17, 2018 by Anne Sweet 4 Comments

I used to have a corner of the living room as my home office. I had everything I needed, a desk, chair, pc and complete filing system including my luxury branded ringbinders.

Then I got sick and rarely used my work station so it was passed on to Star. She now has everything in her bedroom and my living room ~~was reclaimed~~ became a dumping corner for toy boxes.

I’ve decided now that I’d like it back as a home office. It just felt different having a space to work in. I seemed to get so much more done, I was more productive without distractions.

The Little Man’s bedroom should really be a home office, it has so many plug sockets and it’s just the perfect size. But I’d have to kick him out and he’s only eight so I don’t think I’d get away with that. Maybe in the future there will be a bedroom shuffle, because I’m sure if one of the other bedrooms became free there would be a rush to move around. The Little Man is happy in his little room for the time being though, so I will have to settle for my living room.

My Ideal Office.

I’m lucky enough to have quite a large living room so I can easily spare a corner. I do think my needs have changed since the last time though. For one, I’d need a very comfortable chair to sit in. I would be using my laptop so the desk would not have to house a pc. I’d like lots of storage for all my paperwork.

But, it’s not just work, there is also play involved. I like to do a bit of papercraft, so it would be nice to have the desk to use for that. And I really love stationary and pretty things, so it would probably be less office like than before.

And when I’m not working, I’d love to be able to store everything neatly away.

Inspiration

It will be after Christmas before I can set up my new office because that’s when we’ll be re-decorating. But I’ve been looking on Pinterest for some inspiration. I’m a long way from making up my mind though.

a simple white desk and matching chair against a grey painted wall with a wire bookcase — Maybe if we went for grey, but I’d need more storage

a dark wooden bench beneath a large bookshelf full of books and plants — A bit too cluttered, but I do love bookshelves

An old wooden desk with a a floral chair topped with a painting and a lamp and set against a handpainted mural on the wall — I love the wooden desk

two white cabinets with a plank of wood across the top to make a desk — Or maybe I should have something made to suit. This is a plank of wood over two filing cabinets.

Do you have a home office?

How to make that perfect garden the whole family can enjoy

September 2, 2018 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

A garden should be enjoyable for those who tend to it, but also for the entire family to enjoy the ‘green’ outdoor space together. So, how can you create an inviting space for everyone to make use of this summer? Consider some of these simple tips.

Add pop and colour

Choose flowers, plants, and arrangements which stand out. You don’t want a garden which is dull or is lacking something vibrant which sets it apart from your neighbour’s garden. So, consider a distinct floral arrangement, some fun garden ornaments, or other decorative pieces, so your garden will stand apart from the rest. If you are not a keen gardener and would like some assistance you could get a local gardener to come and help you. I would recommend looking on a trade directory like myjobquote.co.uk.

Add a spark of fun

Consider adding a swing set for the kids, a walking path, or even a jacuzzi or slip and slide area for them to play. If you have the space, add an attached deck or fire pit. The more interactive the space is, the more it is going to be enjoyed by the gardener, and the entire family. And, the easier it is going to be to bring everyone together, when you want to spend some quality time with family and friends.

Add a fountain

A water fountain or water pit, with surrounding gnomes or garden ornaments, will really stand apart from other gardens where you live. It is going to have a distinct look and feel, it is going to add a decorative flair to the space, and it can easily bring the entire garden area together, especially in a larger home, with large outdoor (or separate garden areas) space.

Photo by Alexandria Courtney on Unsplash

Your garden should bring enjoyment to everyone who sees and experiences it. These are some simple tips to incorporate to ensure it is enjoyed by yourself, as well as your family and friends who come to visit your home as well.

For further ideas on garden transformation please see my former post on how to make the garden a fun filled space for kids.