The mains water also supplies water to the the boiler (or similar), which heats it up and distributes around the bathroom (red pipes). These cold supply pipes are shown in blue in Figure 3 below. This means that all the cold taps supply cold drinking water straight from the mains supply, rather than going through the cistern first. The direct system, which – as the name suggests – supplies cold water directly to the fixtures. This system dates back to the days when water shortages were common – and is still the norm here in the UK. The indirect system supplies water into a storage tank first (a cistern usually located in the attic), and from there the water is distributed to all the fixtures. There are two main types of supply systems – indirect and direct supply. Basically, you have two networks of pipes in the house – one which is pressurised and brings hot and cold water in ( supply), and another system to carry all the dirty water out ( drainage). And that’s understandable because the pipes are usually installed in a way that you never even see the them! But when you break it down, there’s actually nothing mysterious about them. Plumbing can at first seem all complicated and mysterious. FIGURE 2 – Bathroom Layout PLUMBING BASICS We’ll go through some of these dimensions a bit later, but first let’s wrap our heads around the plumbing system and how it affects the overall layout. By considering these recommended dimensions we’ll have a better chance of avoiding the mistake of designing an awkward and unpractical space.

These general guidelines are based on extensive studies and are there to help us achieve a more efficient design. The recommended clearances are important for safe and comfortable movement within the bathroom space. You will, of course, have more design freedom when designing a new house, but even then you might find that certain layouts are easier and efficient to connect to the plumbing system than others. Re-arranging plumbing is usually very difficult, not to mention expensive, because they are often so inaccessible. The existing plumbing will largely dictate where the fixtures will be installed. The bathroom layout is affected mainly by two things existing plumbing system and the recommended clearances for each bathroom fixture (like sink, bath and shower etc). FIGURE 1 – Bathtub View DESIGN PRINCIPLES In this post we’ll explore the two main bathroom design principles you need to know before planning your design. But whatever your design preference might be, it still requires careful planning to make most of the space available. From minimalism to maximalism and from classic to contemporary, there are plenty of different ways to design your bathroom.

Standard bathroom layout dimensions