THE MODERN bathroom

The epitome of civilisation

- PETE COLQUHOUN

Over a lifetime, the average person spends more than two years in the bathroom. My brother is a plumber and let me confi rm it’s a tough gig. It’s just one of the trades required to build the smallest, often most expensive room in the house. An appreciation of what’s involved in designing and building a bathroom, along with giving your team clear instructions, will streamline the process and save money.

Designer bathrooms or areas for personal ablution is as ancient idea where the principles of harvesting and recycling water were the basis on which great civilisations were founded. One of my old architectural university lecturers once said, “Having hot running water in the home is the ‘epitome of western civilisation’.” While today we take it for granted, it’s a luxury perfected over thousands of years. Turkish steam bath, anyone?

WHEN DESIGNING A NEW BATHROOM, HERE ARE SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES