Judging on the products on display at the ISH show last week, high-tech luxury gadgets are set to creep into our bathrooms, just as they have already done in so many other areas of our homes.

Remote-control showers, wireless music, built in TV sets, touch sensitive baths and colourful LED lights, to name a few, all ready to add a high-tech twist to the bathroom experience as we know it.

But don’t be put off by the grandeur of this, as it is not just for the rich and famous; there are plenty of less elaborate ways to use technology to add a little bit of luxury to the standard British bathroom.

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Take a look at your bathroom; are you happy with how it looks? Is it big enough to accommodate everyone living under your roof? Or are you lucky enough to own multiple lavatories? Have you ever wondered what everyone else thinks about their bathroom?

Considering its functions, the bathroom is usually one of the more private of spaces in any home. But this has never stopped interior designers from creating beautiful looking bathroom designs and it certainly didn’t stop us from undertaking extensive research into Britons attitudes towards their own bathroom spaces.

In order to get a better understanding of what the UK want from their bathrooms, we asked over a thousand people to fill out our bathroom related questionnaires, and the results we received back were astounding, given us a usually unseen insight in British bathroom usage.
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Quality and price aren’t always mutually exclusive, nor can one guarantee the other. You can pay a lot for a car that always breaks down, or you can get a fantastic deal on something that lasts a lifetime. However, there is such a thing as a false economy.

This false economy can apply to pretty much any product. From sticky tape that doesn’t stick to bathroom cabinets that wilt at the slightest sign of moisture in the air. Quality is an attribute that most designers and manufacturers strive for; invariably though, some will fall short.

So how might the issue of cost versus quality impact those who are buying new bathroom furniture or a whole new suite for their home?
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Bathrooms used to be a place in the house where you would conduct your necessary business as quickly as possible. Showering and bathing was seen as one of life’s necessities and was certainly not to be indulged or lingered upon. People would scrub up as quickly as they could and leave the bathroom immediately in order to head towards rooms of a higher interest within the house. However, times have changed. In today’s world more people than ever before are recognising that a bathroom can be a room of luxury which is to be enjoyed as much as possible. But a luxurious bathroom requires luxurious fittings. Nobody would feel comfortable lingering in an old tin bath tub full of freezing cold water. Creating a top quality bathroom requires a great attention to detail. You cannot hope to design a bathroom with the ‘wow factor’ if you do not invest in quality products and bathroom furniture.

First of all, true luxury bathrooms tend to be on the larger side. After all, it is difficult to relax when you are trying to fit into a box room! Having enough space to move around freely is a key component of creating a fantastic bathroom. Big bathrooms are currently heading up a huge interior design fashion trend. Fiona Barratt-Campbell is a London based interior designer, and she has noticed this growing trend. She says: “People want a very big, very luxurious master suite. Bathrooms were previously just functional spaces where we didn’t spend much time; now they’re a place to relax. We recently refurbished the top floor of a Georgian house in Yorkshire to create a master suite in which the bathroom alone was 23-feet square.”

However, size is not everything! Having been in the business for almost 20 years, here at Utopia we know a thing or two about creating the ultimate bathroom designs. Our Timber Collection is perfect for a traditional classic look which will last for generations. Solid oak and walnut panels generate a sense of timeless warmth and quality which will heat up any type of bathroom. Alternatively, North African sourced granite and marble worktops possess wonderful reflective surfaces with exotically grained patterns. For those of you who prefer the ultimate classic look though, our Mineral Cast wash basins are bound to fit your brief. Indeed, there is nothing better when you are searching for a clean and minimalist look of perfection in your bathroom than stumbling upon our UK designed and manufactured Mineral Cast range.

Other things to think about when coming up with luxury bathroom design ideas are issues such as lighting and storage. Whilst the ideal may be to have a huge bay window which streams through lights into the bathroom all day, this is unlikely to happen. As such you will need to invest in lighting which delivers a real sense of luxury. Forget harsh glaring neon lights which can frazzle your eyeballs, and stick to softer options which can be dimmed and brightened at will.

If you home’s a little smaller than you’d like and your bathroom’s lacking in square-footage, you’re by no means alone. To get a property in a location that suits you and meets various other criteria, you might have had to compromise on size.

This doesn’t mean you have to give up on the idea of having a home that looks superb and comfortably accommodates all your possessions. For example, by making savvy use of bathroom furniture, you can rest assured you’ll be able to create attractive and practical spaces.

Choosing the perfect bathroom tiles

For example, when you’re choosing your tiles, you might benefit from going for arranging them in vertical patterns. According to designer Matthew Quinn, this can make rooms look taller and more spacious, the Associated Press reports.

Thankfully, there are plenty of tiles for you to choose from these days, meaning you shouldn’t struggle to find versions that tick all your boxes.

Playing with light

Lighting is also crucial. Getting this right can make spaces appear larger and brighter. According to Mr Quinn, low-ceilinged rooms can benefit from having recessed lighting rather than hanging lights. Also, selecting small, pin-point illuminations as opposed to wide lights can pay off. Furthermore, pointing lights towards the sides of rooms rather than directly downward can help to open spaces up.

Investing in tall bathroom cabinets

Fellow designer Kyle Schuneman pointed out that selecting tall items of furniture can be beneficial in small rooms. He said products that extend to the ceiling can “visually open up the space, but also give you all that storage you’d lose otherwise”.

Commenting on where the items should be located, the expert went on to remark: “The best places to use tall, vertical furnishings are in rooms where stellar views aren’t the main attraction.”

Thankfully, it’s now simple to get your hands on superb fitted bathroom cabinets and so on. As long as you know where to look, you can take your pick from a broad selection.

Minimising clutter

Of course, having plenty of storage in your bathroom also helps to minimise clutter. This is great because having lots of items on display can look chaotic and objects can quickly start to get in the way, making rooms feel more cramped.

By investing in the appropriate cabinets, units and so on, you can make sure that most of the items in your bathroom are hidden from view.

Mirror mirror on the wall

Another great addition to most bathrooms is a mirror, or possibly a number of mirrors. These reflective items are practical because they help people to apply makeup, shave and so on. Also, they’re great for reflecting light and enhancing the brightness of rooms and they can also serve to make areas look bigger. Large mirrors can really open spaces up and give the illusion that bathrooms are much more sizeable.

Here at Utopia we’re experts when it comes to products like this and by taking a look at the items we have to offer, you should be able to come up with a number of ways to make your bathroom appear more spacious.

Are you looking for stunning designer bathroom furniture? Here at Utopia, we specialise in manufacturing and producing high quality bathroom furniture. We are proud to be able to say that all of our bathroom furniture pieces are manufactured and produced right here in the UK. We manufacture products to the highest standard and consequently offer a five-year guarantee we are that confident in the quality of our products. Where possible we are committed to using sustainable materials.

At Utopia, we have been designing and manufacturing designer bathroom furniture for over twenty years and our products are available through over 600 retailers across the UK and Ireland.

Whether you are looking for a few new bathroom pieces to update your bathroom or a complete bathroom makeover you are sure to find something you love in our beautiful range of products. You can browse our bathroom furniture by either product or collection. Our furniture is grouped by collection so if you prefer classic bathroom furniture you can peruse our classic furniture range alternatively if you have a more modern style our contemporary collection might be just what you are looking for.

If you want to update your existing bathroom replacing the bathroom cabinets is an easy way of transforming your bathroom. All of our bathroom cabinets are designed and manufactured in the UK using the highest quality materials. Mirrored bathroom cabinets are a clever way of making your bathroom look bigger and making the most of the space you have. Installing bathroom cabinets gives you extra storage space for all your toiletries and keeps the rest of the bathroom clutter free. The bathroom is one of the most calming rooms in the house, a place to relax and unwind after a hard day. We all dream of having a beautiful minimal bathroom where we can let go of the days stresses and chill out. With our designer bathroom furniture you can achieve the luxurious contemporary bathroom of your dreams.
Another great option if you don’t want to overhaul your entire bathroom is replacing the shower or bath screen. It is surprising how this simple addition along with a new lick of paint can instantly transform your bathroom. Our bath and shower screens are made from 6mm toughened glass and feature durable hinge and seal systems making them easy to move about when cleaning. Bath and shower screens look much more sophisticated than a shower curtain and the good news is that unlike shower curtains which get mouldy over time shower screens are easy to keep sparkling. If you already have one of our baths it is easy to find the right bath and shower screen to go with your bath. We have three collections of different shower screens each named after the corresponding bath. However if you don’t have one of our baths we have listed all the measurements of our screens so you can find one to suit your particular bath. If you would like more information on any of our products simple click on the request more information tab next to our products. You can also request a brochure and find your nearest Utopia retailer.

When it comes to bathrooms, personal preferences and room dimensions vary greatly. That is exactly why we have developed such an extensive range of furniture and fittings to suit every bathroom and every taste.

One of the latest additions to the contemporary styles designed in-house is our Encurva furniture, to suit modern tastes but with you in mind, so it includes a great selection of attractive bathroom furniture offered in an array of sizes. In a similar manner to our Symmetry range, the Encurva designs play gentle contours off straight lines to offer stylish furniture that will no doubt impress.

The comprehensive range of sizes within the collection means that you’ll be able to choose the right furniture, fittings and sanitary ware to suit whatever space you’re looking to design. Choose from a range of worksurfaces along with a myriad of combinations of units and doors for you to match together to suit your personal style. The Encurva collection also extends to a range of bathroom mirrors that create the same complementary combination of straight lines and curved edges that create a unique and unmistakably modern look.

We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy our latest range no matter what space you have to work with so choose Utopia for our range of fitted, modular or Timber bathrooms and you’ll never have to compromise on style.